Chokhatauri a meeting with local referral entities (services of the City Hall: department for the protection of children's rights, interdepartmental commission, gender equality council of the municipality, representatives of the City Hall in administrative units, as well as kindergarten and school teachers, family doctors). The participants of the meeting were introduced to the guide "Prevention and response to gender-based violence in war and post-war conditions - experience and recommendations of women’s NGOs", which describes the experience of 6 partner organizations of the WAVE network.
Attention was focused on the experience of the Fund “Sukhumi”, which tells that in condition of prolonged conflict, “no war, no peace”, an environment of violent behavior appears when family conflicts and violence against women increase.
Fund "Sukhumi" has successful practices that have received international recognition: public awareness regarding the problem of violence and the introduction of a gender responsive early warning system (GREWS), identification of cases and provision of services, strengthening the rights of women and girls and promoting coordinated actions of local referral entities, launching a digital resource center platform on existing support/assistance services, strengthening institutional mechanisms of gender equality at the municipal level.
The meeting participants noted that the prolonged conflict left its mark on various spheres of public life. According to them, governmental structures, public institutions and civil society organizations are the main actors responsible for the protection of women and girls during and after the war.
Opinions were exchanged regarding the most acute challenges in terms of prevention and effective response to violence against women/domestic violence.
For detailed information about the guide, the participants were given the link: https://wave-network.org/wp.../uploads/Toolkit-Georgian.pdf
Members of the women group of the village Pakhulani - Tsalenjikha municipality discussed the actual issues identified according to the results of the conducted research. Insufficient garbage bins in the village were identified as a problem. The second issue is the lack of fast internet. There is internet in the village, but it is of low quality, therefore the members of the group work to advocate the introduction of such company that will have a quality internet and television package.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs held the final event of the campaign against child marriage, titled "Don't Deprive of childhood." During the meeting, the Department of Human Rights Protection and Investigation Quality Monitoring of the Ministry of Internal Affairs delivered a presentation. The presentation aimed to inform the invited representatives from governmental and non-governmental sectors, as well as local and international organizations, about the measures undertaken within the campaign. Our representatives, Linda Chikhladze and Nino Korinteli, were present at the meeting.
The presentation of the monitoring tool on the evaluation of measures for the prevention of violence against women and in the family was held, organized by the Office of the Public Defender of Georgia and the Council of Europe.
The monitoring tool is based on the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence. Its purpose is to assess the impact of the state's prevention mechanism on issues of violence against women and domestic violence, as well as to identify specific achievements and challenges. The document will assist state agencies in planning and implementing future steps.
The meeting was attended by our representatives, Linda Chikhladze and Nino Korinteli.
Psychologist Manana Gotsiridze worked in three directions in June:
- She met 5 beneficiaries of a day rehabilitation center who are learning how to work with polymer clay. She did some work with them to get rid of negative emotions, to reassess priorities and increase self-esteem.
She had daily interaction with the women in the rehabilitation center. Intensive work was carried out with traumas using various methods: art therapy, elements of cognitive-correctional psychology, psychological exercises and associative cards.
- 12 individual psychotherapy sessions were held online and 15 sessions with women living in Kutaisi. Three of them were new, and with the others, the previously started work continued.
35-year-old Khatuna passed psycho-rehabilitation for more than 6 months. After the death of her husband, she did not want to live, even her daughter irritated her, nothing pleased her, she did not believe that after the sessions of the psychologist there would be any positive changes. But working with different methods gave results: fear and irritation gradually disappeared, new priorities, new goals appeared. She thanks the psychologist for her humanity and professionalism, patience and invaluable assistance.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
The groups were updated with new members and are already staffed with women who are ready for active work. They got acquainted with the municipal programs for social protection and health care. During the meetings, they talked about existing services and they used. All groups have identified issues that they will start advocating.
There are already first results: one woman was assisted with medicines, another - in resolving the housing issue.
Each result is a motivation to the next success.
Project Assistant Nino Chabukiani met with women self-assistance groups established in Vani and Senaki, also in Chokhatauri, Terjola, Kobuleti and Samtredia municipalities. Meetings were held by group leaders, representatives of our organization.
The project is implemented with the support the Equality Fund (Canada)
“It is very important that the information on women's rights disseminated by the Fund “Sukhumi” reaches every village, because women in the periphery need information on such issues most”.
“Strengthening of women's rights must start with information. When I know the information, I can better protect my rights”.
“The more strong women we have, the fewer conflicts and cases of domestic violence will be".
- These opinions were recorded at informational meetings held with women. Participants emphasize that one of the important mechanisms for empowering women is to equip them with the necessary information.
The meetings were held in the Women Support Centers of Senaki, Chokhatauri, Vani, Terjola and Khobi.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
The initiative of the monitoring group of the Women Fund "Sukhumi" was also accepted by Vani municipality. In order to respond to the issues of violence, an Interdepartmental Commission on the Prevention of Violence against Women and / or Domestic Violence, Protection and Assistance to Victims of Violence was created in the City Hall, which will be headed by Vice Mayor Vladimir Kheladze. The commission consists of 13 people and includes representatives of the relevant services of the City Hall, the educational resource center, the association of kindergartens, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, NGOs and a social agency.
The Commission will cooperate with the Gender Equality Council of Vani Municipality. It will periodically provide information and recommendations on the current situation in the municipality, measures to prevent violence against women and / or domestic violence, protection and assistance to victims of violence, which will contribute to active work on the problem.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
Brot für die Welt is an authoritative organization that, as a reliable partner and donor, has identified and successfully improved many areas in the activities of the Women Fund “Sukhumi”. The areas are following: violence prevention, monitoring and advocacy, youth empowerment centers, forum theater / shadow theater / puppet theater, rehabilitation centers, support for Ukrainian refugees.
Representatives of Brot für die Welt Kim Kvibuka and Lilian Kurtz listened to the current report, which was presented by the team of Kutaisi head office and Tbilisi representative office of the Women Fund “Sukhumi” in the form of interesting presentations.
“Thank you for showing us the diversity of your work. It is very impressive what you do and what you strive for. I'm sure you'll have great results!" - said Kim Kwibuka at the end of the meeting.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
