Teona Turashvili is the Head of Local Government & Civic Tech and Innovations Directions at the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI), a Georgia-based non-governmental organization. Teona has more than 11 years of experience working in civil society on the issues of local governance, open data, data journalism, good governance, government transparency and accountability, e-governance, innovations, capacity building, public participation, digital literacy, Internet, etc.

Moreover, Teona has a solid experience in the development and management of capacity-building materials and modules tailored for diverse stakeholders, including Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), journalists, the public sector, activists, and civil servants. This expertise extends across a spectrum of critical areas such as public participation, local government, access to and utilization of open data, data journalism, good governance, online and offline mechanisms for government accountability, e-governance, e-participation, media and digital literacy, beneficial ownership transparency, as well as the localization of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other pertinent topics.

In addition, Teona has a valuable experience in managing and coordinating regional projects and initiatives. Currently, she is the Regional Coordinator of the Regional Hub of the Global Data Barometer Project in Eastern Europe and Central Asia as well as the Regional Team Lead for the Global Index on Responsible AI.

Teona believes that data and information fuels democratic and prosperous societies. It equips individuals with the ability to demand transparency from governments and businesses, enables governments to more effectively address the concerns of their citizens, and inspires businesses to develop forward-thinking, progressive solutions for growth.

“I am honored to have been selected as a 2023 EaP Civil Society Fellow and to embark on implementing my initiative, which aims is to empower local activists, students, and the young generation of Georgia by utilizing data to hold the government accountable and to inspire them to become active citizens.” – Teona TURASHVILI