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Successfully Advocated Cases in Kvemo Kartli and Kakheti Regions in the Frame of the Project 'WATER FOR THE POOR'

November 27, 2019
 
Human Rights Center implements the project “Water for the Poor” in partnership with the CENN with financial support of the EU 

1. WITH THE LEGAL ADVOCACY OF HUMAN RIGHTS CENTER, TSERETELI VILLAGE HAD DRINKING WATER PROBLEM RESOLVED

In the frame of the project “Water for the Poor”, a resident of Tsereteli village, Marneuli municipality, applied Human Rights Center for help. According to her statement, the drinking water in Tsereteli village was of poor quality and it was proved by laboratory expertise. The National Food Safety Agency took laboratory tests of the drinking water in the village based on the petition of the local population. The analysis showed that the quality of the village drinking water did not meet the standards of the technical regulations determined by the resolution of the Government of Georgia. Regardless the laboratory analysis, the Ltd Marneuli Village Water did not take any measures to improve the quality of the drinking water in the village.

Consequently, HRC sent complaint to the Georgian National Energy and Water Supply Regulatory Commission, which was authorized to supervise and monitor activities of the Ltd Marneuli Village Water. 

The GNERC immediately responded to the complaint of the HRC and the Commission commenced administrative proceedings against the company; they sent authorized persons to study the case on the place.

After the HRC engagement, the filters of the drinking water were installed in the village; the damaged parts of the drinking water supply system were rehabilitated. Consequently, the organization received the new conclusion of the laboratory analysis, which showed that the drinking water quality in the village meets the standards determined by the technical regulations of the Government. 

2. PROBLEM OF TOILETS AND SEWER SYSTEM RESOLVED IN THE MARNEULI PUBLIC SCHOOL #6

Nongovernmental organizations CENN and Human Rights Center studied the sanitary-hygiene conditions in the Marneuli Public School # 6, which revealed alarming situation caused by the demolished sewer system. Human Rights Center many times petitioned the director of the public school, educational resource-center of Marneuli municipality and the LEPL Education and Science Infrastructure Development National Center with regard to the problem.

After the Ministry of Education and municipality city halls signed memorandum in the beginning of 2019, the city halls became authorized to resolve infrastructural problems of public schools. HRC met responsible officials of the Marneuli city hall to raise the issue of public school # 6 with them and in the end, the Marneuli City Hall allocated 150 000 GEL for the rehabilitation of water closet, sewer system and yard of the Public School # 6.

3. WATER SUPPLY COMPANY REGULARLY SUPPLIES RESIDENT OF NAKHIDURI VILLAGE WITH DRINKING WATER IN BOLNISI MUNICIPALITY

Human Rights Center advocated the problem of drinking water in Nakhiduri village of Bolnisi municipality. Local resident, L.A applied to the organization for help and complained that majority of the village population had not been supplied with drinking water for more than 2 months. She and her family, because of financial problems, could not buy water and the old mother had to fetch polluted water from the River Khrami with bottles. On June 8, 2019, HRC petitioned the Ltd United Water Supply Company, which was responsible to supply Nakhiduri village with clean drinking water. The organization requested laboratory analysis of the drinking water in the village and asked whether the Company planned any rehabilitation works in the village to improve the water-supply system. As the company did not respond to the organization within 10 days, HRC petitioned the Georgian National Energy and Water Supply Regulatory Commission. 

The GNERC, in its response to the organization, confirmed that Georgian United Water Company was responsible to supply the village with the drinking water. On July 11, 2019, the Kvemo Kartli regional laboratory tested the drinking water in Nakhiduri village, which confirmed that the water quality met the standards established by the Government’s technical regulations. However, until the company fully restores the water-supply system in the village, the company is ordered to supply L.A’s family with the drinking water regularly. 

4. WATER CLOSETS ARE REHABILITATED IN KIZILAJLO VILLAGE PUBLIC SCHOOL

In 2018, nongovernmental organizations CENN and Human Rights Center studied the sanitary-hygiene conditions in the public schools of Marneuli municipality. They found alarming situation in the Kizilajlo village public school # 2 . HRC officially petitioned the Marneuli Municipality City Hall and requested to take immediate measures to resolve the problems in the school. The city hall responded the organization that they have already envisaged relevant funds for the rehabilitation of the school in their 2019 budget and nowadays the water closets of Kizilajlo village public school are renovated. 

5. PROBLEM OF THE TOILETS IN MATANI VILLAGE PUBLIC SCHOOL # 1 IN AKHMETA MUNICIPALITY WAS RESOLVED 

HRC representatives visited the Matani village public school # 1 in summer of 2018. The monitoring revealed that there were significant WaSH related violations in the school. The water, which was supplied to the school, was of poor quality. Small part of the pupils used to take drinking water to the school with bottles. Others bought water in local shops. In general, the village had problem with water-supply because of demolished system. The toilets of the schools were amortized and pupils did not use as it was dangerous to enter it. 

Human Rights Center started advocacy of the grave sanitary-hygiene conditions in the Matani village public school # 1 in November, 2018. Three parents of the school pupils petitioned the organization on November 5, 2018. 

On November 16, 2018, the LEPL Educational and Science Infrastructure Development National Agency wrote to HRC that they would rehabilitate the water closets in Matani village public school # 1 in 2019. On May 28, 2019, the Akhmeta municipality city hall informed HRC that they had allocated 93 200 GEL for the rehabilitation of sanitary infrastructure in the school. 

On August 30, 2019, HRC representatives visited the Matani village public school # 1 to monitor the implemented works there. The school now has new toilets both inside the building and in the yard; relevant infrastructure was arranged for the children with disabilities. 

6. WATER CLOSET PROBLEM RESOLVED IN TOKHLIAURI VILLAGE PUBLIC SCHOOL OF SAGAREJO MUNICIPALITY 

On December 19, 2018, several parents of the school children in Tokhliauri village public school of Sagarejo municipality applied to Human Rights Center’s Kakheti office for help because of grave sanitary-hygiene conditions in the school.

The toilet in the school was in extremely poor conditions – it did not have windows and doors and the walls were cracked; there was threat of collapse. The school children avoided to use it. 

On December 20, 2019 HRC lawyer petitioned the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport and the Sagarejo municipality city mayor with regard the alarming situation in Tokhliauri village public school. 

On February 20, 2019, HRC team met the representatives of the local self-government in Sagarejo municipality to advocate the case of Tokhliauri village public school. On June 20, 2019, HRC received a letter from the Sagarejo municipality city hall, which informed that they had allocated 45 953 GEL for the construction of new toilets and rehabilitation of water closets in Tokhliauri village public school.

The construction/rehabilitation works finished in Tokhliauri village public school by September 16, 2019 when the new school year started.
 
7. WATER CLOSETS ARRANGED IN THE MAGRAANI VILLAGE KINDERGARTEN, AKHMETA MUNICIPALITY 

HRC Kakheti office coordinator and lawyer visited Magraani village kindergarten on March 26, 2019 to start advocacy. 

The kindergarten had demolished wooden toilet in the yard; the water tap was far from the toilet. 

Based on the petition of the parents, HRC petitioned Akhmeta municipality city hall and the union of the kindergartens on April 4, 2019. 

On April 22, the organization received an answer from the city hall that they had already allocated 18 541 GEL for the construction of new toilet and rehabilitation of water closet in the kindergarten. 

By September, 2019, the kindergarten had new toilets, renovated kitchen and store-room. 

8. NEW OUTPATIENTS IS BUILT IN MATANI VILLAGE 

On February 25, 2019 doctors of the outpatients in Matani village of Akhmeta municipality petitioned HRC to advocate their problems. There were grave sanitary and hygiene problems in the outpatients, where doctors served up to 6 000 patients annually. The toilet was in extremely poor conditions. The rooms were not supplied with water . 
HRC petitioned the Ministry of Healthcare and Ministry of Regional Development with the request to assign a new building to the outpatient in Matani village.

On April 2, 2019, HRC received a letter from Akhmeta municipality city hall, which informed that they were planning to construct a new building for the Matani village outpatients. On July 24, 2019, HRC representatives visited the construction of the new outpatients’ building in Matani village. The new building of the outpatients was due to finish by the end of November, 2019. 

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