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DETAILED NEWS

Law program:

The "Young Human Rigths Defenders" Public Union with the suppot of the OSI - AF is realizing a project on" "Freedom of information awareness among youth". According to the Union public relations department, they will conduct educational activity among youth in the order to solve the lack of information problem. Young lawyers will organize 4 traininqs for youth and students working in NGOs, internatiional organizations and mass media representatives. A comment to the "Asses to Information Law" will be published in the framework of the project.

Transparency of oil revenues and public finance program: (see the begining on the 1st page)

Foriegn and local representatives

Starting from the end of 2003, right after establishment of the State EITI Committee, Azerbaijan began intensive work on EITI implementation. In 2004, negotiations were conducted among the state committee, companies working in the extractive industry and a coalition of civil society organizations. These negotiations have led to the signing a Memorandum of Understanding. On March 15, 2005 the first EITI report on State revenues from oil industry was published, followed by the second report published in August of the same year, and the third one in January 2006. Thus, Azerbaijan has started to accumulate experience of the joint work of state oil companies and NGOs in providing oil revenues transparency.

Local delagates, foreign countries representatives and ambassadors, representatives of fianancial and international oil companies, public oraganizations and mass media attended the conference on the first day. Reports were delivered on "Piloting EITI: Case of Azerbaijan", "International Perspectives of EITI Implementation". The second and third days of the conference were dedicated to the role and problems of NGOs in Inititave. On the second day, local and foreign NGOs’ repesentatives also reported on "Pilot Countries NGOs".

Public Health program:

The project on publishing books that are reflecting psychological and pedagogical approaches, as well as the new systemic approach to the activity technologies was implemented by the "Mushvig" Center with the support of OSI-AF and Garadag Cement Open Joint Stock Company. Realization of the principle is of help for not only the personality development and social integration of a "special" child (having speech problems), but also for improvement of pedagogues, parents and the family in general from professional and personality standpoints.

On March 24, a round table discussion titled "Expertise of the existing legislation on prevention of HIV/AIDS, development of relevant suggestions, recommendations and interpretations" was organized at the International Press Center by the Azerbaijani Health Association with the OSI -AF financial support. The event was joined by Non-Governmental Organizations engaged in the field of public safety, collaborators of the HIV/AIDS center, narcologists, municipality representatives, lawyers dealing with the corresponding field and other representatives. The Council of Experts will be elected from among the event’s participants for the project of "Expertise of the existing legislation on prevention of HIV/AIDS, development of relevant suggestions, recommendations and interpretations".

Mass Media program: (see begining on page 1)

At the same time, most important findings of the American and Azerbaijani mass media comparison would be highlighted under the title "America versus Azerbaijan."

The following steps have already been taken: From October 2005 to January 2006, the Colorado University journalism instructor Doug Cosper with three instructors of the Baku State University Journalism Department held trainings on news reporting and writing as part of the Fulbright Program. 30 students subscribed to Azerbaijani language and 15 to English language classes. This intensive course emphasizes the role of professional journalism in democracy building and the importance of hands-on reporting and writing experience. The course' another advantage is its contribution to acquainting the students with the American coursework building system. In this regard, the course syllabus and schedule have been prepared.

For example, the course trainers will interview representatives of Azerbaijani media and foreign guests on various topics and compare the answers. The key points of guests’ comments will be reflected in the textbook.
Such terms as "hard" news, "soft" news, feature story and beat reporting used in Western journalism do not have equivalents in Azeri. The similar Azeri terms and their explanations will be provided in the textbook glossary.

The Azerbaijan Press Council (PC) from October 20th, 2005 till October 20th, 2006 with the financial support of OSI-AF is conducting a project on Mass Media problems monitoring, their analysis and public information. The total budget of the grant is USD 19 000.

In order to inform the public on the Council’s activities there was establsihed a web-site within the project. In the same time, the Press Council is working over the regular bulletins concerning its activities.

To solve problems between the Mass Media and state agencies, competent representatives of the Republican Prosecutor’s Office, Ministries of Interior and Justice have been included in the Council’s Permanent Commission (PC). During the accounting period, the Commission in cooperation with the General Prosecutor’s Office conducted a seminar for the Media representatives writing on legal issues.

According to the PC chairman Aflatun Amashov, the PC is drawing its special concept in order to strengthen the free press in the country. The document will include proposals on privatization of all official newspapers with the exception of "Azerbaijan", amendments and improvements to the law on advertisement, transparency of the distribution and advertisement market, activities for increase of the journalists’ professionalism, and the State support to Mass Media (direct budget allocations, grants, tax and tarriff regulations, and organizational support). The concept has already been discussed at 2 meetings of the Council Board. After the extensive public discussion, the document will be presented to the relevant agencies.

Presentation ceremony for the Stimulating Independent Journalist Investigations Project prepared by the Technical and Legal Assistance to Independent Journalists Public Union with financial support from OSI-AF took place at the International Press Center on February 7.

The project author Asaf Guliyev: "If to consider the situation with independent Mass Media journalists, who call themselves independent, we will witness a quite gloomy picture. Well-known journalists having played a certain role in building of different Mass media outlets' influence in last years, have frequently been forced to change their working places. We start the project taking all of this into consideration. Every journalist can approach us for investigation of any topic. We have both the technical basis and can pay for the prepared materials".

10-month project costs USD 12, 000 (see the begining on page 1)

After the Fund revealed the September results to the press, PTV dispersed information on the monitoring and Ismayil Omarov came up with an initiative to meet with the project leadership.

Thus, the authors of the project discussed the monitoring results during the meeting with PTV leadership, including I. Omarov, President of PTV.

The PTV leadership was informed that more time was provided to entertainment programs, partiality took place, education and information programs got less time, and entertainment and educational programs were mostly in foreign languages, not in Azerbajani.

Despite of making some comments, I. Omarov expressed his positive attitude to the project and said the monitoring results will be considered, evaluating them as objective in general.

During the report period, there were conducted the PTV broadcasting quality monitoring in Ganja, Lankaran, Masally, Sheki, Shamakhi, Guba, and Mingachevir.

It was revealed that PTV was not broadcasted or signal reception was bad in 80% of the regional villages with exception of the regional centers. The name list of these settlements was submitted to the TV and Radio Broadcasting Council, Ministry of Communications & Information Technologies, and PTV.

According to the Fund's information, around 43 relevant articles were published as a result of the information reveal to Mass Media. In general, the articles published during the report period and other materials contained no criticism of the results.

This confirms the project was implemented in an impartial and highly professional way. The project's term has been extended for one more year.

Women's Network Program:

In February and March 2006, the Competent Education Center held a two-stage training for the special group aimed at coaching of gender examination and monitoring experts with financial support from the OSI-AF Women Network Program:

Training on text books expertise and gender data processing, and the specifics of gender statistics (February 22-25) Training on conducting monitoring and development strategy (March 11-12)

The expert group mainly comprised of the Competent Education members was established as a result of the training.

The project's main objective is assisting in development and preparation of the textbooks reflecting the gender data and views, and to achieve formation and development of the gender views and gender sensitivity among the students.

The experts will choose one humanitarian subject text book from the primary, middle and higher schools and conduct 6 months gender analysis on them. The textbooks are divided to create a general understanding of the problem in the three groups. The humanitarian subjects are chosen since they reflect gender issues more vividly.

Later on, the experts' report will be presented to the Ministry of Education in the form of booklet. Along with that, trainings will be arranged in Baku and the Competent Education groups, which have been formed in the regions so far.

Future plans Preparation of the law on the family violence: The country's Constitution and other laws guarantee rights and freedoms of men and women. However, violence, the main obstacle for equal development of women in the democratic society, is significantly limiting women's rights. The gender analysis on execution of the laws necessitates development of the law against family violence based on that, and establishment of the working group on monitoring women's status and violence against women, including the situation with women trafficking. Preparation of the law against family violence and establishment of the working group is one of the 2006 strategic directions for the GSP.

Arts & Culture

The Canadian expert Jaquileen Trafford visited Baku to advise local theaters and entertainment companies on theater management and marketing. During the visit funded jointly by OSI-AF and CESO (Canadian Executive Service Organization), Ms Trafford held a seminar for the state and private theater representatives, association of independent theater directors and other relevant specialized organizations.

This year, there was a record number of 12 grant applications from Azerbaijan for the regularly announced Art Program within the "Cooperation program" of the OSI-AF Central Budapest Office: 2 film projects, 2 literary journals, 3 music or film festivals, 2 conferences, 2 visual art related events. According to the competition requirements, collaborators from Caucasus, Central Asia, Mongolia, Russia, Iran, Turkey,and Afghanistn should take part in the project. The winner of the competition is Azerbaijani Rock Art Center (ARAC).

East-East program (see the begining on page 1)

Development of the oil industry in Azerbaijan and revenue increase in this sphere creates opportunity for strengthening economic potential and integration into the world economic system. This also creates social problems stemming from the oil pollution, deterioration of the ecosystem and spread of deseases. Use of the environmentally friendly technologies, clean up of the oil product and oil polluted areas can significantly diminish the harm on nature. This work can be funded from the very oil revenues.

Azerbaijan Political Technologies Center is organizing the Democratic Development project

Democratization in Azerbaijan and neighboring countries and its influence on the European integration, difficulties faced by the nations in this process and measures to overcome the difficulties will be discussed within the project. At the same time, ways of benefiting from the researches on the above-mentioned processes in the like-cultured countries (Turkey and Azerbaijan) and like-historied countries (Ukraine and Georgia) and experience of the European policy and such EU members as Czech Republic will be sought. Another goal of the project is to establish cooperation between the Government structures, NGOs and Media for the sake of transparency in the European integration in the democratization process. The other goal is to strengthen the cooperation between the NGOs through discussion of this issue with experts from Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Georgia, Turkey, Bulgaria and Czech Republic, discussing the situaions in our countries and establishing the European NGO network for the future joint activities.

Participation of the Government officials in the project is also envisaged.

Ganja Open Society Initiatives Center (GOSIC) www.qitc.aznet.org has the main task of education and therefore it mostly implements educational programs.

In 2005, Ganja Open Society Initiatives Center implemented several exchange programs poviding opportunity to study abroad.

In order to prepare and inform the youth going to study in Europe and the US, Ganja Open Society Initiatives Center conducts regular information sessions, seminars and individual consultance in the framework of the exchange programs. The lectures are conducted by GOSIC employees, studied abroad graduates and the teachers who came to Azerbaijan within the exchange programs.

Eddy Mckey (who took the nick-name "Genjevi" ) teaches English in Ganja within the Peace Corpse program. Ganja students studied abroad

Due to this, both the pupils of high schools and students, as well as teachers of higher educational establishments take a successful part in the competitions held for receiving free education in USA. So far, 100 youths from Ganja have studied in the USA and returned to the region. The Center is working on provision of grounds for them to take active part in the re-formation of society. Subjects of the seminars held in GEIC: Scholarship programs in Azerbaijan ( once per week) Writing of recommendation letter ( once per week) Writing of the letter of intention ( once per week) Fill-up of the application form, price table development ( once per week) Writing of CV (curriculum vitae) ( once per week) Prior to the exams, the applicants are taught rules of registration to the TOEFL, GRE, GMAT examinations. Before the competition, they are taught the methods of preparing to the interview.

GOSIC application form and various announcements on the programs can be found on www.gitc.aznet.org/Administartion web site.