The Women Fund "Sukhumi" opened cutting and sewing training courses in Terjola. The opening ceremony was attended by Mayor of Terjola Manuchar Robakidze, First Deputy Chairman of the City Council David Gogberashvili and member of the Gender Equality Council Rusudan Kovziridze.
The beneficiaries will learn a new profession for two and a half months. The municipality allocated a working space in the Youth Palace. Sewing machines, materials and financial support for the teacher are provided by the Fund “Sukhumi”.
“We teach the simple secret of success and independent living - a profession that will make a woman even stronger and more confident. We have many examples of how women became more motivated after such courses and started small businesses. We are sure that we will have new success stories in Terjola as well,” said project coordinator Lela Jalagonia.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
The work of women's mutual assistance groups is gradually becoming more active. Meetings were held in all ten groups. Project Assistant Nino Chabukiani met with members of the group in five municipalities (Tskaltubo, Samtredia, Kobuleti, Terjola, Chokhatauri) - the meetings focused on the needs and problems of women, advocacy and cooperation with local government.
Women know that they need to study more to advocate for their interests, so a new component was added to the meetings - digital literacy courses. The courses have already started in the municipalities of Kobuleti, Terola and Chokhatauri. During the meetings, the women learned how to search for the necessary information on the Internet, got acquainted with the unique platform - sosfsokhumi.ge, which contains the necessary materials for victims of violence. This work helps to increase the digital competence of the team members.
A member of one of the mutual assistance groups is currently undergoing psycho-rehabilitation at the Rehabilitation Center of the Women Fund "Sukhumi" in order to return home stronger and work more actively in the group.
The project also envisages transfer of mobile phones with an SOS application to make it easier for women to protect themselves and their children. In July, telephones were given to women living in Terjola municipality. The Mayor of Terjola Manuchar Robakidze and Deputy Chairman of City Council David Gogberashvili took part in the action of support.
The project is implemented with the support the Equality Fund (Canada)
Another information exchange meeting was held at the initiative of the Mandatory Service. During the meeting, the Mandatory Service presented a summary of their half-year results and shared the latest news. The meeting was attended by our representative, Nino Korinteli, who shared the findings and challenges from our new monitoring report titled - "Assessment of Effectiveness of Municipalities' Preventive Measures to Combat Violence Against Women/Domestic Violence."
A round table with participation of local referral entities - members of the City Hall Gender Equality Council, representatives of local self-government, the police and the social sphere, teachers and medical personnel, was held in the meeting room of Khobi municipality City Hall.
There was discussion regarding a problem of domestic violence and the importance of cooperation with local structures. They talked about statistics in scales of municipality, also about identification of cases of violence, and assistance to the victims. Particular attention was paid to referral mechanisms and cooperation between different departments to contribute to the prevention of violence.
During the meeting, a presentation was made on the topic “National Referral Procedures for the Identification, Protection, Assistance and Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence against Women and/or Domestic Violence (National Referral Mechanism)”.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
A meeting, organized by the monitoring group of the Women Fund "Sukhumi" and Vani Gender Equality Council was held in Vani. The meeting was attended by the leadership of the association of kindergartens, the administration and managers of the kindergartens, educators, psychologists and methodologists. Representatives of the City Hall department for the protection of children's rights were invited to the meeting.
The participants received information about the new report of the Fund "Sukhumi" -
“Assessment of Effectiveness of the Municipalities’ Preventive Measures to Combat Violence Against Women/Domestic Violence.”
The main emphasis was placed on the challenges presented in the document and on the recommendations that will improve the work of local governments and kindergarten associations in violence prevention.
The coordinator and inspector of the department told the participants of the meeting about the program of the department for the protection of children's rights. The Secretary of the Gender Equality Council informed them about the activities and plans for the future.
During the meeting, a number of problems that require immediate response were identified. Further cooperation was planned.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
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.
In the recommendations of the latest research of the Women Fund “Sukhumi” “Assessment of Effectiveness of the Municipalities’ Preventive Measures to Combat Violence Against Women/Domestic Violence”, an important role is given to the promotion of an effective system of coordination and information exchange between local units responsible for social work.
On the initiative of the Women Fund "Sukhumi", in cooperation with the educational resource center, the health and social protection service, the department for the protection and support of children's rights and the gender equality council, an information exchange meeting was held in Kobuleti Resource Center.
The meeting participants discussed a number of topical issues related to the problems of violence against women/domestic violence, violence prevention, psychosocial and other needs of adolescents and their families.
The meeting showed how important the coordinating role of resource centers with local referal entities, especially with the City Hall services is. Ways to address specific issues identified during the dialogue were outlined.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
Women Support Centers continue, informational meetings with various target groups. The aim of the meeting is to identify the needs of women and local problems. Mobilizers are actively involved in the follow-up process, which includes case study and referral.
In parallel with information meetings, five new cases were identified in Zugdidi, Bagdati, Samtredia, Tsalenjikha and Terjola Women Support Centers during a month. New needs were also identified, which will be advocated together with community activists.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
