Georgia Needs an Immigration Strategy

Oct 5, 2009

Georgia Needs an Immigration Strategy

by Khatia Odzelashvili

Guest author Khatia Odzelashvili makes the case that Georgia needs to reconsider its immigration regime and, more importantly, how Georgians consider their identity.

Countries are Built by People

After the August War and some major foreign policy events, many people have arrived to the conclusion that Georgians can only rely on themselves for their future. There are few who are willing to offer Georgians real help, but only a tiny minority actually undertakes discussions about what exactly can be and should be done by Georgians. Here I offer some suggestions.

Countries are built by people and constitute its soul and power. A country exists by virtue of its citizens, and if there are no citizens, there is no country. Population does count and its importance is seen by most nations. The vast majority of countries are trying to increase population growth rate – like Germany, Canada and some other western countries – while only a few struggle to constrain it (like China).

The world population is growing and is expected to peak at 9.2 billion in 2050, while at the same time in Georgia it has been declining since 1992. The same results appear in a poll on my blog. Population growth fell rapidly after 1992, almost 50% and since then is further declining. Some analysts say that there is nothing to worry about and that the numbers will change positively in the future on its own. However, if we look the reasons behind the current situation, it’s hard to be so sanguine. Some of the factors that are responsible for such a dismal situation are mentioned below:

War

As the year 1992 speaks for itself, war plays very negative role in population decline. Abkhazia was cleansed of ethnic Georgians; according to Wikipedia, approximately 13,000 to 20,000 ethnic Georgians and nearly 3,000 Abkhazs were reportedly killed during the conflict.

Since then, ethnic Georgians are under threat in spots where Russian and separatist forces have control. In addition, the results of the August War will probably also negatively affect demographic situation in Georgia.

Economic problems

Another reason for population decline are the financial problems of families. Constant conflict, corruption, and instability all have a negative effect on the finances of Georgian families. In such circumstances, investment is poor and few jobs are created. Even if there were positive changes after Saakashvili’s elevation to the Presidency in 2003, continuing influxes of rural poor and IDPs make economic stability an elusive goal and the best opportunities continue to exist elsewhere.

Emigration

Another primary reason of declining population is that many people immigrate to other countries in search of peace and better life. Polls show that 50% of Georgian citizens now living in Georgia would leave for other Western countries if they had the chance. Emigrants seldom return.

So what’s next?

Russia is for sure not interested in Georgia’s population growth. They have even encouraged separatists to cleanse their territories of Georgians, the elimination of Georgian villages in South Ossetia being a prime example. My concern is that if no actions are taken, a country of only 4 million will face a demographic disaster in the coming years. And as I said above, any great plan of peace and unity, economic prosperity and wealth won’t work if country does not have enough people.

I hope that the Georgian Government pays attention to this issue and promotes family-building with more help. However that alone will not solve the problem and can only have a limited impact. Instead, I see the solution in attracting immigration. David the builder brought forty-thousand families to Georgia. He probably understood that having people within the country counts more than people outside it. And at that time he knew too, that non-ethnic Georgians could make many contributions to the country. We need new immigrants from other countries to inject the country with a new dynamicism. Let’s not forget, some of the most successful small states are strengthened by liberal immigration policies – Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and New Zealand.

If we start now, in coming years they will be already integrated and will contribute to strengthening Georgia as Georgians. We may not be able to impress some nations from West, but we may have luck in bringing new people from eastern or neighboring Caucasian countries. The Georgian Government should work on new immigration law and actively advertise a new immigration program to those looking to start a new life in Georgia.

In a country that is already multiethnic, it is time that we recognize that it is not blood that makes us Georgian, but spirit.

Khatia Caroline is a Georgian expatriate living in Canada. She is a contributor to Dreams for our Brotherhood and blogs at Khatia.blogspot.com.

Post Tags August War Caucasus Civil Society Demographics Economic Development Georgia Human Rights International Society Self-determination Trade & Economy

Dato
Hi Khatia, I agree very much. Georgia has needs for many people to survive in all the futures.
thanks!
nino
I totally agree with this solution for our declining population but i am afraid Georgian society is not ready for this yet. We need time to reopen our doors. at present we are still closed society. therefore, non of the Politicians will dare to start speaking about this now. still long way to go… too much fears, mainly caused by non-acceptance of something/someone NEW and mystic fears to the strangers. However, i think Georgians have ability to absorb, integrate, accept and adopt. Multi- ethnic composition of Georgia (over 30 % non ethnic Georgians)is prove for that. It is not blood or genes or faith that defines nationality in modern world. i hope many will start to understand this.
http://ingesnip.blogspot.com inge
Khatia, thanks for your great article.
In reaction to Nino, I think if there is one country on this earth ready for immigration and being happy with strangers/foreigners in general, it is Georgia ;)
http://www.khatia.blogspot.com Khatia Caroline
Thanks for reading and commenting :)
I agree to Inge, that Georgia is very open to new comers. Same time I agree with Nino too, that Georgians need preparation and understanding of the issue. Even my husband wouldn’t surprise me with Guests without having discussed it with me (Generally ;)). so it’s normal that Georgian society needs to talk and prepare itself. But I don’t think it needs and should take too long. We need to be flexible and act. Otherwise we will face consequences of our inaction. And consequences are not going to wait when Georgians are ready, they just come.
Mike
Khatia – this was a terrific piece. I have to point out to what I think is the big, white elephant in the room: Georgia has one of the highest (if not the highest, if I recall) per-capita abortion rates in the world. Despite one’s opinions of the ethics of abortion itself, such rates are lamentable. It’s a particularly interesting issue given Georgia’s demographic crisis as well as the country’s self-professed religiosity.
The truth is that the single most important way for Georgia to reverse its demographic decline is to lower its abortion rates. This is less a moral issue than a public health issue. The best way to go about it is through education; many Georgian women use abortion as a form of birth control instead of as a last resort.
http://ingesnip.blogspot.com inge
eehmm, Mike, just one thing about the abortion question: you do realize that in general abortion in Georgia is being used as a form of anticonception? So it has not something to do with more or less childeren being born, it just has to do with the fact Georgians are not well educated in using condoms, and girls/women do not use an anti-conception pill.
So yes, the abortion level definitely has to be lowered, but because of other ways of anti-conception, which will not lead to more children.
Mike
Yeah I noted that, but the role casual abortion plays in Georgia’s demographic decline is undeniable. It’s also partially a sociological phenomenon – high abortion rates are tethered to attitudes about family size and the desirability of children.
A large proportion of abortions are from unmarried women, which is a direct response to cultural taboos about female sexual activity. In a culture with more liberal attitudes towards such things, many of these women may choose to keep the children (and many men may be thus forced to take responsibility for their part in it). Contraception will definitely make a difference, but it not a one-to-one issue as unplanned pregnancies will still almost certainly occur.
http://ingesnip.blogspot.com inge
good argument, def. a truth in that.
http://www.khatia.blogspot.com Khatia Caroline
In Georgian language I mentioned this issue too. I think abortion is totally different and very interesting topic (which may have some inpact on birth rate, but not much thought). We don’t want unwished babies, when mothers are not going to give their children nessesery love and care and are not ready for children. That much in conection to birth rate.
Issue itself needs other post starting maybe like this: Young Tamar from Tbilisi wishes to have Baby but she’s forced to make abortion…
:) But if you ask me, nobody is really forced. If I want something, I should have so much courage to go for it :/ What one living in Afghanistan or Pakistan can say? Where they are relly forced.
Mike
It’s a different set of circumstances. Women who may in other countries decide to keep the children would never think of doing so in Georgia for fear of shaming themselves and others. It’s not so much that someone is dragging them to the abortion clinic as that they are left with only two options: shame or abortion. These are cultural pressures that, while very distinct from some more direct practices elsewhere, is nonetheless damaging and constricting. It’s just another function of Georgian society’s patriarchal orientation and pervading double standards for men and women. Such high abortion rates also, ironically, hand another tool to men to evade the responsibilities that come with sexual activity. In addition, I know several young women who were married but had abortions because their husbands demanded it, even though they wanted to keep the child. Not everyone has your ‘courage,’ especially when the entire community is watching and judging.
In reality, I guess a lot of this has more to do with women’s rights than abortion itself. But even that aside, Georgia’s stunningly high abortion rates are problematic in their own right. Even if we discard the ethical issues, which should nonetheless concern citizens of a country that prides itself on its religiosity, multiple abortions are unhealthy for women (physically and emotionally) and also indicate a disconnect (or an ambivalence) between sexual activity and responsibility.
It’s impossible to say whether or not abortion rates have a dramatic effect on demography. But in most other emerging economies, where abortion is rarer, birth rates are much, much higher. One can make the argument that it results in greater poverty rates (as does large immigration flows), but it is also the fuel for more sustainable national economic growth.
nino
totally agree here with Mike! there is cultural pressure on women. This pressure is still there but slightly less than 30 years ago for example. I know at least 4-5 unmarried women with children. I bet my mother does not know any in her generation.
Why we put another pressure on women and ask her to be more brave? Maybe instead we should pressure men for their irresponsible behavior. This would be more fair!
Serge
One important way would be for the Georgian leadership and media to do much more to win over public opinion among minorities inside Georgia. It is a fact that the Abkhazians and the south Ossetians voted with their passports by not taking Georgian citizenship. For the moment these two republics have gone their own way. What of the the Armenians of Javakheti? They feel that their presence in Georgia is under question each time they are told that they have ‘only’ been in that corner of the Caucasus since the 1830s. They are made to feel less equal; Hence the temptation to emigrate. Is this what the Georgian authorities want?

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