The meetings initiated by the Women Support Centers were devoted to various topics.
During the meetings held at Tkibuli, Terjola and Bagdati Women Support Centers, the importance of involving the educational sector in the process of breaking down gender stereotypes was emphasized.
A meeting with kindergarten teachers in Kobuleti focused on the importance of early identification of facts of violence.
In other municipalities, the main issue highlighted by the participants was the improvement of victim support services.
Representatives of local structures were also involved in the information meetings.
- It is necessary to systematically inform the society, coordinate, implement effective services - these were the messages from the participants of the meetings.
In parallel, the meetings identified eight new crisis families in the Women Support Centers. The work will continue according to their needs.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
- Actions, workshops, informational meetings, discussion of films on the topic of violence, exhibition of children's paintings - this is the list of events initiated by the Women Support Centers within the framework of the 16-day campaign against gender-based violence.
- What was identified, what was shown, what needs to be done? - the results of the activities answer these questions.
According to the mobilizers of the Centers, the society is informed about the 16-day campaign, which is a step forward. All age segments expressed desire of their personal participation.
During the meetings, it was mentioned that the facts of femicide are alarming and more effective changes are needed in terms of responding to the problems of domestic violence and improving services. Their proposals stated the need to increase the responsibility of the state and society in terms of violence prevention.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
Statistics of meetings in November: Three offline psychological group consultative meetings in the Women Support Centers of Pakhulani (Tsalenjikha municipality), Senaki, Chokhatauri, Vani, online meetings in Tkibuli, Khurcha (Zugdidi municipality) - 47 participants. 23 individual psychotherapy sessions, 12 online out of them .
Psychotherapy session was held with 5 day center beneficiaries who are learning how to work with polymer clay. The group meeting in Senaki was special. There were also women who were in our Rehabilitation Center. They talked about their successes, that they got a job and improved their financial situation. One of them was a victim of violence, she was embarrassed to talk about her problem.
But the fear of death (her husband threatened and chased her with a knife and she miraculously escaped) forced her to speak. Aggression also came from the eldest son, who was on the side of his father. She was humiliated, intimidated in the Rehabilitation Center. In Senaki - we saw her good-looking, self-confident, successful. The eldest son, who accused her of all sins, now hugs her every morning and asks to forgive him. She offered to create a self-assistance group, she will help others and share her successful experience.
This is a best example of cooperation, the best practice!
The local self-government of Bagdati is a good partner of the Women Fund “Sukhumi”. The Women Support Center is actively working in Bagdati municipality, many interesting initiatives have been implemented.
One more interesting event has started. Women living in the village Dimi are given the opportunity to learn new professions.
Bagdati Gender Equality Council, with the support of the Fund “Sukhumi”, organized free educational courses in the village library. Within 10 weeks, some of the participants will learn how to make products from polymer clay, some will master the profession of a stylist, and some will take an Excel training course. The courses will help women and girls to improve their economic situation.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
During the meetings held at the Women Support Centers, participants spoke about the problems that exist in terms of identifying victims of violence. They believe that in response to these challenges, meetings with women groups should be increased. All women should be informed about the services that exist in the government and non-government sectors. This information will help to identify hidden family conflicts and plan preventive measures.
The meetings were held in the Women Support Centers of Tkibuli, Chokhatauri, Terjola, Tsalenjikha and Zugdidi. During the whole month, five crisis families were identified in these centers and a corresponding response started.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
Identifying of cases of domestic violence, informing citizens about existing services, identifying the needs of women and responding accordingly - these issues are the main directions of work of the Women Support Centers.
In November, five new cases were identified in Bagdati, Samtredia, Senaki, Vani and Kobuleti municipalities. In case of necessary, a psychologist of the Fund "Sukhumi" works on these cases.
Through information meetings, up to 80 people in all five municipalities received information about services of the assistance to the victim of violence and the Department for the Protection of Children's Rights. Informing the public about these issues contributes to the identification of new problems.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
Group and individual psychological meetings were held in the Women Support Centers of Samtredia, Kobuleti, Tsalenjikha and Tkibuli (online). 35 beneficiaries took part in them.
During a month, the psychologist conducted online individual consultations in the regions and psycho-therapeutic work in Kutaisi office.
There were also group meetings on Fridays with the beneficiaries of the Day Center of the Women Fund "Sukhumi" - with women who learn how to work with polymer clay. Sessions were held with them to overcome fears, stress, traumas and raise self-esteem.
One of the beneficiaries of the Day Center said: “Everything that happened this month is special for me – I was filled with love for myself and others, I manage to do beautiful things”.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
Five meetings with a lawyer were held at the Women Support Centers in October. An individual meeting was held in Kobuleti, an online group meeting in Tkibuli. In Bagdati, Pakhulani (Tsalenjikha municipality) and in Samtredia - group meetings were held in a youth center, in a kindergarten and in an outpatient clinic.
The group meetings were attended by both school representatives and kindergarten teachers, upper graders and representatives of the civil society.
Representatives of the Women Fund "Sukhumi" made a presentation of the site - "Digital Resource Center of the Services for Violence Victims" One victim of violence was given a mobile phone with SAFE YOU applications and an SOS button.
Concrete work was carried out at the Rehabilitation Center of the Fund "Sukhumi" together with a psychologist and a social worker.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
“I was given back hope that I was not alone. This support is very important for me at this stage.”
“Now I needed to feel the assistance in order to more boldly continue the difficult independent path.”
This feedback followed the fifth phase of the action under a project supported by the Equality Fund - Canada. The action was held in the Women Support Centers of Terjola, Bagdati, Chokhatauri, Tsalenjikha, Zugdidi and Kobuleti - 8 women from vulnerable groups received mobile phones with SAFE YOU applications and an SOS button as a gift. The action was carried out together with representatives of local governments, so that they could become better acquainted with the social situation of the beneficiaries.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)