Foreword

Joint collaboration between Women’s Initiatives Supporting Group (WISG) and United Nation’s three agencies (UNDP, UNFPA and UN Women) cooperating under the UN Joint Program for Gender Equality (UNJP). The UNJP has determined to conduct a joint survey of public attitudes towards the LGBTQI community, as well as to conduct targeted trainings with key public sector employees to further sensitize them on issues related to the community and contribute to better socio-economic inclusion of LGTBQI persons in Georgia.

Women’s Initiatives supporting group (WISG) will be responsible for implementing the above-described activities. The proposed activities will contribute towards achieving:

• To strengthen capacities of state institutions on diversity and inclusion, sexual orientation and gender identity, gender based violence and discrimination;

• ·    To conduct awareness-raising activities to promote zero tolerance towards homo, bi and transphobia and popularize existing services for the LGBTQI community.

Public awareness and attitudes as well as the situation of LGBTQI individuals vary depending on different demographic variables (age, sex, education, economic and household conditions) and therefore, there is a need for a differentiated approach in planning and Implementation of awareness campaigns and activities. To further improve the targeting of future public advocacy campaigns, updated data regarding public attitudes towards the LGBTQI community and related issues is needed. It will allow to drive, monitor and evaluate change, monitor activities targeted at raising public awareness, assess their effectiveness and plan future initiatives.

Building a comparative analysis with the large-scale study published in 2016[1], this research will serve as a baseline and  an effective evidence for advocating primarily for the recognition of the problem and developing complex approach. The complex and multi-systemic approach are indicated in different fields of LGBTQI rights.

Specific objective of the survey

Assigned organization will be responsible for conducting a nation-wide, nationally representative survey comprising populations of Tbilisi, other urban and rural settlements and ethnical minority groups.

The survey has to provide comprehensive information on societal attitudes towards LGBTQI persons in Georgia based on which it will be possible to elaborate recommendations and specific long-term strategy for overcoming homo/bi/transphobia. The survey results should be representative of the whole population of Georgia as well as for Tbilisi, urban and rural residents as well as ethnic minorities.

The survey will include the following key areas:

• Measuring public knowledge and attitudes towards LGBTQI persons and their human rights in Georgia;
• Measuring the impact of social, cultural, and behavioral and religious phenomena to people’s perception toward LGBTQI people and human rights of LGBTQI people.

Methodology of the survey

Method of the survey: Face-to-face interview

Instrument of the survey: Structured questionnaire (approx. 40 questions)

Target group: Population of Georgia (age 18-65)

Sampling size: at least 1600 respondents among (Tbilisi – 400, other urban population – 400, rural population – 400, Georgia’s Armenian and Azeri minority groups – 400)

The following tasks and deliverables are foreseen to successfully accomplish the objective:

The research organization as far as possible should fulfill the following criteria

• The research organization is required to be a professional research center with a track record of at least five years of relevant studies.
• The selected organization will need to demonstrate their experience in quantitative research techniques, particularly nationwide surveys including ethnic minorities
• The organization should have a large pool of experienced interviewers including those who speak in Russian, Armenian and Azerbaijani languages
• The organization should have an established system for the management and quality assurance of the study.
• Knowledge of and interest in improving the situation of LGBTQI people in Georgia.

Criteria for evaluation

Interested participants are requested to submit to Women’s Initiatives Supporting Group (WISG):

• The methodology for the assignment (including technical tools and time-line).
• The qualification and CVs of the persons involved.
• The financial offer exclusive of VAT including any cost needed to undertake the assignment, including fees for the expert/s, logistic and transports, accommodation, acquisition of documentations, etc. It is understood that no any additional cost – in addition to that indicated in the contract between Women’s Initiatives Supporting Group (WISG) and the successful bidder – will be covered by WISG for this task.
• Proof of being legally entitled to conduct the assignment as per Georgian laws.

The selection of the candidate will be done as per the following criteria:

• Coherence of the proposed methodology with the requested assignment
• Qualification of the team in accordance with the scope of the assignment
• Best value for money (financial offer)

Other

• By participating to this tender the candidates explicitly recognize that they will operate under the supervision of WISG and that the UN agencies, the main donor of the project, can at any time request them any kind of data and information
• The contract with the successful bidder will be governed by the Georgian laws and by the rules and regulations indicated in the contract between the UN agencies and WISG, that will be evidenced in the contract
• WISG reserves the right – should no proposal submitted meet the requested standard – not to assign the consultancy through this tender.

Applicants should submit proposals electronically to the following email: elene.kaikhosroshvili@wisg.org, no later than 19:00 June 10, 2021. Please indicate "Public Attitude Survey" in the subject field.