About the Rule of Law Project

Background & Summary

In 2001, USAID asked the IRIS Center to carry out a four-year program to strengthen the rule of law in Georgia. Newly independent and just emerged from civil war, Georgia was struggling with the enormous changes needed to transition to a sovereign, free-market democracy.

To carry out the project, IRIS recruited a team of talented young Georgian lawyers, several of whom would go on to leading positions in the new government.

Some project components were remarkably successful: The promotion of new rights of access to public information (as provided by the Administrative Code) encouraged ever-greater numbers of Georgians to learn more about their government’s activities. And the project’s public relations campaign to promote knowledge of basic legal rights won an international award and the slogan — “Know the Law and Be Protected” — entered Georgian pop culture. Other project components were more challenging — such as the establishment of administrative procedures within certain government agencies. The constant turn over of staff within the agencies and shifting ministries hindered progress.

When the project ended in 2005, Georgia had undergone the Rose Revolution — peacefully but firmly insisting on a change of leadership and reaffirming its commitment to democracy.

But this new era will also hold special challenges — as a government eager to make change is tempted to push aside legal procedures and faces the institutional structures that facilitated corruption in the previous administration.

Project Goals

An ambitious undertaking, the project aimed to:

• Increase the percentage of targeted groups of citizens aware of select laws

• Strengthen organizations that provide legal services and defend human rights and the rule of law

• Implement the Administrative Code and its progressive freedom-of-information component

• Help the government write better laws with legislative drafting assistance

To achieve these goals, the project was organized around the five major tasks, described below.

Informing People About Their Rights

Georgia has a progressive constitution and a growing body of reformed laws. These all serve to provide and guarantee the rights of citizens of Georgia, but far too few people know about their legal rights. A major part of the project involved using public relations and social marketing techniques to inform and educate people about their legal rights under both Georgian law and international agreements.

Several local NGOs were instrumental in implementing our public awareness activities, including the Georgian Young Lawyers Association (GYLA), the Liberty Institute, and Internews. They used newsletters, pamphlets, newspaper inserts, town meetings, radio shows, billboards, and public service announcements to communicate their messages.
IRIS’s monitoring and evaluation data shows that Georgian’s knowledge of their rights increased. Based on a series of 12 questions, the mean legal knowledge score rose from 7.09 in 2002 to 8.36 in 2004. This result is statistically significant.

Providing Legal Services

Being aware of your rights does not help if you cannot secure or defend those rights. Another major task of the project, therefore, was to provide legal services and human rights specialists in order to help citizens use the government and legal system to secure their rights. Again, through grants to GYLA, the Liberty Institute, and Article 42, IRIS provided legal advice and assistance. The project also supported the creation of an advanced computer database system to facilitate case management for both the NGOs and the public attorney service. One of the final achievements of this task was the joint effort — by the Ministry of Justice, IRIS, Open Society Georgia Foundation, and GYLA — to create the Public Attorney Service. Before the project, there was virtually no free state-funded legal aid. At the conclusion, two pilot bureaus had opened and the Ministry of Justice intended to increase the number of bureaus.

IRIS’s monitoring and evaluation data revealed a surge of increased confidence in the justice system. In 2003, when asked “Do you think that the law and legal system in Georgia function very effectively, somewhat effectively, somewhat ineffectively, or very ineffectively?” 28% of survey participants responded that the legal system functions somewhat or very effectively. The following year, in 2004, this number had increased to 66%! (This increase may be in part explained by the Rose Revolution.)

Helping the Government Implement Reforms

The project was active in reforming administrative law — the rules that say how government offices should be run and how they should treat citizens. Georgia has progressive administrative codes that require government actions to be public, government information to be freely available, and gives citizens the rights to fair treatment by these offices. These laws, and some guides on how to use them (produced over the course of the project), are available in the laws section of this resource center.

Part of the project focused on helping government officials understand their role under the new laws, and making certain that the internal rules of their offices were consistent with the new laws. We worked with individual offices, as well as the legal staff within the ministries and other agencies, to evaluate their procedures and help make needed reforms. We also helped NGOs understand the new laws so that they could ensure that government meetings are open, and that information is readily available.

Helping Write Better Laws

The project worked with the Parliament, various ministries, other USAID contractors, and local NGOs to facilitate the adoption of good laws to promote the rule of law and an open, market-based economy. We focused on laws that promote open government and the accountability of officials for their actions.

Providing Training & Information

The project worked to increase knowledge about legal reforms and the rule of law. Activities related to this included funding legal information centers in courts and libraries around the country, and arranging for government information and laws to be available over the Internet. Publishing commentaries on newly enacted laws, holding conferences to discuss developments in the law, and making experts available to talk with different groups and organizations were also part this initiative. Literally hundreds of books, journals, and leaflets were produced during the life of the project.

To implement this task, IRIS worked with a range of local organizations throughout Georgia.

The Rule of Law Project Team

The project office in Tbilisi had approximately eight lawyers and six support personnel, as well as several foreign and local consultants. The Tbilisi office was supported by the Project Director and Program Managers at the IRIS Center in College Park, Maryland.

Anderson, Jason
Grants and Finance Manager
Jason was responsible for monitoring all grants and for the financial management of the Tbilisi office. He previously worked in the World Bank’s External Relations department, as well as a Peace Corps volunteer in Turkmenistan. Jason received his BA in English from the University of Illinois and his Master in International Affairs from Columbia University.

Chkhatarashvili, Lasha
Accountant
Lasha managed project expenses, created financial reports, maintained and managed the Georgian bank account, and ensured compliance with Georgian tax laws. Lasha has an economics degree from Tbilisi State University. Before joining the project he worked in the private sector. (Lasha was tragically taken from us toward the end of the project. He lives on in our minds and hearts as a solid team member and treasured individual.)

Ebanoidze, Tina
Office Manager
Tina managed office staff, helped to organize meetings, workshops, and conferences, provided administrative support, and organized and maintained the filing system and office supplies. Tina has degree in English language and literature from Tbilisi State University. She has previously worked for several other international agencies.

Ebralidze, Lela
Legal Translator
Lela translated legal documents, proofread, and managed translation and publishing contracts. Lela has a degree in English language and literature from the Department of West European Languages and Literature, Tbilisi State University. She previously worked as a translator with international organizations and as an English teacher at Tbilisi State University.

Getsadze, Gia
Staff Attorney & Chief of Party (2002 to 2003)
Gia directed the Tbilisi office until he resigned to run as an independent candidate in the 2003 parliamentary elections. Gia has a degree in International Law and Journalism from Tbilisi State University. Prior to joining IRIS, he held several government positions, including serving as a member of the Council of Justice of Georgia and as a legal advisor with the National Security Council of Georgia, where he advised the President of Georgia on constitutional law issues and drafted presidential decrees on constitutional law and national security issues. Gia also lectured at Tbilisi State University and served as Chairperson and a board member of the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association. After leaving the project, Gia served as Deputy Minister of Justice and Deputy Minister of Defense before leaving public life for the private sector. He now runs his own law firm.

Gigauri, Andro
Staff Attorney & Public Relations Coordinator
Andro worked as a Staff Attorney and Public Relations Coordinator. He represented IRIS in the NGO Anti-Corruption Coalition and helped to produce IRIS’s public awareness campaigns. He also helped develop the project web site and monthly newsletters. Before joining the project, Andro worked for several different international development firms, including ABA/CEELI, IRIS Georgia, and IFES He also served as the research assistant for the Open Society Institute-supported anti-corruption research project. Andro left the project to join USAID/Georgia’s Democracy and Governance team.

Gogidze, Maia
Secretary/Receptionist
Maia’s duties included receiving visitors and answering phone calls, coordinating meetings, preparing meeting agendas and minutes, writing letters and performing minor translations, and maintaining files. Prior to joining the project, Maia worked with the United Nations Organization of Georgia (UNAG). She holds an MA in English language and literature from Tbilisi State University.

Jordan, Robyn
Project Director, Acting Chief of Party
Robyn divided her time between College Park and Tbilisi. Her responsibilities included the development and implementation of project activities, management of home and field office personnel, negotiation with government counterparts, and regular reporting to and consultation with USAID. Robyn has a BA from Vanderbilt University and a law degree from the College of William and Mary. She has over 10 years of experience in promoting government transparency, anti-corruption activities, constitutional reform, and strengthening human rights in Eastern Europe and South America.

Jorjikia, Matsatso
Staff Attorney
Matsatso worked in the areas of legal drafting and implementation of the General Administrative Code. She has a law degree from Tbilisi State and LLM from the Bremen University.

Khubulava, Lexo
Public Information Officer
Lexo implemented several projects in the areas of freedom of information and information technology, administered the IRIS Georgia web site, and provided support for the office computer equipment and network. He also contributed to the translation and editing of legal texts. Lexo has an international law degree from Tbilisi State University. Before joining the project he worked with international agencies and the NGO sector. Lexo now works in the private sector.

Kopaleishvili, Maia
Staff Attorney
Maia provided public servants with legal advice concerning the use of the General Administrative Code. She also developed and implemented projects to establish freedom of information offices within targeted public agencies. Maia has law degree from Tbilisi State University. Before joining the project she worked at private firms and in government agencies. Maia left near the end of the project — she was appointed to the bench (i.e., she accepted a position as a judge).

Korganashvili, Zurab
Staff Attorney
Zurab managed the project’s anti-trafficking component and assisted in drafting the new Criminal Procedures Code of Georgia. Zurab has a law degree from Tbilisi State University and a degree in English from the Tbilisi State Institute of Foreign Languages. He previously worked at the Constitutional Court of Georgia and in a private law office.

Magradze, Dato
Deputy Chief of Party
Dato worked on several legal support projects, administered grants awarded to Article 42 and Internews — both Georgian NGOs — and helped organize conferences and seminars. During the closing months of the project, he lead the Tbilisi staff as Deputy Chief of Party. Dato has law degrees from Tbilisi State University and from the Central European University. Before joining the Rule of Law program he worked at the Council of Justice.

Marakvelidze, Zurab
Staff Attorney
Zurab provided technical guidance on drafting legislation and legal advice concerning Georgian administrative law. With a law degree from Tbilisi State University, Zurab previously worked in significant government positions, including the Parliament, State Chancellery, and National Security Council, as well as in the NGO sector.

Rutherford, Diana
Senior Program Manager, M&E Specialist
Based in College Park, Maryland, Diana worked with the Project Director to support the client (USAID), consultants, and Georgia-based staff. Diana was responsible for managing the financial and logistical operations of the project. Diana coordinated arrangements and contracts with foreign consultants and U.S.-based partners. An IRIS employee since 1998, Diana holds a dual BA in Communication and International Affairs from the University of New Hampshire and a Master of International Relations from American University.

Schroeder-Sanai, Mo
Senior Program Manager
Based in College Park, Maryland, Mo worked with the Project Director to support the client (USAID), consultants, and Georgia-based staff. Before joining IRIS, Mo worked at the Academy for Educational Development (AED) as a Program Specialist on educational training projects with participants from Botswana, Eritrea, and Zambia. She also worked at the World Wildlife Fund, researching corporate best practice initiatives for their Private Sector program. Mo has lived overseas in Samoa, Indonesia, Egypt, Jamaica, the Philippines, and Lesotho, South Africa, where she served as a Peace Corps volunteer. Mo received her MA in International Development from Clark University and her BA in Geography from San Francisco State University.

Tkeshelashvili, Eka
Staff Attorney & Deputy Chief of Party (2004 to 2005)
Eka joined the project as a Staff Attorney in 2002 and became Deputy Chief of Party in 2004. She monitored and analyzed legislative policy, particularly in the area of human rights. She also worked on projects related to implementation of the General Administrative Code. Eka has an international law degree from Tbilisi State University and an LLM from the University of Notre Dame. Prior to joining the project, Eka worked in the government sector and with international organizations. Specifically, she worked with the International Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in the Hague, the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights in New York, and International Committee of the Red Cross. In January 2005, Eka was appointed as Georgia’s Deputy Minister of Justice and later that year became Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs.

Tsotsoria, Nona
Staff Attorney, Deputy Chief of Party & Chief of Party (2003 to 2004)
Nona served as a staff attorney, Deputy Chief of Party, and succeeded Gia Getsadze as Chief of Party in 2003. Nona has a law degree from Tbilisi State University and has worked with USAID legal programs in Georgia since 1999. Before joining the project, she worked as an Assistant to the Judge at the Constitutional Court of Georgia, a lecturer at Tbilisi State University, and an attorney in private practice. Nona has been a long-time member of Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association, serving as a Board Member and Legal Consultant. Nona left the project to become Deputy Prosecutor General of Georgia.

Usupashvili, Dato
Senior Legal & Policy Advisor
Dato Usupashvili advised the project on policy issues and implemented several projects in the area of constitutional law. Starting from his early university years, Dato was actively involved in the legal affairs of Georgia. He has served in high-level government positions and in the NGO sector — including as a member of the Central Election Commission and chairperson of its legal department, Chief Legal Advisor to the President of Georgia, Chairman of the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association, and Executive Secretary of the Anti-corruption Working Group of the President of Georgia. Dato has a law degree from Tbilisi State University and a MA in International Development Policy from Duke.