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Representatives of Fund "Sukhumi” participated in the parliamentary sitting where were discussed changes to the law on Suppression of Domestic Violence, Protection and Aid of Victims of Domestic Violence.

The principle position of our organization to participate in the discussion of the draft, was due to the fact that, according to the project (the author of the legislative initiative - a member of parliament Guguli Magradze) the norms are to be added to the law, envisaging forms of participation of municipalities in suppression of domestic violence – municipalities are entitled to participate in prevention of domestic violence by means of awareness raising, study of the reason of the conflict, mediation, arrangement of crisis centers/shelters etc.

At the sitting we had the opportunity to argue the need to include municipalities together with state instances and social institutions in prevention of domestic violence, provision of the relevant assistance to victims of violence and the management of cases of violence.

Fund "Sukhumi” has raised at different levels the issue of the need for integrating social programmes into the measures aimed at assisting victims of violence and presenting local government as one of coordinating branches of the State referral mechanism.

Principal position of Fund "Sukhumi” is that the aforementioned is the best way out from the situation. And it is impossible to achieve this without relevant changes. After discussion, members of the Committee on legal issues supported submission of the draft to the session.

We consider that adoption of the law will be a declared political will that stresses direct responsibility of the state with regard to the solution of the problem of violence. Fund "Sukhumi” plans to continue the work for the public support of the Law.