Every month Fund "Sukhumi” organizes informational meetings with representatives of political parties functioning in the cities of Western Georgia.
In January parties were provided with the information about objectives of Fund "Sukhumi” – to increase women’s representation and strengthen their role in political parties. Representatives of parties, in their turn, gave information about the process of preparation for the participation in the local self-government elections in their parties and what chances women have of being presented in election lists.
The meetings were held with the representative of the following parties: United National Movement (Zugdidi), Republican Party (Batumi, Ozurgeti), Christian-democratic Movement (Poti), Labour Party (Kutaisi).
Election lists of the Republican Party are drawn up based on liberal principles, that means free selection of candidates. Women and men have equal rights to be presented in election lists.
Representatives of the National Movement say that women-members of their parties would be given possibility to use their skills and experience in pre-election period as well as during the elections.
Chairperson of the Christian-democratic Movement in Poti, Lasha Beraia said that in their election lists second and third positions would be held by women running committees of Health and Education within their parties.
As to the system of quoting chairpersons of parties do not support the system of drawing up election lists taking into account gender. They think that more attention should be paid to professionalism, hardworking and experience of candidates.
Since a new work year meetings on reproductive health, planned to be carried out in the Women’s Support Centres of Kutaisi, Tskhaltubo and Khoni have been continued. In total there were carried out 6 meetings for women as well as for young women. Women come to the meetings with great pleasure to obtain useful information, answers to the questions they are concerned about.
At the meeting in Kutaisi they talked about the importance of often visits of women and young women to gynecologist. They were also interested to listen about HIV/AIDs and other sexually transmitted diseases.
The meeting in Tskhaltubo was consultative. Before the meeting many girls and women had time to visit gynecologist and so they wanted to discuss the results of their examinations.
Parents to be who attended the meeting asked many questions about meals for pregnant women, which vitamins and medicines they can take.
The meeting held in the WSC of Khoni was attended by the women at a mature age. They were interested in the issues related with menopause.
In Women’s Support centres of Fund "Sukhumi” located in Khoni, Tskhaltubo, and Kutaisi there were carried out three group meetings of psychologist with women IDPs and teenagers, who went through art-therapy, while women used the theatre of images to evaluate reality, overcoming difficulties and acquiring skills of life. All these achievements makе women become self-confident.
In January there were carried out 12 informational meetings on the topic of housing in different collective centres of Kutaisi and Tskhaltubo.
At the meetings we have found out that basic problems of IDPs are connected with housing.
IDPs living in one of the collective centres, former hotel "Sataplia” expressed their satisfaction, because the building was redecorated and transferred to their ownership. But despite this fact they still have certain problems connected with faulty distribution of living space.
Informational meetings will be continued and IDPs will get necessary information regarding housing.
Prolonged and endless repair work in the collective centre of Khoni town, insanitary conditions on the territory, threat of extension of infectious diseases among children – these and other issues were discussed at the meeting of the Club of Women-Voters in Khoni. Members of the Club are women IDPs, lawyers and representatives of other professions.
They say that they will submit their candidatures in the local self-government elections to have their own lobbyist for the solution of their problems in the local self-government.
Members of the Club of young women "Abkhazia – want to know everything” gathered in Fund "Sukhumi”. They were acquainted with the geography of Abkhazia, cities and districts.
At the meeting there were invited women IDPs from Gali, Guliripshi, Ochamchira, Gagra, Tkvarcheli, who told the participants about the history of their cities.
The meeting was especially interesting because it was attended by the guest from Sukhumi, who expressed regret because of the broken relations between Georgians and Abkhazians as a result of the conflict. She hopes that with the efforts of common people these relations will be restored.
The meeting was also attended by the coordinator of the Swedish women’s organization Kvinna till Kvinna in Georgia, Mrs. Annika Karlsson.
"When you are angry, you does not perceive good, but consentrate at anger filling yourself with ruinous energy, that destroys you from inside”, - say women, participants of the meetings with psychologist.
"Learn to send your body impulses of good and love”, - advices the psychologist.
In January there were carried out 12 group and 7 individual meetings with psychologist. The meetings were held in collective centres of Kutaisi, Tskhaltubo, Khoni. In total 86 women were rendered psycho-rehabilitation.
A regular meeting of the Club of Women-Voters was held in St. George’s Gymnasium in Zugdidi.
Director of the Gymnasium and leader of the club, Manana Nachkebia organized Christmas performance for the participants.
Pupils performed Christmas ritual on the stage. The attendees were given possibility to watch the film about the visit of the Patriarch in the Gymnasium, got acquainted with the Christmas epistle.
During the second part of the meeting participants discussed the work plan of the Club. For the next meeting of the Club they planned to invite women-representatives of political parties.
In the assembly hall of the local self-government in Poti there was held a meeting with the participation of women-representatives of local authorities, civil society, political parties and Mass Media.
The meeting was held within the framework of the project "Dissemination of results of the Georgian-Abkhaz dialogue on Security Guarantees - Dialogue on security guarantees in the context of the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict”, implemented with the support of British organization International Alert.
The objective of this meeting was to acquaint participants with analysis of Georgian and Abkhaz experts and make visible results of public discussions on that issue for specialists and governmental structures.
At the meeting held in Poti there were defined attitudes of different groups of women to the agreement on the non-resumption of hostilities and conditions which should be stipulated in this agreement.
In the opinion of participants peace resolution of the conflict has no alternative. So there should be an agreement which will define obligations of parties on non-use of force, protection of human rights etc.
What are the risks for Georgia connected with this agreement? Who should be the guarantee for its implementation? Which sides should be the main subjects? Which are necessary conditions to be included in the agreement? Which proposals, recommendations do they have for the positive solution of the issue? These were the main issues discussed at the meeting.a
Legal consultations for students, pupils, women IDPs of different age were rendered in Women’s Support Centres of Kutaisi, Khoni and Tskhaltubo.
The lawyer mentions that the most topical problem for IDPs is the problem of housing, that’s why they ask her to consult them on these issues. Pensioners are often interested in the conditions of restoring seniority for IDPs.
Pupils and students try to get information about their rights, about international documents serving to the protection of human rights.
Women’s rights, their role in peacebuilding, the UN Resolution 1325 – these and other issues were discussed at the meeting with young women held in WSC in Tskhaltubo.
"The oftener I participate in such meetings, the more I understand that topics discussed here are important and essential since young women should know their rights, laws to be able to use this knowledge in case of need”, - Eka Kvachaxia.
Participants consider that such meetings contribute to their awareness raising and decreasing of the facts of violence.
The meeting of the Club of Women-Voters was held in Khobi.
A member of the local self government and an active leader of the Club Manana Shulaia made presentation of the manual "Phenomena of women’s leadership” published by Fund "Sukhumi”. It was mentioned that the manual is very impressive and women can obtain much information about skills of women’s leadership.
Representatives of Fund "Sukhumi” acquainted participants with the strategy of the Club’s activity and cooperation with political parties.
In parallel they discussed the work plan of Khobi Club of Women-Voters.
-We are planning to carry out many interesting measures during a year: meetings with successful women, politicians, representatives of different structures.
There were also initiated to organize meetings of the Club in Khobi district to learn more about the problems of local population.
A regular radio monologue was broadcasted on the air of radio "Dzveli kalaki”. Listeners became witnesses of another life drama of woman.
…It has appeared that even close person can hurt you much…
That’s why domestic violence is so dangerous. It depreciates fundamental values of an individual and hurts her/him much. And outcomes of the social disorientation are very hard for the individual and people around him/her.
In order to create a background for the monologues there are periodically heard radio rolls of Fund "Sukhumi”, that listeners perceived the danger of the problem of violence in family.
The first telecast aimed at supporting of the League of women-voters and women’s political participation at regional level was transmitted on the air of the TV company "Rioni”.
In the first part of the telecast there was showed a TV plot made by Fund "Sukhumi” which reminded TV viewers once again what made the previous stage of the project notable, which measures had most significant outcomes, which conclusions were made, what kind of strategy was chosen for the successful implementation of the new stage of the project.
Members of Kutaisi Club of Women-Voters (most of the telecast participants ) welcomed expansion of the working area of Clubs.
"Clubs of Women-Voters should become an example of women’s consolidation for our voters in Georgia”, - such kind of will was by the participants of the telecast.
"We think it’s a good idea to continue exchange meetings. Regional and international format of such meetings was very useful for us and we are very grateful to Fund "Sukhumi”.
The theme of discussion was elections, as the most important political process in Georgia.
"It is no coincidence that we speak about local self-government elections of May 2010 so early. The future of Georgia is much dependent on the indicator of democracy”.
A regular meeting of the Club of Women-Voters was held in the office of Fund "Sukhumi”.
A regional representative of the "Fair elections”, Teona Gogishvili who is a member of the Club of Women-Voters at the same time, was in Kosovo for two months as s long-term observer. Members of Kutaisi Club listened to her information about elections in Kosovo with great interest.
There were asked many questions: How far democratic were the elections for the local self-government? What infringements have been revealed? Which innovations can be used in our country?
Teona Gogishvili emphasized that gender problems exist in Kosovo too since women’s representation in election lists was low.
Participants of the Club of Women-Voters think that society should be informed of pre-election programmes of political parties in proper time. In parallel there should be carried out certain work with women’s electorate to support women-candidates.
Meeting of the Club of young women "Abkhazia – want to know everything” was held in the Women’s Support Centre in Khoni.
This was the first meeting after Christmas holidays. Participants evaluated the work carried out in 2009. Girls talked about importance of the Club’s activity. They think that they have collected much interesting information what does not give them possibility to forget about Abkhazia.
At the end of the meeting participants discussed future work plans for the Club and elaborated proposals: what kind of changes will be made, in which direction the work should be developed.
