Lawyers of the fund “Sukhumi” conducted 6 meetings in Women Support Centers.
The main issues of the meetings was – changes in the law against domestic violence, made on January 24.
The participants were given information about 4 changes in the law:
- Harassment became punishable by law up to 2 years of imprisonment.
- Female circumcision has become a criminal case.
- Extended the scope of the Law of Georgia "On Eradication of Domestic Violence, protection of victims of domestic violence and their assistance"
- The list of aggravating circumstances for violence against women increased
Kutaisi Women Support Center held a meeting at the school №15, which was attended by 35 students and talked about the legal aspects of early marriage.
In addition, individual consultations were given during the meetings. Woman living in Borjomi, was given a phone consultation and the work has been provided on the basis of the complexity of the situation, it will be continued in the next months. The woman was identified in Khoni, who relates to the risk group of violence.
Representatives of 9 municipalities (Kutaisi, Khoni, Tskaltubo, Senaki, Poti, Zugdidi, Terjola, Ozurgeti, Lanchkhuti) gathered in the office of the Fund "Sukhumi" - mobilizers of Women Support Centers. These are people who will mobilize and organize various meetings.
They got acquainted with the project "Strengthening of Women's Rights in Western Georgia", with its goals, working concept, planned activities.
Each of them has a working spirit, as this work will improve the lives of women and their families.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt – Evangelischer Entwicklunsdienst (Germany)
The lawyers of the Fund "Sukhumi" held a series of meetings in August: in the school of the village Koki (Zugdidi municipality), Gocha-Jikhaishi (Khoni municipality), in the Women's Support Centers of Kutaisi, Senaki, Poti, Tskaltubo.
The topic is unchanged - the law regulating violence in the family and violence against women. Although during the meetings there was a talk on other pressing issues: the law on real estate, the civil code, alimony, divorce. Individual consultations were given.
Women actively joined the discussion. They gave questions and received exhaustive answers. Legal counseling helps women to solve their problems.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt – Evangelischer Entwicklunsdienst (Germany)
Conflicts, their types, reasons, ways of solution – for the prevention of domestic violence – this topic was chosen for conversation in the Women Support Center of Tskaltubo. At the psychological information and consultation meeting there were 10 women, one and them for the first time.
As noted, prevention, warning and resolution of family conflicts depends on the attitude towards them, and we must learn how to act properly. The participants agreed that there is no need to seek an answer to the question: "Who is guilty?" But it is necessary to answer the question: "What should be done to stop conflicts in our relations?"
Statistics is the following: 12 meetings of IDPs and local population with the lawyer in collective centers of Kutaisi, submitting information regarding the mechanisms of law against domestic violence, besides – consultations regarding different questions.
And one more important fact: with the help of lawyer of Kutaisi shelter, the beneficiary contacted the lawyer of the Fund "Sukhumi" for victim status, to extend the right to stay in the shelter and continue rehabilitation course. She presented all the necessary documents, which were sent to Tbilisi, in the commission for the award of victim status. By decision of the Commission, the beneficiary has received the status of the victim and left the shelter.
Since January 10, 2018 the Fund "Sukhumi" started working on the project "Strengthening of Women's Rights in Western Georgia". This is the continuation of the Fund’s long-term work in protecting women's rights.
Over the past 6 months, work has been actively carried out in the Women's Support Centers of 6 municipalities of Western Georgia - Kutaisi, Tskaltubo, Khoni, Senaki, Poti, Zugdidi.
Since January three more municipalities have been added - Terjola, Ozurgeti, Lanchkhuti, where Women's Support Centers will be established.
Various activities are planned to support and rehabilitate victims of violence and crisis families, and active cooperation with local governments will continue.
An important component of the project is the opening of a rehabilitation center and placement of victims of violence (in the crisis period). The center will hold training seminars for victims of violence and representatives of crisis families: they will be offered professional courses, as well as assistance in finding employment.
The project will contribute to strengthening the rights of women in 9 municipalities of Western Georgia.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt – Evangelischer Entwicklunsdienst (Germany)
The mobilization meetings of September were devoted to the International Day of Peace and the International Campaign WAVE #stepup "Support and protection of women victims of violence and their children".
The Women's Support Centers of the fund “Sukhumi” held 33 meetings in the municipalities of Kutaisi, Tskaltubo, Khoni, Senaki, Poti and Zugdidi, not only in the cities, but also in the villages (Ternali, Kukhi, Nakhakhulevi, Akhalsopeli, Khorshi, Khurcha, Koki, Kakhati).
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt – Evangelischer Entwicklunsdienst (Germany)
In WSC of Senaki a psychological counseling meetings with women were attended by beneficiaries from 15 to 50 years. They talked about family happiness, about the basis of happiness, about economic problems, about the well-being of the family.
There was a lot of actual, important and necessary issues for the participants. They especially remember the advice of a psychologist: many women expect that a loved one will guess their desire or reason for a bad mood. If you want something - say about it, if something offended you - tell about it. So a man will understand you better, and you will have less cause for offense.
Participants of the meeting together with a psychologist discussed the topic of conflicts - the types and reasons of conflicts, how to avoid them. A group psychological consultative meeting was held at the Senaki Women Support Center with 13 beneficiaries.
To learn how to manage conflicts, we must first of all manage our own emotional condition - this was the conclusion at the end of the meeting.