Themeeting was held in a special format -
panel dialogue took place between the members of the Club and representatives of
local government.
Representatives of an initiative group of the
women’s club introduced the chairman of Sakrebulo and its members with an
initiative called - "My district - my pride!" – This initiative is aimed
at the cleaning of the territory of IDP settlement in the village Mendzhi,
improving of the environmental situation in which local community will be
actively included with the support of the initiative group.
This project attracted the interest of the members
of the local government. According to them the problem exists and Sakrebulo
will actively cooperate with the Club of Women-Voters of Senaki to solve it.
The project is implemented
with the support of the U.S. Embassy in Georgia
At one of the meetings, Kutaisi Club of Women-Voters members of the club
took the initiative to provide persons with limited hearing with dental
services based on the principle of co-financing.
Shortly after the meeting, advocacy group started to work on the
implementation of that idea. At the first stage, the members of the club wrote
the project - "A beautiful smile of people with limited hearing".
According to the project they studied the situation and created a
database for this category of beneficiaries. Talks were held in parallel with
one of the dental clinics of the city, which was willing to pay 20% of the
total sum of service. After that, members of advocacy groups met with
representatives of the local government. The presented project was submitted to
the City Council and funded in the amount of 5000 GEL.
The project is already running. According to the budget 50% of the total
sum of service is paid by the local government, 20% by the dental clinic, and
30% by beneficiaries.
A special TV plot was prepared and transmitted on the TV company
"Rioni".
The clinic works hard and most of the beneficiaries have already used
the services of a dentist.
Advocacy group plans to work on the integration of this category of
society in the future.
The project is
implemented with the support of the organization NED – National Endowment for
Democracy, USA.
At a meeting of the Club of Women-Voters in Batumi
moderators - Natia Kikvadze and Eter Diasamidze made a summary of the work
carried out in the past month.
Advocacy group applied
the city mayor’s office with request to provide elderly women from a nursing
home with the financial assistance for the purchase of medicines on March 8.
Batumi city hall has satisfied that request.
The members of
the Club are women from Kobuleti, including members of the Union of the Blind, so
on their own initiative advocacy group applied to the mayor’ office of the town
of Kobuleti with a similar statement, although the request of the club members was
not satisfied because of a meager budget of the town.
In the future,
the Club members will advocate for the issue of contaminated areas of the city,
in particular, the territory of Bartskhana. They are ready to take an active
part in the improvement of that territory.
The meeting of
the club was special because it was attended by members of the Club of Women-Voters
of Khoni. Participants of the meeting shared their experience.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization NED – National
Endowment for Democracy, USA.
Members of an initiative group of Khoni Club of
Women-Voters require opening of children’s entertainment centre in the centre
of the city. They applied to Khoni municipality administration with this
proposal.
-The head of administration reviewed our statement and
promised to open the children’s entertainment centre in the near future, - said
a moderator of the Club of Women-Voters Eliso Jikia.
At the meeting of the Club there were discussed poems of
a poetress Dodo Dzimistarishvili, an IDP from Abkhazia. Club members reminded
their favorite poems about woman, native Abkhazia, about love - a few minutes
of poetry brought high, spring mood in the club.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization NED – National
Endowment for Democracy, USA.
The workshop on effective advocacy was held for the participants of the meeting.
Club members acquainted with the ways and methods of advocacy.
At the meeting were raised problems of local population - damaged rain gutters in renovated buildings, where live IDPs from Abkhazia, lack of cultural, entertaining events for youth, damaged internal roads.
Advocacy group will raise these problems in local government. They will be covered in the local media. The knowledge gained from the workshop will help them in effective advocacy.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization NED – National Endowment for Democracy, USA.
A qualifying training in the Women's Support Centre of Senaki began in an interesting and warm atmosphere. Despite the fact that some of the young women participated in the training for the first time almost all were equally active, and tried to show themselves.
According to trainer’s evaluation every participant has leadership skills and knows well why she wants to be accepted to the School of Young Leaders.
Those who will not be selected in the School will participate in various activities of Fund "Sukhumi".
The project is implemented with the support of Kvinna till Kvinna, women’s Swedish Foundation.
On the initiative of Fund "Sukhumi" there were prepared proposals on women’s rights protection to make amendments to the Labor code.
Participants of the Club of Women Voters in Zugdidi were acquainted to the aforementioned proposals.
They positively evaluated these proposals and expressed their opinions.
- The period of paid maternity leave in the event of adoption of a child should be increased to 265 days - Inga Archia, a moderator of the Club of Women-Voters of Zugdidi.
- Labor contract form must not be oral but written - Ketevan Gamsakhurdia, a moderator of the Club of Women-Voters in Zugdidi.
The participants of the Club were provided with a workshop on the topic of effective advocacy.
Club members got acquainted with the ways and methods of problem solution.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization NED – National Endowment for Democracy, USA.
Club of Women-Voters in Batumi continues to work actively.
Advocacy group tries to address problems raised at the Club meetings through
the cooperation with local authorities.
At a meeting held on February 8, members of the Club took
part in the workshop on practical advocacy. They studied methods that they will
use in practice to address problems.
Club participants again discussed various issues, including
global ones related to ecological migrants and IDPs from Abkhazia, who had been
left without shelter.
Members of the advocacy group indicated that they will
raise these issues in local government. In case funds are not allocated from
the budget, they will meet with majoritarian deputy of Batumi to lobby the
issue.
The project is implemented with the support of the
organization NED – National Endowment for Democracy, USA.
At the
meeting of the Club of Women-Voters in Tskhaltubo were invited representatives
of the local municipality (Sakrebulo): Chairman of the Commission on Social
Issues and Health Care Kakha Babunashvili and a member of that Commission,
Levan Chakseliani.
Members
of Sakrebulo acquainted attendees with the local budget for 2013. According to
them, this year's budget is mostly focused on social issues, which is a great
advantage for people who live below the poverty line. They also talked about
the one-time financial support for large families.
Club
members were talking about local problems. In particular, roofs of several
buildings in the new settlement of Tskhaltubo need to be repaired. Members of Sakrebulo
noted that these houses had already passed under the control of Tskhaltubo
municipality, so, the problem will be solved more easily.
The project is
implemented with the support of the organization NED – National Endowment for
Democracy, USA.
- What
will be the budget of Kutaisi for 2013, which amendments will be made and which
areas will mainly be a priority – these issues were discussed at the meeting of
the Club of Women-Voters in Kutaisi. At the meeting were invited a Deputy Chairman
of the City Council Merab Mishveliani, a chairman of the Commission on Social Issues
and Health Care Tariel Meskhi, a chairman of Kutaisi branch of the Young
Lawyers Association, Tamar Pachulia.
Club
members discussed the part of the budget, concerning education, health care and
social protection.
According
to the members of the City Council, Kutaisi budget has been increased compared
to previous years, but this is not reflected in social programmes.
Participants
of the meeting discussed other problems too. Local government is ready to
cooperate with advocacy group to solve existing problems.
The project is implemented with the support of the
organization NED – National Endowment for Democracy, USA.
Participants of the Club of Women-Voters of Ozurgeti were
provided with the information on the budget of Ozurgeti municipality for 2013.
"We have discussed in detail very important budget
categories: education, healthcare, culture, social sphere. We think that each
citizen should be familiar with the budget. Although society is less informed in
this regard”, - said Ketevan Kadeishvili, a members of the Club.
It should be noted that the majority of the members
who are an active part of society, acquainted with the budget for the first
time, although there were those who frequently attend meetings of Sakrebulo,
and information about the budget was not new for them.
According to advocacy group the reorganization process
in the local government has not been finished yet because of uncertain political
situation, so the solution of specific local problems is delayed.
Members of the group believe that cooperation with the
local government will be continued in the future too.
The project is implemented with the support of the
organization NED – National Endowment for Democracy, USA.
Members
of the Club of Women-Voters gathered in the Centre of Civic Engagement in
Batumi. At the meeting they were acquainted with the city budget of 2013.
Participants
of the meeting mentioned that the majority of the population is not familiar
with the city budget, so the meeting was very informative.
The
budget items related to health care and social security were of special
interest for the participants.
The
same day, members of the Club met with the chairman of Batumi City Hall Budget
Committee, Mr. Ednar Nataridze. They discussed the issue of high fees in
kindergartens.
It is important to mention that by the
initiative of the members of Batumi advocacy group in Makhinjauri was opened a
special school for disabled children, where they will learn embroidery,
knitting and sewing.
Club
members believe that their active work will help advocate many important issues
through cooperation with local authorities.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization NED – National
Endowment for Democracy,USA.
The Club meeting was particularly active. At the
beginning of the meeting, the moderator of the club Nana Todua informed the
attendees with the ongoing reorganization.
According to her, moderators of the club have been
replaced and the Club was joined by new members from different villages.
The meeting participants considered the problem of the
lack of awareness of rights among the population. According to them, people often
do not know whom to apply for problem solution and how. They said that it would
be good to have representatives in villages who would advocate for issues of
local population.
Members of advocacy group believe that the skills obtained
during the training ("Advocacy and effective communication"), will
help them in advocating for issues and cooperation with the local government.
The project is implemented with the
support of the organization NED – National Endowment for Democracy, USA.
Members
of the Club of Women-Voters gathered in Fund "Sukhumi”. At the beginning of the
meeting participants got information about the training on the theme "Advocacy
and effective communication” in which participated four members of Kutaisi
Club.
During
the meeting were discussed the problems which can be solved at local level.
For
example, there is no lighting at Nikea Street. There is not an appropriate traffic
sigh in front of one of the schools, so the risk of car accidents is high.
Advocacy group has already started to work on those problems solution.
Participants
also discussed the problems that can be solved only at higher level. For
example, maternity benefits for unemployed women, special programs for people
with hepatitis C. They decided to start work on an active lobbying of such
problems.
At the
meeting members of the club also planned to invite to the club meeting women
parliamentarians and acquaint them with the work of the club.
The project is implemented with the
support of the organization NED – National Endowment for Democracy, USA.
"We
applied Batumi City Hall for the installation of warning calls on city traffic
lights for the safe movement of people with disabilities. Our statement has
been reviewed and we expect solution of the problem in the near future", -
this information was provided at a meeting of the Club of Women-Voters in
Batumi.
The
meeting was attended by the participants of the training on "Advocacy and
effective communication", held in Kutaisi. They talked about their impressions
and said that the theme of the training was very relevant and interesting, and
that they would effectively use the gained knowledge in advocating for local issues.
The project is implemented with the
support of the organization NED – National Endowment for Democracy, USA.
Women, who
gathered at the meeting of the Club of Women-Voters, shared their views on how
they plan the future activity of the club.
They mentioned that local population still has
many problems that can be solved at the local level. Assistant of the Club
familiarized participants with the work experience of other clubs - where, how
and what problems have already been advocated.
According to the participants at present there
are major changes in the local government. After the process of the reorganization,
they will continue cooperation with the local government. In their opinion,
this will be an important step in advocating for issues.
The project is implemented with the support of the
organization NED – National Endowment for Democracy, USA.
The meeting, held in Poti was attended by the representatives of several local newspapers. Journalists interested in the work of the Club and addressed attendees with a few questions: in particular, what preventive measures are taken by Fund "Sukhumi" and each member of the Club for the protection and assistance of victims of violence? In response, members of the Club described active work of the Fund to support victims, including legal and psychological counseling.
A moderator of the Club Neli Ungiadze told attendees about the action held on November 25. According to her, there were a lot of supporters, and moreover, young people expressed voluntary desire to distribute leaflets and brochures on the central streets of the town.