- I was born in Gagra. I know about it from the stories of my parents. They say that it is very beautiful. At the Club meeting I listened to the information about my hometown with great interest.
- I do not remember my city, but heard a lot about its beauty. At the meeting I learned much about its history.
Such opinions were heard at the meeting of the Club of young ladies "Abkhazia - want to know everything".
Recently the Club activity has become very active. Girls study the history and geography of Abkhazia, the centuries-old Georgian-Abkhaz relations.
In April meeting of the Club of Women-Voters in Ozurgeti was held in the local government of Ozurgeti. A chairwoman of the Social Affairs Committee Irina Sajaia and a member of the local self government Nana Tavdumadze have been cooperating with Fund "Sukhumi" for several years. At the same time they are members of the Club.
Irina Sajaia presented social programs that exist in the local government of Ozurgeti: according to her the budget includes funds to support mothers of large families, socially vulnerable families, and also funds for free canteens.
Club members believe that this meeting was of particular importance, as they must know about the programs that exist to support women at the local level.
During the second part of the meeting members of the Club - Ketevan Kadeishvili, Nino Nikoleishvili and Marina Kiparoidze told interesting stories about famous women in Ozurgeti.
It turned out that Ketevan Kadeishvili is the granddaughter of the first famous actress Atata Kadeishvili. She talked about the special leadership qualities of her great-grandmother.
Nino Nikoleishvili decided to tell about the actress Izo Mamulashvili and focused on her leadership skills and comic talent.
Marina Kiparoidze called her heroine a Georgian woman of 21st century and introduced members of the Club a journalist Nino Nikoleishvili.
- There has never been a lack of well-known, active women in Ozurgeti. Deficiency in those women is not observed in the modern era too. Their names should be further popularized, - mentioned participants of the meeting.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization NED – National Endowment for Democracy, USA.
One of the main problems discussed at the meeting of the Club of Women-Voters in Khoni was the issue of delivering to ownership of IDPs apartments renovated by the state. They mentioned that IDPs have not received any official document confirming their right to property.
They also talked about specific problems. The problem of a single woman Meri Jishkariani is still unresolved. Due to technical problems she has not had electricity since December. Despite the fact that she has appealed to the Department of the Ministry on Refugees and Accommodation in Imereti and electricity campaign, the problem is still unsolved.
Club members will address this problem along with the lawyers of Fund "Sukhumi".
The project is implemented with the support of the organization NED – National Endowment for Democracy, USA.
Attendees of the meeting of the Club of Women-Voters in Khobi raised the issue about the closure of Alio Mirtskhulava school in the village Pirveli Khorgashi. According to them the school, which has been functioning for two centuries, should not be closed. The school Director has addressed with this issue the local and higher authorities several times. The issue was also highlighted in the local press. Members of the local government Manana Shulaia and Lasha Tsatava mentioned that this school is subordinate to the Ministry of Education and, accordingly, the issue of its closure should be the prerogative of the Ministry.
An advocacy group of five people will study this issue in the near future.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization EED Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst.
An article of Manana Shulaia (a member of the local government of Khobi District) published in the local Khobi newspaper "Khobis Moambe” is dedicated to activity of the women’s club and gender balance.
Has risen in price tolls, increased taxes, unethical and rude attitude of drivers to passengers, bad internal roads, incorrect distribution of social assistance to citizens (often a common program for socially disadvantaged people does not envisage extremely poor families), ecological problems, unemployed people and domestic violence - these problems were discussed at the Club of Women Voters. In order to solve these problems, the Club members have elaborated specific recommendations - to reexamine all the socially disadvantaged families, to allocate money from the budget of local government and cut taxes, timely repair internal roads, provide special transportation for school students.
There was formed a group of five people who will advocate these issues. At a future meeting of the Club members are going to invite heads of village administrations from nearby villages, members of local government of Kobuleti and Batumi, as well as journalists. Members of the Club are going to involve them in advocacy of existing problems.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization NED – National Endowment for Democracy, USA.
- At what stage is the issue of transferring housing to IDPs according to the State strategy, what are the prospects for IDPs living in Tskhaltubo? - a discussion on these issues was held at the meeting of the Club of Women-Voters in Tskhaltubo, which was attended by representatives of NGOs, various political parties, journalists and women - activists.
Detailed information about the transfer of housing to IDPs living in Tskhaltubo, was provided by the representative of the government of Abkhaz Autonomous Republic Omar Bedenashvili. According to him, there are already being built objects in Tskhaltubo, which are intended for the IDPs living in sanatoriums that can not be rehabilitated. Altogether they accepted about 400 statements from IDP families who have a desire to get housing in Poti.
Attendees also asked Mr. Bedenashvili questions about the allocation of housing space and quality performance of repairs.
Nana Todua - one of the leaders of the Club of Women-Voters in Zugdidi told participants of the meeting about her two-week visit to Ukraine. She participated in the training on the theme of human rights.
Participants of the meetings talked about the problems existing in Zugdidi: the State does not insure the health of the students in private schools, there are not playgrounds in schools, transport allowances for teachers and pupils, there is not lighting on internal city streets, as well as monthly cash assistance for mothers having many children (three or more children).
Club members intend to discuss these issues at the next meeting of the Club, which will be attended by representatives of local authorities.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization NED – National Endowment for Democracy, USA.
In March debate club
was held in Samtredia at the public school # 11. The theme of discussion was "Stereotypes
and the present”. The school students expressed a surprising ability of involvement
in discussion.
They discussed very
interesting issues: how stereotypes are changed, what influence they make on
the present, whether it is necessary to break stereotypes etc., and obtained
lots of information from young journalists.
The project is implemented with the support of the
organization EED Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst.
Meeting of the Club of Women-Voters differed with the large number of participants. It was attended by members of the Club from Tskhaltubo, Khoni, women IDPs from Abkhazia living in various collective centers, lawyers, representatives of political parties.
They discussed the issue of provision of IDPs with premises.
The head of the Department of the Ministry of Refugees and Accommodation in Imereti, Mr. David Aptsiauri who was invited specially to this meeting provided participants with official information about the situation of IDPs in regard with the transfer and legitimation of premises.
- What will be the fate of IDPs living in Tskhaltubo? When will IDPs living in private sector be provided with premises? - Mr. David Aptsiauri answered the questions of participants.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization NED – National Endowment for Democracy, USA.
As always, members of the Club "Abkhazia – want to know everything” were interesting in all cities. Participants acquainted with the history of Sukhumi, its role in the development of country’s economics.
One of the members of the Club Mari Navadze presented her slide-show with photos of Abkhazia which participants watched with great interest.
Among the club members there are some girls from Sukhumi. They believe that the Club meetings are very important a
nd they receive very useful information about their city.
The project is implemented with the support of Kvinna till Kvinna, women’s Swedish Foundation.
Members of the Club of Women-Voters discussed the problems existing in Khoni, which concern both IDPs and local population.
The problems are acute in fact: inhabitants of the Khoni collective centre still have not running water. Unemployment and lack of access to health programs are still serious problems. The issues relating to the transfer of premises in the ownership of IDPs have not yet been solved.
With the purpose of advocating the existing problems there has been formed a special group which will collaborate with the local government. Participants of the Club planned to invite to the next meeting a representative from the local government of Khoni.
The meeting was attended also by members of the monitoring group who had taken part in the meetings of local authorities and made monitoring of the local government activity from a gender perspective. They provided members of the Club with the information on the part of the budget of the local government, which deals with large families and IDPs.
Members of the Club of Women-Voters in Ozurgeti again discussed the
problems of the region. They stressed that the majority of the population is
unemployed.
According to the journalist Nino Nikoleishvili employers basically employ
men - many women have gone abroad, there are lots of problems in the sphere of health
protection, many women have no opportunity to pass laboratory examination because
of the bad socio-economic situation. In contrast to the capital there are no special
medical programs in Ozurgeti for the free examination of gynecological diseases
and cancer.
There are not organized cultural events for young people (there is not a
cinema, a literary café). The majority of young people are forced to spend time
outdoors.
To solve the above mentioned problems the club members have formed a
group of Advocacy of five people. They intend to raise these issues in the local
government.
The project is
implemented with the support of the organization NED – National Endowment for
Democracy, USA.
- I am delighted with today's meetings and discussions and was pleased that I had the opportunity to speak honestly on such topics as domestic violence and gender equality, - Lela Bzhalava, a lawyer.
- I am glad that I attend the meeting, which has brought together active, sober-minded women. This union will certainly lead to positive results, - Irma Kakhidze, a poetess, a member of the Blinds Union.
-I am satisfied with the work of the Club. I hope that the women gathered here will be able to protect women's rights and advocate for their issues, - Manana Rokva, a nurse.
Such opinions were heard at the meeting of the Club of Women-Voters in Batumi. Since February the Club started to work with the new composition (new members have joined the old ones). Participants were acquainted with the work of the Club, its Charter and a work plan.
A lawyer of Fund "Sukhumi" talked about issues of advocacy and lobbying. The participants believe that the lobbying will help them work more actively to protect the interests of women.
- I am delighted with today's meetings and discussions and was pleased
that I had the opportunity to speak honestly on such topics as domestic
violence and gender equality, - Lela Bzhalava, a lawyer.
- I am glad that I attend the meeting, which has brought together
active, sober-minded women. This union will certainly lead to positive results,
- Irma Kakhidze, a poetess, a member of the Blinds Union.
-I am satisfied with the work of
the Club. I hope that the women gathered here will be able to protect women's
rights and advocate for their issues, - Manana Rokva, a nurse.
Such opinions were heard at the meeting of the Club of Women-Voters in
Batumi. Since February the Club started to work with the new composition (new
members have joined the old ones). Participants were acquainted with the work
of the Club, its Charter and a work plan.
A lawyer of Fund "Sukhumi" talked about issues of advocacy and
lobbying. The participants believe that the lobbying will help them work more
actively to protect the interests of women.
- History of Abkhaz ethnos - this interesting topic was discussed at the meeting of the Club of young women held in Women's Support Centers in Kutaisi, Khoni, Tskhaltubo, Khurcha (Zugdidi district). At the meetings were invited teachers, famous people who spoke about Abkhaz ethnos and Georgian-Abkhaz relations.
A particular interest in the Abkhaz ethnos was expressed by the participants of the meeting in the village of Khurcha (border zone). According to the participants of the meetings, the knowledge of the aforementioned issues is important to them, since young people living in the border zone are in lack of such information.
The project is implemented with the support of Kvinna till Kvinna, women’s Swedish Foundation.
