Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere (CARE) started the “Implementing LEADER in Mestia municipality for better livelihoods in high mountainous regions of Georgia” in 2019. The project aims to improve the livelihoods of vulnerable households in Mestia Municipality, a remote high mountainous region of Georgia. The project aims to support both economic and social well-being. To do so, the project will attempt to improve the diversification and competitiveness of the rural economy, the inclusion of vulnerable groups, and the sustainable management of natural resources in Mestia Municipality. The LEADER approach, which the project takes, uses a bottom-up approach to rural development. The project will be implemented over the course of four years, concluding in February 2022.
In support of this goal, CARE commissioned the Caucasus Research Resource Centers Georgia (CRRC Georgia) to carry outa gendered political economy analysis as a baseline report. The results of the baseline data collection activities are presented in this report. The research project aims to look into three broad areas within Mestia Municipality including inclusive governance, service delivery, and markets.To provide data on these subjects, the project used a mixed methods approach, including: desk research, focus groups, key informant interviews, and a survey.