Chechen NGOs elected coordinating council

The first republican meeting of Chechen non-government organizations (NGOs) took place in Grozny on December 10. The action was organized with the support of the Danish Refugee Council. Large organizational work has been done by head of the "People of Mercy" charitable foundation Luisa Saytakhanova.

Leaders of the NGOs "Youth League", "Young People of Chechnya", "Agromercy", "Sozidanie" (Creation), "Art-Serlo", "Youth Initiatives", "People of Mercy", and "Dialogue" took an active part in the debates about constituent documents of the network to coordinate the activity of their organizations. The network is called "Bart" (Consent). Meeting participants elected the coordinating council of the network. Executive director of the regional NGO "Sozidaniye" Lilya Yusupova was unanimously elected chair of the coordinating council. Leaders of Chechen NGOs Layla Ayubova, Luisa Saytakhanova, Pamzan Ozdarbiyev, and Adam Elsunkayev were elected members of the council.

Participants discussed the ways the activity of Chechen NGOs can be coordinated, exchanged information about projects they carry out, and outlined plans of their further cooperation. They also exchanged opinions on priorities of their work, needs and resources of republican NGOs.