On November 25 members of the Gender Advisory Council of Senaki joined the action organized by Fund “Sukhumi” within the framework of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence Campaign. They expressed their irreconcilable attitude to violence and appealed to society to feel responsibility and stop violence!!!
On November 25, members of Batumi GAC joined the action of protest against the violence towards women. The fund “Sukhumi” was one of the organizers. The meeting was attended by local NGOs, youth groups, ordinary citizens, activists of the fund, club of voter women, and group of IDP women.
In the story of radio “freedom”, respondents – GAC members from Sakrebulo, NGOs, and other participants fix their opinion that the attitude of the state towards the problem must be changed. The victim must be sure, that she is not alone in the concrete situation, the rapist must see, that he will be punished, society must be careful, the state must be the guarantee of person’s security.
The radio “Dzveli Kalaki” aired a program, organized by the fund “Sukhumi”, which familiarized the audience with the activities, planned by the organization in frames of the campaign “16 active days”.
What do the specialists, ordinary citizens, local government representatives, members of parliament think about the ways of violence prevention, what issues were raised on public discussions organized by the fund, what do the journalistic standards mean, what responsibility do the society have in direction of victim protection and prevention of violence. There were interesting opinions regarding these issues.
A the Parliament members mention, they see that everything is not so well on legislative level and consider it important to have close cooperation with NGO sector. “The family has own culture, ethics, but it must coincide with society ethics.”
“Gender News” - Cycle of the radio “Dzveli Kalaki” announces a campaign of 16 active days against violence towards the women.
The representatives of the fund “Sukhumi” underlined importance of uniting society for women’s protection. “It will be alarming signal for the country, as violence mostly happens as a result of our silence.”
The conversation touched gender media centers, which were opened in 8 cities of Georgia. It was mentioned that the fund “Sukhumi” will actively cooperate with the centers: “We hope that it will improve communication between the journalists and NGO sector and will promote to rising of gender awareness”. There was information, according of which number of court appeals of violence victims increased. “Sometimes even divorce is not a way out. Aggression from the side of ex-husband often continues after devotion. Protection of the victim is a priority and obligation of the state first of all”.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs, together with other structures, with the support of USA Embassy, begins a social campaign of fighting against domestic violence with the slogan: - “No to Violence”. With the help of different activities, the society will be informed about a fact that the victim of domestic violence and is protected and the rapist is punished by the law.
Presentation of the campaign in the Ministry was attended by the Minister – Aleksandre Tchikaidze, chairpersons of the other Ministries, members of Parliament, representatives of US Embassy, international and non-governmental organizations. The clip claiming that “violence is punished” will be aired during 3 weeks aiming at informing the population about existing a hot-line “112” in case of hearing facts of violation; also they must address the police. The rapist must be informed that domestic violence is punished by 1 year of prison.
The lawyer of the fund “Sukhumi” attended the meeting.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt – Evangelischer Entwicklunsdienst (Germany)
In the calendar of Fund “Sukhumi” November 25 is a special date – International Day of struggle against violence towards women, the beginning of the 16 days campaign.
This year as the last 10 years:
traditional preparation, special attributes, and slogans.
16 days plan of events, social ad.
and, the main thing - the actions, organized by Fund “Sukhumi” in 8 cities of Western Georgia: Kutaisi, Khoni, Tskhaltubo, Senaki, Poti, Zugdidi, Ozurgeti, and Batumi.
Actions were crowded. Participants were activists of Fund “Sukhumi”, representatives of NGOs, teachers, youth, and journalists.
Members of Gender Advisory Councils, created by Fund “Sukhumi” at local Sakrebulos, joined actions conducted in Kutaisi, Senaki, Ozurgeti and Batumi.
This year the problem became quite relevant – according to the official statistic 24 women were killed as a consequence of violence!
Therefore, November 25 has adopted special scales - Women's Movement conducted actions in 20 cities. Fund "Sukhumi" joined these actions in Kutaisi, Tskaltubo, Zugdidi, Ozurgeti and Batumi.
Today the protest against violence towards women is heard all over Georgia!
Today all media of the country cover actions held in 20 cities of Georgia!
Today Georgia has felt the relevance of the problem and declared:
Ozurgeti gender advisory council joined the action of protest regarding violation towards the women, which was held in front of Ozurgeti state theatre.
The action was participated by the members of NGOs and mass media and also the members of Ozurgeti Voter Women’s Club.
The club of voter women of Khobi always participates in the actions of November 25. Now the fund “Sukhumi” does not work in Khobi, but collaboration continues. On the initiative of Manan Shulaia, the action against violation towards the women was organized and informational meetings with different groups were held.
Kutaisi group of leader-girls organized a friendship competition in mini-football between the sportsmen of Tskaltubo and the soldiers of Infantry Brigade.
With this event the men supported the campaign of 16 active days against gender violation.
The project is implemented with the support of Kvinna till Kvinna,
Number of partners of the fund “Sukhumi” increase annually in frames of the campaign of 16 active days. The prove of it a TV show in the air of TV Company “Rioni”, which once again underlined, that violence against women is a crime and it must be objected by the whole society.
The show was attended by the young people, sportsmen, psychologists, lawyers, Scientifics, members of the actions of protest. The most important guests were the couple, who celebrated 50 years of marriage. The idea of the show was also noticeable gender imbalance: majority of the gusts were the men. Most of the facts of domestic violence are caused by the men, so exactly the men must express protest to the existing tendency.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt – Evangelischer Entwicklunsdienst (Germany)
