The ordinary meeting of Kutaisi Women Initiative Group was held to prioritize the needs of IDPs, conduct advocacy and determine plans for the future.

The group leader presented a short report to the audience and spoke about the challenges faced in the advocacy process. They discussed ways to solve the problem, a new form of cooperation with self-government and involvement of a lobbyist to get better results.

Members of the initiative group expressed their desire to participate in the network in the future and filled out an electronic version of the form.

The project is implemented with the support

 of the UN Women organization

Women’s mutual assistance groups actively cooperate with local governments, and in all ten municipalities they have already started to advocate the problems of group members.

Women face a number of problems; especially these are the violence victim women. Group members feel strong support from the social agency, the City Hall and the City Council. This helps in advocacy and problem solution.

In November, project assistant Nino Chabukiani conducted offline and online meetings, and some of them were conducted by group leaders.

Three-month courses of digital literacy were held in Terjola, Bagdati and Kobuleti. The group members learned a lot of useful things from the trainer Kristi Kutateladze. In order to actively use theoretical knowledge in practice, several women (who did not have phones) were given mobile phones. According to them, this is serious support.

The project is implemented with the support the Equality Fund (Canada)

The training course is actively continuing. The next five trainings were conducted in the Youth Empowerment Centers of Bagdati, Tsalenjikha, Zugdidi, Khobi and Vani. The participants discussed many interesting and topical issues.

Now all groups are actively preparing for the international campaign of “16 active days against gender-based violence”. Group leaders were identified and they will organize the initiated events. They will conduct various activities; involve their peers and representatives of the older generation. They will express protest against violence together.

The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot

 für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)

The Ukrainians who came to us have many problems. The assistance with vouchers that our organization provides is a support for them. But support is also provided in another way: utility bills were paid for 2 families, assistance in paying for apartment rent was provided to 7 families, and telephone communication costs were paid for one family.

Medicines worth 400 GEL were purchased for one of the cancer patients. Another one was paid for doctor’s communication.

One of the refugees, living in Tkibuli, asked for help in purchasing a heating device, and this issue will be resolved soon.

The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot

 für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)

The Women Fund “Sukhumi” opened the international information campaign “16 active days against gender-based violence” a day earlier.

November 24. 19.00.

Kutaisi. Stadium named after Ramaz Shengelia – “Shengelia Arena”.

Match between “Torpedo” Kutaisi and “Dinamo” Tbilisi.

And... the most unusual and special:

The entire “Torpedo” team came out wearing white T-shirts with the slogan of our campaign: “Break the silence! Stop the violence”!

The footballers carried this slogan in the form of a large banner.

“Torpedo” Kutaisi has been the face of the 16-day campaign before - in 2003 and 2013.

In 2003, the action also took place at the stadium before the match with “Dinamo” Tbilisi. Then the players carried a long white ribbon into the stadium with the slogan: “Violence is evil! Let's unite against violence against women”!

This was quite a serious demonstration and an unusual action for that time!

As a result of the efforts of our and other organizations, society has realized that violence goes beyond the problem of one family and has more harmful consequences than we think. Three years later, in 2006, the Georgian parliament adopted a law against domestic violence...

From November 20 to 22, a working meeting was held among the network members at the Ambassador Hotel Kachreti within the framework of GIZ's global program 'Shaping Development-Oriented Migration Policy.

At the meeting, our representative, Linda Chikhladze, shared the experiences of the Women's Fund 'Sukhumi' with the participants.

Raising awareness about the harmfulness of alcohol and drugs addiction among teenagers - Kutaisi women initiative group is working on this topic as part of the advocacy process. How to give correct information to young people - psychotherapist, narcologist Vakhtang Sikharulidze talked about this issue, according to the participants, it is necessary to hold similar meetings in schools. During the meeting of Kutaisi Youth Club, the members received information about the 16-day international campaign against gender-based violence. The participants identified various activities that the club will implement within the campaign.

The women initiative group of the village Pakhulani - Tsalenjikha municipality continues to work on advocacy issues. There is no fast internet in the village, the women plan to solve this issue. The company “Magti” responded to them. Letters signed by the residents were sent to the City Hall and the City Council. The group members are waiting for the response.

During the next meeting, the members of Senaki women initiative group evaluated their activities, reviewed the list of identified problems and discussed ways to solve the problematic issues. According to the participants, teamwork, gender sensitivity, well-written advocacy plan helped them to solve various issues. At the beginning of the meeting, they talked about the 16-day campaign. The women focused on gender stereotypes and increased cases of violence in society. The members of Senaki youth group talked about the problems, reasons and consequences of domestic violence. They received information about a 16-day campaign against gender-based violence. Activities to be held within the campaign were planned.

Domestic violence, legislation, prevention of violence and raising awareness - the members of the women initiative group of the village Koki - Zugdidi municipality were trained on these issues. They talked about the forms of violence, protection mechanisms and state services. The meeting held with Koki youth initiative group was dedicated to the topic of promotion of peace and non-violent culture. The young people were informed about the campaign of "16 active days against gender-based violence".