On January 1, 2017 the Rehabilitation Centre for Victims of Torture, Violence and Pronounced Stress Impact “Empathy” started the Project: “Enhancing Sustainability of Holistic Services for War affected and Ill – Treatment Victims in Georgia”. This project is funded by the European Union.

RCT/EMPATHY, News January 30, 2017

The RCT/EMPATHY is health and human rights NGO that provides multi -disciplinary holistic assistance for victims of war crimes and ill – treatment in Georgia. Services includes: medical, mental/psychological, social and legal assistance. Agency provides high level medico – legal reports according to the Istanbul Protocol for victims of torture, ill treatment and war crimes.

In the same time RCT/EMPATHY works on policy improvement and prevention field, as well as provides research, educational and capacity building activities for relevant agencies from whole Caucasian Region Countries and border regions, as well as collaborates with similar projects in Central Asia and Worldwide.

Since January 2017 the RCT/EMPATHY implements Project “Enhancing Sustainability of Holistic Services for War affected and Ill – Treatment Victims in Georgia” that covers Georgia, Tbilisi and surrounding areas, Gori and boarder areas of so called South Ossetia, Zugdidi and regions, Kutaisi and Batumi, including penal institutions and collective living villages of IDPs. Overall objectives of this programme are: to enhance sustainability of the NGO – The Rehabilitation Centre for Victims of Torture, Violence and Pronounced Stress Impact “Empathy” (RCT/EMPATHY, Georgia); to support capacity building of smaller CSOs and to support Governmental agencies to implement  EU/Georgia Associate agreement.

Specific objectives focused on following: (1) to achieve sustainability of core activities of the RCT/EMPATHY. (2) To provide training/educational programme for smaller CSOs and professionals working in the similar and cross related fields. (3) To increase public awareness and prevention activities for improvement of legislative frameworks in accordance with EU/Georgia agreement on Human Rights.

Activities are focus on following items: Cluster  (1) Relates to the Core services of the RCT/EMPATHY, including: 1) Multi-disciplinary treatment and rehabilitation programme (TRD), 2) Crisis Intervention and Forensic Assessment Programme (CI and FD); 3) legal assistance programme (LD); 4) Work in Art Studio (AS); Cluster (2) relates to the Training/Educational programme that will be focused on professional and organizational capacity building of the volunteers, small scale NGOs and community groups and leaders; Cluster (3) Related to the prevention activities, including: (1) analysis of the legislation and practice (“Watch Dog” activities, including shadow reporting; (2) Elaboration of recommendations according to the EU/Georgia agreement and international standards on Human Rights; (3) Public awareness and advocacy activities for the implementation of issued recommendations.

Target groups for core activities are: Torture, ill treatment and violence victims, especially IDPs 2008 Russian – Georgian war victims and civilians still living in occupied territory of Georgia/Abkhazia and para military villages of South Ossetia; as well as former prisoners and prisoners with experience of torture or/and ill treatment. Special priority will be given to the women and children with experience of any forms of violence; To N about 500 per year; for training programme:  50 p. health care professionals, human rights defenders and community leaders from the regions of Georgia.

This project is funded by the European Union for Georgia that contribution is amount 150 000 EUR.

Contact Details: Contact Person Ekaterine Keburia, Address: 23 Kandelaki Str., Tbilisi 0160, Georgia,   Phone: +995322381015; e – mail: eka@empathy.ge , www.empathy.ge , Facebook: Rct.Empathy

RCT EMPATHY News January 2017, Final