We are a group of women- internally displaced people (IDPs) who come together to establish a women’s non-governmental organisation in Kutaisi, Western Georgia in October, 1997. Our group was created after the Georgian population had to flee Abkhazia as a result of the armed conflict in 1992-1993. Having become IDPs we encountered a wide range of problems, which could only be solved by uniting and supporting each other. Even though there were other women’s organisations in Kutaisi, we realized that as women- IDPs we had deferent needs and our particular situation was more understandable to women from Abkhazia.
Our organisational mission:
Development of women’s activity through educational, legal, economic, social, cultural activities to increase women’s role in building a democratic society in Georgia, in the peaceful resolution of the conflict in Abkhazia, and achieving economic independence
Our organisational structure:
The Foundation is governed by the Board and its chairperson and is regulated by the charter and internal regulations. The Board is a permanent body consisting of 5 members, who meet quarterly.
There are 28 employees in the organisation, all of whom work passionately with activists and volunteers to show them by example how our organisation makes contribution to the development of civil society and peace. Operational decisions are made by the chairperson of Foundation, whereas strategic decisions are made by the Board and Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the organisation.
The main directions of our organisation’s activity:
- * Woman and gender equality
- * Woman and peacebuilding
- * Woman and non-violent society
- * Work with youth
Types of our organisation’s activity:
- * Civil Education
- * Research
- * Information and Public awareness
- * Advocacy
Project title: Gender Advisory Councils – increasing women’s role in social changes of regions
Donor:UN Women Fund for Gender Equality
Project title: Gender Advisory Council - improved outlook, strengthening women's rights and good governance in the region.
Donor: U.S. State Department
Project title: “Change of the policy of local government regarding gender budgeting”
Donor: Czech non-governmental organization «The independent socio-environmental movement»
Project title: Strengthening women’s voices in decision-making
Donor: Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland FDFA
Project title: Active involvement of women in political life of Georgia through democratization of election processes
Donor: U.S. Embassy, Georgia
Project title: To promote social and political non-violent conflict resolution among IDP communities of western Georgia, by training youth, including gender specific attitudes towards the matter
Donor: Canadian Embassy in Turkey
Project title: Improving the living conditions of women victims of violence and women of the risk groups. "Road to the Future".
Donor: The International Women’s Association Georgia (IWAG) Community Projects Committee (CPC)
Project title: Shadow Theater for Promoting Gender Equality
Donor: French embassy in Georgia
Project title:Learning from Visegrad 4 experience to advocate for equal, inclusive and democratic local governance
Donor: of the Visegrad Fund
Project title: Involvement of NGOs working on issues of social protection, in the strategic dialogue in Georgia
Donor: the Czech organization PIN - People in Need
Project title: Overcoming the consequences of war together
In partnership with DRA – German-Russian exchange
Project title: Strengthening of medical staff to protect the victims of domestic violence
Donor: The British Embassy Tbilisi
Project title: Step by step - we will build a peace without violence
Donor: NGO “Women for Development” (Armenia)
Project title: Strengthening the capacity of regional and local administrations in processes of localization of the National Action Plan 1325 The UN Security Council and activation of dialogue and the participation of women, including the most marginalized ones, in these processes.
Coalition unity - the Association of IDP Women “Consent” (Tbilisi), the Women's Information Center (Tbilisi) and Cultural - Humanitarian Fund “Sukhumi” (Kutaisi)
Donor: US State Department and UN Women Organization
Project title: Reinforcing the Domestic Violence Prevention System, Victims Support and Perpetrators Therapy System
Donor: HumanDoc foundation (Poland)
Project title: Women identify the level of human security to build confidence and sustainable peace
Donor: Kvinna till Kvinna, Swedish Women Fund
Project title: “Strengthening of women’s rights in Western Georgia”
Donor: Brotfür die Welt – Evangelischer Entwicklunsdienst (Germany)
Project title: Early Conflict Prevention - Theory and Practice
Donor: Kvinna till Kvinna, Swedish Women Fund
Project title: A common forum for CSOs from Guria, Imereti and Racha-Lechkhumi for PAR Roadmap monitoring
Donor: European Union
Project title: Online Vote-O-Meter for 2020 Georgian Parliamentary Elections
Donor: International Visegrad Fund
Project title: Reinforcing the Domestic Violence Prevention System, Victims Support and Perpetrators Therapy System
Donor: HumanDoc foundation (Poland)
Sanatorium “Metalurg”, “Kolkheti”, “Samgurali” new settlement – in these IDP collective centers there were held workshops with the young people, who passed trainings in advocacy.
During the workshops the participants named many problems of their collective centers. Poor living conditions, high rate of electricity, the problem of stray dogs, the problem is a defective sewage system, contamination of the area, street lighting, the lack of children's entertainment venues ...
Workshop participants decided to start advocacy themselves in cooperation with local self-government for solution of existing problems.
The project is implemented with the support of the Czech organization PIN (donor - World Bank)
28 members of the youth club of the fund “Sukhumi” from 6 regions – for them in Kutaisi there was held the first phase of the training for trainers on – gender and gender violence.
The work was held in two groups. There was a great interest to the topics, individual and group activities, film screening, conversation about traditions and stereotypes.
During the feedback it turned out that the young people raised awareness in the issue of gender and they expressed a desire to become trainers.
The chance to show themselves already exists. In the days campaign they will conduct informational meetings in schools. For most of them it is the first experience and share in the process of violence prevention.
For the active participants of trainings there will be held the second round.
The International Visegrad Fund has approved the project proposal “Learning from Visegrad 4 experience to advocate for equal, inclusive and democratic local governance” submitted by Fund “Sukhumi”. The project will be implemented during 16 months.
It aims at studying the experience of the Visegrad 4 (V4) in gender mainstreaming and public participation in local governance reform and at advocating for policy reforms based on best practices. Through study tours, research and series of follow-up public and expert consultations, the project will develop a policy-oriented strategy for reforming local governance and gender mainstreaming.
The detailed information about the project activities and publications will be available of the project web-site http://fsv4.ge/.
The project is implemented with the support of the Visegrad Fund
The work of women support centers of Kutaisi, Khoni, Poti, Senaki, Tskaltubo and Khurcha/Koki (Zugdidi municipality), collaboration with local self-government, advocacy and solution of the problem – these and other issues are publicized in the forth issue of informational bulletin of the fund “Sukhumi” in frames of the project “strengthening of women’s rights in Western Georgia”.
The ordinary meeting of Tskaltubo Club of Voter Women was devoted to the discussion of the constitution. Members of the Club got acquainted with the changes in the constitution, recorded their opinions.
The meeting summed up the Club's work, highlighted weak and strong sides, talked about plans for the future. It was noted that the existence of the Club is important for the activation of women, the promotion of topical problems and their solution.
The project is implemented with the support of the U.S. Embassy in Georgia
Project title: Overcoming the consequences of war together
Ordinary meeting of Ozurgeti Gender Advisory Council (GAC) was devoted to summarizing results of local gender needs research. Totally there were held 4 focus-groups, 4 in-depth interviews and 200 people were inquired.
Research participants unanimously noted that there was fixed low level of awareness of respondents on the budget program. They stressed the need to strengthen the work for the public involvement in the budget process. This should be provided by the local government. Particular attention should be paid to the inclusion of women in meetings in frames of villages development programs, in which people record their needs.
The final report of the survey results will be presented to local government.