Borjomi hosted two training sessions for women leaders and activists from the Samegrelo and Imereti regions on the topic: “Prevention and Response to Gender-Based Violence in War and Post-Conflict Settings.”  These two training sessions were conducted as part of a project implemented in partnership with the WAVE Network and with the support of the OSCE-WIN Project, bringing together 30 women leaders.

On the first day, participants delved into how wars and conflicts disproportionately affect women and girls, examining the forms of violence most used against them. They were also introduced to global statistics on gender-based violence during conflicts. Following the presentations, participants identified the different dimensions of gender-based violence in conflict settings and its severe impacts on various vulnerable groups. Through group work, they explored the long-term effects of conflicts, which have a profound impact on women’s and girls’ psychosocial well-being, disrupting their ability to lead fulfilling lives.

The information on key actors responsible for protecting women and girls at both the national and international levels sparked great interest among the participants. The theoretical segment was followed by the analysis of a real-life case study, where participants identified the responsible actors and discussed strategies for preventing violence and responding effectively.

Head of the Women Fund "Sukhumi" Tbilisi office, Ekaterine Gamakharia, participated in the 2024 Open Day for Regional Women, Peace and Security Dialogue, held on 5-6 September in Chisinau, Moldova, where she moderated a panel discussion on "Leveraging Women’s and Youth Agency for Social Cohesion and Recovery." The discussion focused on key barriers that women and youth faced in social cohesion and recovery efforts across Armenia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, and Moldova, as well as strategies to measure progress towards sustainable peace and reconstruction.

The event provided a vital platform for women peace activists to address challenges, share solutions, and strengthen the implementation of the WPS agenda across the region. It aimed to generate key actions and messages to enhance cooperation with the UN and other international partners.

The Democracy Research Institute (DRI) held a discussion on "Life Beyond Enguri: The State of Human Rights Protection in Gali." In her speech, the representative of the Women’s Fund "Sukhumi" Tbilisi office informed participants about the level of human security of the conflict-affected populations on both sides of the dividing line, based on the organization’s recent research findings. She also discussed the potential impact of the "Foreign Agents Law" on the legal status of these populations.

The discussion also addressed issues related to the rights to movement and education for Gali residents, as well as problems faced by the displaced women.

On June 28, 2024, the representative of the Women’s Fund "Sukhumi" Tbilisi office participated in an international conference organized by the NATO Liaison Office in Georgia. The conference focused on "Strengthening the Participation of Women in Peace and Security Processes." The event was opened by Mr. Alexander Vinikov, Head of the NATO Liaison Office, and Mrs. Marie-Doha Besancenot, NATO Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy (remotely). Discussions covered topics such as "The  Women’s Roles in Building and Sustaining Peace: International Best Practices and Local Experiences” and "Implementation of the National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security: Progress and Challenges in Women’s Participation."

The conference concluded with a roundtable discussion featuring reports from representatives of women’s non-governmental organizations in the South Caucasus, including Ekaterine Gamakharia, Head of the Tbilisi office of the Women’s Fund "Sukhumi." During the discussion, the speakers addressed the current challenges faced by peacebuilders in the South Caucasus and explored strategies to enhance the fulfillment of obligations related to the "Women, Peace, and Security" agenda.

Women Fund Sukhumi's Tbilisi office representative, Ekaterine Gamakharia, was selected to participate in the Regional Training of Trainers on the Women, Peace, and Security and Humanitarian Action (WPS-HA) Compact in Istanbul, Turkey, on June 5-6. This event, organized by the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP) and the OSCE WIN Project, brought together women peacebuilders and mediators from Central Asia, Eastern Europe, and the South Caucasus.

On June 5, Ekaterine took part in a subregional meeting for South Caucasus women peacebuilders, where she engaged with OSCE and GNWP representatives to discuss the current situation in Georgia. She focused on the challenges posed by the "Foreign Agent Law" and its impact on women's participation, particularly for women peacebuilders. On June 6, during the hybrid event "Advancing Women’s Leadership in Women, Peace, and Security and Humanitarian Action: Assessing Progress and Charting the Way Forward," Ekaterine addressed regional progress and future strategies to ensure effective women's participation and leadership. The forum was attended by officials from the OSCE, UN Women, and the European Union.

UN Women hosted a two-day workshop on “Monitoring Human Security – a Gender Sensitive Monitoring Tool”.

The workshop is designed for the representatives of the Public Defender’s Office of Georgia (PDO) and the representatives of civil society organizations. The seminar is facilitated by an international expert Zara Jarvinen, who is the author of the tailor-made methodological tool - “Manual on Gender Sensitive Monitoring on Human Security” designed specifically for the use of the PDO and CSOs. This workshop aims to build the capacity of the representatives of the PDO and the CSOs to assess, monitor, analyze and report on human security of the conflict-affected and internally displaced population from a gender perspective, including through a joint and cooperative manner.

Ekaterine Gamakharia, head of the Women Fund "Sukhumi" Tbilisi representative office, participated in the seminar.

The Women's Fund 'Sukhumi' organized practical training for representatives of women's civil society organizations in Western Georgia. The training, led by Ekaterine Gamakharia, Head of the Tbilisi office of the Women's Fund 'Sukhumi,' focused on the theme 'Prevention and Response to Gender-Based Violence in War and Post-War Settings.

During the training, participants acquired knowledge about common forms of gender-based violence in times of war and conflict. The session also involved discussions on the direct and indirect impacts of armed or violent conflicts on women, girls, and other vulnerable groups.  Throughout the training, participants actively shared their personal experiences during the post-war period and engaged in discussions about strategies crucial for the effective protection of women from violence.

The training was organized by the WAVE network, including the 'Crisis Center for Victims of Sexual Violence' in Yerevan, Armenia; the Women's Fund “Sukhumi” in Kutaisi and Tbilisi, Georgia; and the 'United Women's Foundation Banja Luka' in Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina. They utilized a training module based on the 2022 toolkit “Preventing and responding to gender-based violence in war and post-war settings: experiences and recommendations of women's NGOs.”

The guide is available at the following link: https://wave-network.org/toolkit-prevention-response-gbv-war/?fbclid=IwAR03LQ8QeKi3hM6de-O3nugIL8RdShWbYQ76tAA48o2YRefI4PY65ZVwwxg

The State Minister for Reconciliation and Civil Equality of Georgia, Thea Akhvlediani, conducted a meeting with members of the "Consultative Council of Experts Working on Reconciliation and Engagement Policy Issues" and the "Consultative Platform on Strengthening the Effective Participation of Women in the Peacebuilding Process," established through the agency's initiative. Ekaterine Gamakharia, the head of the Tbilisi office of the Women's Fund "Sukhumi," participated in the meeting.

Members of the Council and the platform shared their perspectives on taking essential steps to enhance the effectiveness of peace policy. The representative of the Fund "Sukhumi" underscored the importance of organizing thematic meetings within the platform and advocated for an increase in their frequency. This approach would provide participants with the opportunity to discuss issues in a more thorough and timely manner. The representative also highlighted the necessity of involving various sectoral agencies in these thematic meetings to improve the quality and timeliness of responses to concerns raised by the civil sector regarding peace initiatives and the interests and needs of people affected by the conflict.

The UN Open Day on Women, Peace, and Security was held, serving as a platform for dialogue between representatives of UN agencies and civil society, displaced and conflict-affected women and youth. The event aimed to exchange information about the needs and challenges on the ground.

In the mentioned meeting, the Women's Fund "Sukhumi" was represented by leaders of displaced and conflict-affected women, with whom the organization has been workind for years. Our goal is to actively involve women in the empowerment process and address existing problems.