In March psychologist of Fund "Sukhumi” carried out 14 group and 11 individual meetings with women IDPs living in collective centres of Kutaisi, Khoni, Tskhaltubo, Poti, Ozurgeti, and Kopitnari.
Participants tried to be sincere with psychologist.
-When you are depressed, look at the situation from a new perspective, and you’ll find something positive and good, - advised psychologist to women.
Participants of the meetings mentioned that after consultations with psychologists they feel relief and start to look at their problems in a different way.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization EED Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst.
Lawyer of Fund "Sukhumi” acquainted members of the Club of Women-Voters with changed made in election code of Georgia. Special attention was paid to the issue of election administration, rights and obligations of voters.
Participants of the meeting were very interested in the information about changes made in the Law about local self-government. There were raised questions regarding extraordinary local self-government election, assignation of dates.
Among members of the Club there are women who are actively involved in pre-election processes as members of commissions and observers. They are waiting for forthcoming elections and think that population will take active participation in elections and women’s representation will be increased in local self-government bodies.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization NED – National Endowment for Democracy, USA.
-These meetings help us learn our rights. We as women will have to overcome many obstacles to find our place in society. Women’s rights are infringed when they are not given possibility to make choice, - this was common opinion of young women – participants of the meetings organized in March by Fund "Sukhumi” (Kutaisi – 26.03.10., Tskhaltubo – 12.03.10., Khoni – 22.03.10., Senaki – 24.03.10).
At the meetings girls acquainted with international documents serving women’s rights protection: Resolution 1325, Beijing Platform and others.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization EED Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst.
How are families being behind the poverty line are registered in the database? What are the reasons of interrupting give out of social financial aid - consultations on these and other issues were rendered in March by the psychologist of Fund "Sukhumi” for IDPs, pupils, students in Women Support Centres in Kutaisi, Khoni, Poti and Tskhaltubo.
Students and pupils were rendered consultations on the rights and responsibilities of parents, about the specific measures on protection of adolescents from domestic violence. At the meeting special attention was paid to the acquaintance of IDPs with different stages of the program on issuing housing with the right to property according to the State Strategy on IDPs and also to the protection of the rights of IDPs.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization EED Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst.
Psychologist of Fund "Sukhumi” conducted 4 group and 5 individual meetings with women IDPs in Women’s Support Centres of Khoni, Tskhaltubo, Kutaisi, and Poti. Participants talked about interpersonal relations, integration, and issues of accommodation.
At the meetings there were used methods of Geshtalt therapy, meditation, art-therapy and theatre of images.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization EED Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst
A group of trainers of Fund "Sukhumi” held a regular training on the topic of domestic violence in the Women’s Support Centre of Poti.
Participants of the training were IDPs living in Poti.
During three days there was carried out interesting and intensive work. Participants had possibility to get information about domestic violence, communication, theory of conflict, obtain qualified advices from psychologist and lawyer. At the same time they shared life experiences, ideas about healthy communication and harmonic relations.
"It’s pleasant to have possibility to share opinions, analyze and estimate thing which seemed unimportant to us”.
"I know many women who would look at their life in another way and change something in their life after such training”.
Beneficiaries expressed wish for keeping cooperation with Fund, involve as much people as possible.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization EED Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst.
On March 24 to 26 inBerlin was held a conference dedicated to 10th anniversary of the UN Resolution 1325 which was organized by German women’s organization OWEN.
In the conference participated chairperson of Fund "Sukhumi” (partner organization of OWEN) Alla Gamakharia and also four members of OMNIBUS 1325 network, representing Northern Caucasus.
During three days active work was carried out in Berlin. Almost 100 people discussed the situation in different regions of the World in connection with the UN Resolution 1325. Except representatives of Caucasus there were participants from Serbia and Kosovo, Israel and Palestine and also Africa, Sudan, Mozambique and Uganda.
Well elaborated structure of the Conference allowed participants actively discuss many issues. The work was carried out through different methods, deep and informative analysis at plenary sessions was changed with interesting discussions in groups, world cafes and in "aquariums”.
Breaks for relaxation were also lively since everyone had possibility to learn more and get important information during informal dialogue.
Meeting with official representatives of UN and Foreign Affairs Ministry of Germany showed once again that despite the fact that the UN and State structures carried out certain work for 10 years to change the situation for the better, there is lack of political will and consideration of women’s interests.
In March, Forum-theatre of Fund "Sukhumi” had two performances in a secondary school # 23 and in "Children’s village” of Kutaisi city, where live children deprived of parental care.
Teenagers were particularly active during the performances. After each stop frame they tried to find ways out of a situation. For example, tell teacher everything that she could take necessary measures; carry out dialogue among adolescents to convince violator that such behavior is unacceptable.
After performances directors of both institutions expressed their gratitude to Fund "Sukhumi” since teenagers were given the opportunity to penetrate deeply into the problem of violence and think over its solution.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization EED Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst
"The book is neither work of art, nor manual and informational edition, though here reader can find elements of all those genres.
This is a conversation of twenty women who went through war and peace. This is the reflection of their faith and hope.
The main is something that is read between the lines – striking force of women’s peacefulness, which is always stronger than hatred, hostility and always strives for good, love, eternity of life"…
The book "Dialogue of Women-Peacemakers of Georgia and Russia” starts with these words.
It is printed according to the materials of the Conference of women-representatives of Georgia and Russia (in Russian and Georgian languages).
The book is written according to stenographic records and fully expresses views of the Conference participants. There is felt their special peacemaking mood, their optimism and readiness to do everything for the sake of peace.
Participants of the telecast transmitted on the air of the TV company "Rioni” on the 24th of March talked about work carried out within the framework of the project implemented with the support of International Alert. In the telecast participated employees of Fund "Sukhumi”, invited experts, and participants of the meetings.
The TV plot showed before the telecast told about meetings carried out within the framework of the project in towns and districts of Western Georgia (Zugdidi, Kutaisi, Batumi, Poti, Anaseuli, Khurcha, Senaki) where experts presented to different spectrum of society (intelligentsia, students, IDPs, journalists, representatives of governmental and non-governmental sector) with the results of the survey of Georgian and Abkhaz experts – "Dialogue process on security guarantees in the context of Georgian-Abkhaz conflict”.
Experts tried to fix attitude of society towards the aforementioned issues.
During the telecast there were heard opinions which were most frequently expressed at the meetings.
"Society does not want war. When it comes up to conclusion of agreement, society’s positions split”.
"We should agree with Abkhazians in any form but without legitimating of their independence”.
"In the government they do not have single attitude to these issues”.
"We need security guarantees more with Russia, but existence of such base document is one of the main ways for rebuilding of confidence with Abkhazians. At the same time it would be desirable to make it happen on the initiative of Georgia and not on the recommendation of the European Union and other structures.
At the end of the telecast again there was recorded the position of the Fund's board, according to which there necessarily will be continued work on examination of the public attitude towards those issues, that will enable researchers to make deep and detailed analysis of public positions.
The project is implemented with the support of International Alert, Great Britain.
Members of the Club of Women-Voters gathered in the building of the local self-government in Poti.
What changes have been made in the Law about local self-government? What are pre-election procedures? What do voters’ rights mean? What are the terms for appeal? – participants of the meeting obtained information on those issues.
Members of the Club think that it is necessary to conduct such meetings with society in order to raise their awareness.
A member of the local self-government Darejan Tskhvitaria is planning to meet with her voters. Members of the Club will assist her actively in conduction of the pre-election campaign.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization NED – National Endowment for Democracy, USA
By the initiative of Fund "Sukhumi” a three-day training was held in Batumi with participation of the members of the Clubs of Women-Voters from Batumi, Ozurgeti, Tskhaltubo, Kutaisi, Zugdidi, Khoni, Khobi, Poti (two representatives from every club).
The topic of the training was "Training women for participation in local self-government elections”.
What are particular qualities which distinguish women-leaders from men-leaders? What is the reason of the shortage of women’s solidarity? Why people do not vote for women-candidates? – the training started with active discussion of these issues.
The next day of the training began with consideration of Election Legislation and the Law about local self-government.
The last day participants of the training elaborated workshop module.
They mentioned that the 3-day work of the training was productive:
-The work was interesting. We looked at the topic of women’s leadership from different positions and reconsidered much.
-There are many changed made in the Law. Knowledge of Laws will help us be qualified in any issue and be actively involved in election process.
According to the project participants of the training will carry out workshops in their cities. They will work with different groups of society and acquaint them with the Law about local self-government and changes made in Election Legislation.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization NED – National Endowment for Democracy, USA.
From March 19 to 20 in Women’s Support Centre of Poti was held a screening training of Fund "Sukhumi” on the topic "Effective relations and conflict management”. 15 young women IDPs participated in the training.
In the beginning of the training participants mentioned that they were looking forward to discussing of the aforementioned topic. During the process of work they showed their leader skills and expressed wish for active participation in peacemaking process.
- At the training we could realize our possibilities, express our opinions on each issue, - participants of the training estimated their three-day work.
The project is implemented with the support of Kvinna till Kvinna, women’s Swedish Foundation
Edition of the second number of the journal coincided with pre-election period. That’s why the main objective of the edition – promotion of women’s activeness – acquires special sense.
The journal contains articles telling readers about interesting topics – weaknesses and strengths of the bill about gender equality; work of Clubs of Women-Voters of Fund "Sukhumi”; women-leaders’ portraits; issue of gender in publicism of Ilia Chavchavadze; views of women’s electorate on gender equality.
Members of political parties and Clubs of Women-Voters of Western Georgia will acquaint with the Georgian version of the journal, while Russian e-version was sent to all networks.
Three meetings on reproductive health were carried out in Women’s Support Centres (Kutaisi – 03.03.10., Tskhaltubo – 19.03.10., Khoni – 12.03.10) in March. Group meetings as well as individual were interesting for the participants.
At the meetings they discussed such issues as climacteric period and problems connected with this period, pregnancy, hygiene of pregnant women.
After group meetings participants had possibility to get individual consultations from gynecologist.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization EED Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst
Lawyer of Fund "Sukhumi” acquainted members of Zugdidi Club of Women-Voters with changes made in Election Law.
Participants of the meeting mentioned that information provided by the lawyer was timely and useful, since acquaintance with changes made in Law was very important before forthcoming elections.
Members of the Club are optimistically disposed before elections. They hope that there will be more women in local self-government.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization NED – National Endowment for Democracy, USA.
At the meeting (in the format of "Focus group”) carried out on the 17th of March in the local self-government of Ozurgeti, participants of the research carried out by Fund "Sukhumi” were provided with the interesting information.
At the meeting employees of the Local self-government and City Administration expressed their positions regarding the issues: why there are less women-politicians in Georgia than men, why there are no women at the top of election lists, what may change in politics with the involvement of large number of women, whether it is necessary to conduct certain measures for increasing of women’s representation.
"It is necessary to mobilize women, motivate and develop skills in them”.
"As a rule, decisions are made by men, we just fulfill their requirements”, - there are notes of dissatisfaction in these words of women.
"We really feel deficiency of support and assistance”.
"Woman politician lacks self-confidence”. "Then, how can she win men in majoritarian elections?” – now these are diametrically different positions.
"Showing woman-politician Mass Media finds elements of show”, - this opinion was not appealed against.
Participants had the same position in connection with the fact that increase of women’s representation in politics would necessarily be told upon social priorities, education, health protection, though the majority, among them women, consider special measures for increasing of their number undesirable.
The project is implemented with the support of International Alert, Great Britain.
