Potential for change
A survey of community security in Eastern Abkhazia
This is the second household survey conducted by the Institute for Democracy and Saferworld in Eastern Abkhazia. The report summarises local perspectives on safety and security dynamics in the region, gathered by research conducted in December 2011/January 2012. The results from this study are compared with a previous study conducted in December 2010/January 2011, allowing us to track changes in community perspectives.
The results of both surveys show that, almost twenty years after the initial outbreak of war, communities in Eastern Abkhazia still suffer from the consequences of the conflict. Incidences of crime, including threats to individuals’ personal security, undermine communities’ perceptions of security, while low levels of trust and a lack of contact between communities and authority representatives prevent local people from accessing security, justice and other services.
At the same time, feelings of stability are increasing across the region. Indeed, the most recent survey suggests that a significant number of residents are looking to the future with some optimism, waiting for further improvements to infrastructure, the economy and the security situation. Such optimism provides an opportunity to engage local people in processes to manage the problems facing them, with a view to developing sustainable mechanisms for protecting the rights of people living in Eastern Abkhazia.
