Online practical training was provided for moderators of Women's support groups affiliated with the Women's Fund "Sukhumi." The session focused on the crucial topic of the preventing and responding to GBV during the war and in post-war settings. Ekaterine Gamakharia, the head of the Tbilisi office of Women's Fund Sukhumi, led the training session.

During the training, participants gained insights into typical forms of gender-based violence during war and conflict. They engaged in discussions regarding the direct and indirect impacts of armed/violent conflicts on women, girls, and other vulnerable groups.

In Chisinau, Moldova, Ekaterine Gamakharia, Head of the Women Fund "Sukhumi" representative office in Tbilisi, was honored to lead the Fireside event at a workshop with the inspiring Women's Advisory Board (WAB) for the Moldova Peace Talks, organized by the Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA) and UN Women. The workshop aimed at empowering WAB members with enhanced advocacy and negotiation skills, specifically addressing the Transnistrian Settlement Process. During the Fireside event, Ekaterine shared experiences of women activists' involvement in Georgia's peace processes, providing a detailed overview of the dynamic of cooperation between peace talks delegates and women's organizations. The session was open, interactive, and filled with enriching discussions.

"I believe in the power of shared experiences and knowledge exchange. Moldovan and Georgian women peace activists can learn from each other, reinforcing our collective commitment to building a more peaceful and inclusive world," said Ekaterine, reflecting on her visit.

An information-sharing meeting was held with participants from the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) and civil society representatives. Ekaterine Gamakharia, the head of the Tbilisi office of the Women's Fund "Sukhumi," along with women community leaders residing in the conflict's dividing line, participated in the meeting.

During the discussion, representatives of non-governmental organizations focusing on women's issues, along with conflict-affected women, including those residing in villages near the dividing line and displaced women, delved into a comprehensive analysis of the current situation in regions not controlled by Georgia. The conversation also covered villages located near the conflict's dividing line, humanitarian challenges faced by the local population, and the specific needs of conflict-affected women. The women emphasized the heightened sense of physical danger prevalent among the population near the dividing line, particularly following the incident where a Georgian citizen was killed by Russian border guards. Additionally, there was recognition of a concerning trend in the deterioration of mental and psychological health within the community. The discussion also brought attention to the poor socio-economic conditions and the lack of access to basic needs and services in the affected areas.

 During the meeting of two women initiative groups of Khoni, the women talked about the dynamics of advocacy and planned activities for the 16-day campaign against gender-based violence. "Peace and Peaceful Youth Initiatives" was the topic of the training, which was held with the members of the youth group of Khoni Municipality. The participants talked about what peace is associated with and whether they feel safe and secure in the current situation. They also emphasized the youth peace initiatives and their responsibility in the peace building process.

The training on the topic: "Peace, the role of young people in peace activities" was held with the members of Tskaltubo youth group. The participants talked about the importance of peace and their own role using group and role-playing games. Based on the advocacy plan, the members of the women initiative group organized a meeting with the doctors. Students from different schools attended the meeting. What does addiction mean and how marijuana and different types of drugs affect human health - the participants received comprehensive information on these issues.

The project is coming to an end, but the group members continue to conduct activities. During the next meeting of Tskaltubo Women Initiative Group, the participants talked about future plans that are related to strengthening the IDP community and solving priority problems.

The role of women in peace and security is particularly important. Empowering women provides more inclusive approach to the needs of internally displaced people. This was well demonstrated during the project implementation by identifying problems and solving some of them.

The project is implemented with the support

 of the UN Women organization

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)