{"id":23571,"date":"2024-10-22T15:11:04","date_gmt":"2024-10-22T11:11:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/greenalt-live.w3i.app\/en\/?post_type=story&p=23571"},"modified":"2024-10-22T15:18:10","modified_gmt":"2024-10-22T11:18:10","slug":"a-flawed-rollout-how-the-ebrds-efforts-to-tackle-harassment-on-tbilisi-public-transport-have-fallen-short","status":"publish","type":"story","link":"https:\/\/greenalt-live.w3i.app\/en\/blogs\/a-flawed-rollout-how-the-ebrds-efforts-to-tackle-harassment-on-tbilisi-public-transport-have-fallen-short\/","title":{"rendered":"A flawed rollout: How the EBRD\u2019s efforts to tackle harassment on Tbilisi public transport have fallen short"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In an effort to tackle gender-based violence and harassment across Tbilisi\u2019s public transport network, the EBRD has provided financial and technical support to Tbilisi Transport Company \u2013 the operator responsible for managing public transport services in the city \u2013 to help them set up a tracking system to address incidents on the city\u2019s metro and bus routes.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\u00a0EU\u2019s Gender Action Plan<\/a>\u00a0for Georgia, disclosed in March of this year, provides information on several other projects that the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will be financing with the aim of promoting gender equality in the country.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why does establishing a tracking system matter?<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to a 2023\u00a0UN Women study<\/a>, one in four women in Georgia have faced sexual harassment, with the majority of incidents occurring on the streets, in alleys (41.2 per cent), or on public transport (28 per cent).\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The situation is even more concerning for LGBTIQ+ women, especially transgender women, who often navigate public spaces in fear of harassment or physical violence.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The report found that women in Tbilisi are disproportionately affected, with 51.7 per cent reporting incidents compared to those in other urban and rural areas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research and surveys have consistently revealed high levels of harassment across Tbilisi\u2019s public transport system, with younger women bearing the brunt of the abuse. The vast majority of these incidents remain unreported, leaving victims without recourse.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Green Alternative and Bankwatch have consistently\u00a0raised concerns<\/a>\u00a0about the sexual harassment and gender-based discrimination that pervades Tbilisi\u2019s public transport network.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We continue to urge the Tbilisi authorities and the international financial institutions that fund transport projects in the city to proactively include women as well as sexual and gender minorities in designing solutions to this problem.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Campaign misses the mark\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In June, Tbilisi Transport Company launched their campaign, supported by the EBRD, publicising the availability of the tracking system for passengers to report incidents. However, the campaign, still ongoing, fails to explicitly convey the key message that women \u2013 or indeed any passengers \u2013 can report incidents of sexual harassment via the hotline.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s not forget that, according to the EBRD, the original purpose of establishing the tracking system was to specifically address gender-based violence and harassment on Tbilisi\u2019s metro and bus routes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, in a July article on the EBRD\u2019s website, the bank talked up its progress<\/a> enhancing Tbilisi\u2019s public transport system, claiming significant strides in passenger safety and highlighting EBRD-funded projects that \u2018promote safety for all thanks to an incident tracking system\u2019.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In particular, the bank pointed to its role in helping Tbilisi Transport Company upgrade the hotline to field phone calls on infrastructure issues and reports of harassment on public transport.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reference was also made to the introduction of new \u2018rules and regulations\u2019 for handling reported incidents, accompanied by a city-wide communications campaign urging passengers to make use of the hotline.\u00a0<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The taboo of harassment<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This omission severely undercuts the very objective of the tracking system, leaving those most at risk of sexual harassment \u2013 women and gender and sexual minorities \u2013 unaware that they have a resource to seek help. But is there another reason a targeted campaign explicitly encouraging women to come forward without fear or shame and report incidents of sexual harassment wasn\u2019t taken up? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Georgia, party politics, particularly the ruling party\u2019s influence, pervades all aspects of public life. From ministries and municipalities to agencies and state-owned enterprises, the party strives to maintain control wherever possible.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This means that public-facing activities, including information campaigns, must always toe the party line. With October\u2019s parliamentary elections on the horizon, control (and self-censorship) is being exercised more stringently than ever. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Georgian Dream \u2013 the ruling party in Georgia \u2013 has made the protection of traditional \u2018family values\u2019 one of the central pillars of its election campaign. This has led to hate-mongering against the LGBTIQ+ community and the steady erosion of women\u2019s and minority rights.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this climate, addressing the widespread issue of sexual harassment on Tbilisi public transport through a public outreach campaign would directly contradict the party\u2019s carefully crafted narrative. Any meaningful conversation about gender-based violence would risk running counter to the government\u2019s focus on conservative, populist messaging.\u00a0<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

What a difference a year makes<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To illustrate the point, we only have to compare the 2024 EBRD-backed public campaign with a similar initiative launched in summer 2023 by the interior ministry and backed by the US embassy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the latter openly addressed sexual harassment, this year\u2019s watered-down campaign remains conspicuously silent on the issue. This discrepancy speaks volumes about the selective messaging at play and how the key issue has been avoided.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\n \"\"\n \"\"\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n

EBRD oversight in short supply<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The EBRD has failed to fulfil its role in ensuring that the incident tracking system meets its express purpose of tackling gender-based violence and harassment by clearly communicating that reporting harassment is both possible and encouraged.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Given the prevalence of gender-based violence on public transport, there\u2019s no point in establishing a tracking system if it doesn\u2019t ensure that women as well as gender and sexual minorities are aware of its existence and understand they can use it to call out sexual harassment.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, in conservative societies like Georgia, reporting sexual harassment often carries with it the weight of judgment, stigma, and shame. For a tracking system to be effective, it must be accompanied by a campaign that actively contributes to breaking down these barriers and fosters a supportive environment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Empowering these groups to report incidents and ensuring their concerns are taken seriously is critical for creating a safer public transport system in Tbilisi.  <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The EU\u2019s Gender Action Plan for Georgia, disclosed in March of this year, provides information on several other projects that the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will be financing with the aim of promoting gender equality in the country. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":22402,"template":"","tags":[],"topic":[705],"post_author":[1863],"photo_author":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/greenalt-live.w3i.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/story\/23571"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/greenalt-live.w3i.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/story"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/greenalt-live.w3i.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/story"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/greenalt-live.w3i.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/story\/23571\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23580,"href":"https:\/\/greenalt-live.w3i.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/story\/23571\/revisions\/23580"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greenalt-live.w3i.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22402"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/greenalt-live.w3i.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23571"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greenalt-live.w3i.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23571"},{"taxonomy":"topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greenalt-live.w3i.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topic?post=23571"},{"taxonomy":"post_author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greenalt-live.w3i.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_author?post=23571"},{"taxonomy":"photo_author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greenalt-live.w3i.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/photo_author?post=23571"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}