Social-Demographic Consequences of Conflicts in Georgia

Tamar Shinjiashvili, Sokhumi State University; Institute of Demography and Sociology

At the beginning of 90s Georgia was confronted with dramatic civil wars in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which brought large flows of internal and external migration. The conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia resulted in the displacement of about a quarter of a million people within Georgia. Unfortunately, those events were accompanied by worsened statistical recording of migration and demographic events. The conflict in South Ossetia has recently repeated once again. In the paper it will be analyzed the impact of these conflicts on the demographic development of Georgia, its impact on birth, mortality and marriage rates and on migration processes. The proposed study will attempt to examine the size and current location of IDPs as well as their health outcomes and specific needs in Georgia. The main contribution of the proposed study will be to provide guidance for the development of a coherent IDP policy, addressing return, resettlement and reintegration.