Gender-based violence
We are pleased to present the Women Fund “Sukhumi” Rapid Assessment Report: “Municipal Interagency Commissions on Gender Equality, Violence Against Women, and Domestic Violence: Best Practices and Current Challenges”. The document aims to evaluate the relevance of establishing inter-agency commissions to improve collaboration and coordination between state agencies in tackling the issues related to violence against women and domestic violence. It additionally aims to assess the institutional capacities of existing commissions, their accomplishments, and the challenges they encounter.
Based on the research data, it is evident that interagency commissions have a crucial role in coordinating mechanisms for the prevention of violence against women and domestic violence. This is demonstrated by the actions of interagency commissions that have already been formed in several target municipalities. The commissions facilitate more effective local referral procedures, communication, and coordination among stakeholders involved in managing incidents of violence.
However, the analysis of challenges revealed that to establish meaningful changes, it is important to formalize the inter-agency commission further. This requires developing an articulated strategy and leveraging and implementing examples of good practices, both local and international. Additionally, raising awareness among municipality representatives and the general population, ensuring proper delineation of responsibilities with the Gender Equality Council, and encouraging involvement from representatives of diverse agencies in commission activities are essential.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
The Women Fund “Sukhumi” has published a “Practical Guide for Responding to Gender-Based Violence for Representatives of Medical Institutions.” The aim of the guide is to provide medical workers, including doctors and nurses who have direct contact with patients, with information and tools that will help them to response to gender-based violence, in a timely, comprehensive and multi-sector way.
The practical guide includes the following issues:
- General information about violence against women and domestic violence;
- International and national standards for responding to gender-based violence from the side of representatives of medical institutions;
- The role of medical staff in responding to gender-based violence;
- Appropriate strategies, steps and recommendations to effectively respond to gender-based violence by medical staff;
- The importance of multi-sector collaboration in effectively responding to violence against women.
The project is implemented with the support the Equality Fund (Canada)
The Women Fund "Sukhumi" is pleased to share its latest monitoring report titled "Risks of Violence against Women." This study aims to identify and essess the risks of violence against women across 10 target municipalities. The primary objective is to facilitate timely responses to incidents and advocate for the necessary support.
The quantitative research data highlights the challenges pertaining to women's personal safety, underscoring the significant impact of high unemployment, poverty, and domestic violence. Unfortunately, women continue to face obstacles in accessing information and services for domestic violence survivors. The study reveals that, on average, women rate their sense of security as compromised, emphasizing threats to their life, health, property, and freedom of speech.
The recommendations derived from the research findings encompass the reinforcement of women's economic empowerment programs, impactful awareness campaigns, the active involvement of municipalities, enhanced collaboration and coordination among stakeholders in the referral mechanism, establishment of an effective system for monitoring and evaluating implemented measures, and continuous training for relevant specialists. This report serves as a vital tool to guide strategic interventions for a safer and more secure environment for women in the targeted communities.
Women Fund “Sukhumi” presents a new monitoring report “Assessment of Effectiveness of the Municipalities’ Preventive Measures to Combat Violence Against Women/Domestic Violence.” The preventive measures undertaken by the target municipalities and the quality of their cooperation and coordination with different actors of the referral system was assessed and analyzed in the report. The study outlines the key challenges, such as the problem of identification of vulnerable families’ for proper intervention to prevent violence; Insufficient communication and coordination between municipalities and referral mechanism actors; lack of municipal programs to tackle domestic violence against women; necessity of awareness raising of population about gender-based violence, and provision of professional trainings to representatives of different agencies. Specific recommendations, addressed to the relevant agencies were developed based on the study findings.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
Women Fund “Sukhumi” presents a new monitoring report “The child rights protection and support department’s effectiveness assessment and existing challenges.” The effectiveness of the child rights protection department’s structural unit activities, operating in municipalities, and existing challenges are evaluated in the report. These challenges hinder the provision of effective assistance and services tailored to the needs of vulnerable families. Specific recommendations based on the main findings are outlined in the document, which will contribute to institutional strengthening and improvement of the activities of child rights protection departments.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
Women Fund "Sukhumi" presents a new rapid assessment report - "Identifying the Needs of the Mayor's Representatives in Target Municipalities”.
The main objective of the study was to identify the needs of the Mayor's representatives in target municipalities of the Fund "Sukhumi" and to develop relevant recommendations to strengthen their role in promoting gender equality and identifying cases of violence against women and/or domestic violence, assisting victims and informing the citizens on existing local and central services in terms of participating in referral system.
The current rapid assessment highlighted the need for scheduling clear commitments to strengthen the digital skills of the Mayor's representatives, better inform them, improve their skills to promote gender equality in job descriptions, and to include domestic violence prevention and protection measures.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
Women Fund “Sukhumi” presents a new monitoring report “Importance of Behavior Change Programs of the Perpetrator at an Early Stage and Existing Best Practices.” The main objective of the document is to study attitudes of the stakeholders towards perpetrators’ behavior change programs and to initiate and develop discussion on the topic, to ensure promotion of the legislative control and implementation of the program in practice.
The research revealed that only measures addressed to victims of domestic violence are not sufficient for the elimination of violence. The practice of working with the perpetrator at an early stage, making more efforts for identification of the perpetrators’, and ensuring the involvement of perpetrators in behavior change programs, are necessary. Besides, it is important to raise public acceptance towards behavior change programs by undertaking public awareness raising campaign.
The new Monitoring Report of the Fund "Sukhumi": "Development of Child Care Services - to Promote Women's Employment and Ensure Effective Prevention and Response to Domestic Violence."
The document highlights the main barriers to women's employment, including low sensitivity of employers to vulnerable women e.g. single mothers, women victims of domestic violence; inflexible working schedule for working mothers and lack of after school and kindergarten care services; Lack of access to extended summer school and kindergarten services, insufficient day/evening childcare centers and afterschool clubs, etc. These barriers cannot be overcome without mobilizing financial and human resources and proper State support. This requires coordinated work and cooperation between state structures and civil society organizations. The document also provides specific recommendations to address the existing barriers.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
“From teachers I often hear the following phrase: “Girls should not behave like that”, but immediately, the pupil gave the answer: “The behavior has no gender”- these are the words of one school director, given in the publication.
The new publication of the Fund "Sukhumi" analyzes the results of the research, which covered 11 municipalities of Western Georgia (school directors and teachers, representatives of resource centers, NGOs, education and gender experts, parents, former students). The legislative framework was also analyzed, reports and ressearches of local and international organizations on these issues were used.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
Fund "Sukhumi"' has published its new monitoring Report - „Impact of COVID-19 on Domestic Violence, Situation of Women Victims and the Access to the Support Services“. The Report reflects the major problems and challenges faced by women and girls living within Fund "Sukhumi""s eleven target municipalities in the context of COVID-19 pandemic.
The results of the Monitoring have clearly proved that Pandemic has significantly aggravated women’s situations. It has not only worsen the already dire condition of women victims of domestic violence but also has revealed the potential abusers. The situation of women who had been able to escape from the abusers and leave the violent environment in the past, has been also considerably deteriorated due to COVID-19.
The existing challenges require timely response and proactive actions by the government, especially in the regions, with active cooperation and involvement of the relevant civil society organizations. The report provides specific recommendations on appropriate response to mitigate the negative effects.
Report is published in two languages - Georgian and English.
