Representatives of the National Association of Local Authorities of Georgia (NALAG) — Lasha Archvadze, Deputy Executive Director of the Association, and Nino Zurabishvili, NALAG expert — participated in a two-day working meeting held in Zugdidi on December 9–10, dedicated to strengthening the capacity of municipal social protection systems for rapid and effective response to shocks.
The event was organized by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) within the framework of the social platform meeting for Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti and Guria regions.
During the working meeting, UNICEF’s study on assessing the readiness of social protection systems to shocks was presented; the findings of the study, key risks, and opportunities for institutional strengthening were reviewed, along with the study’s recommendations for ensuring timely support to the population in crisis situations.
Discussions addressed UNICEF’s shock-responsive social protection approach, the results of case studies of Zugdidi and Lanchkhuti municipalities conducted within the framework of the study, and the joint design of a rapid humanitarian cash assistance scheme.
Participants were also provided with information on the child rights-based budgeting methodology and the digital tool for assessing child-oriented budgets.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia, the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia, as well as the leadership of Zugdidi Municipality and members of the social platforms of the municipalities of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti and Guria regions.