From January 2015, Social Justice Center has started implementing a project- “Addressing the Problems of Integration, Marginalization and Radicalization of Muslim Communities in Georgia”. The project is implemented within the framework of Eurasia Program supported by the Open Society Foundations.

Muslim communities in Georgia (Georgian Muslim community, Kist Muslim community, Azerbaijani Muslim community) live in different political, social and historic contexts and are victims of structural oppression and marginalization. Discussion about social and human rights situation of the abovementioned groups is covered by the discourse on ethno-religious nationalism and anti-Islamic perceptions and does not reflect real needs and interests of the groups. In this regard, it is especially vivid how the hostile and surficial media images are created around the Pankisi Gorge. The state policy towards the Muslim community is discriminatory and mainly is based on ignoring the interests of the community as well as using the strategy of controlling them. The issue of political and social exclusion of the Muslim community is not well researched and studied among the academic circles that makes is difficult to adequately show existing problems and implement the policy that is based on the needs.

The ongoing project aims to support political and social integration of the Muslim communities through research and advocacy. For this purpose, following activities will be implemented within the framework of this project:

– Researching political and social exclusion of Georgian Muslim community that live in Adjara and other regions as well as preparing and advocating recomendations for the state that are based on the best practices and expereinces of other countries. The research will include the issue of representation of the Muslim community in political bodies and public service as well as other issues such as employment, reflection on the voices and needs of Muslim community in the political agenda. Furthermore, the project team will study how community’s political exclusion influences their social development, what are the strategies of self-development and self-organization of Muslim community while they are under the conditions of oppression;

– Researching possible religious radicalization in Pankisi Gorge and its supporting systemic political and social causes as well as studying the preventive policy of the state and preparing and advocating recommendation package for the state and other relevant actors;

– Conducitng strategic litigation on the cases of discmrination and restriction of the rights of Muslim community.

After conducting research studies, firstly Social Justice Center will disseminate research findings among relevant communities and will get their feedback and assessment. The organization will ensure advocating recommendations through local community organizations and other partners. At the same time, within the framework of the research, for the purpose of eliminating discriminatory and other unlawful practices, Social Justice Center will help local communities through conducting advocacy efforts, including using legal instruments.

The project is implemented within the framework of Eurasia Program supported by the Open Society Foundations

Duration of the project: January 2017- June 2018

 Project Budget:97,978 USD

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