"Improper distribution of gender values, roles and responsibilities, unfair attitudes, confrontation in family lead us directly to violence" - this view was expressed at the debate (the theme "Gender values, the functional roles of men and women in the context of domestic violence") conducted at Women’s Support Center in Khoni. Participants of the meeting were representatives of local self-government, law enforcement agencies and media, psychologists, lawyers, teachers, and high school students.
Participants of the meeting expressed an opinion that formation of gender values is closely related to both formal and informal education. The great role is given to cultural development, the values on which the growing generation is brought up. They emphasized the importance of analyzing information existing in psychologist’s institution and various structures. For example, at the request of the Ministry of Internal Affairs there are created cards of family conflicts, where are fixed conflicts in families, and defined the families under risk. Although this information is accumulated, yet it is very important to provide information to the relevant structures and to work with these families.
The participants told about the importance of covering facts of violence so that it does not become a new precedent for the other perpetrator. Media should be careful covering such themes.
The theme of the meetings carried out with young women was "Communication and communicative relations between people”.
Frank conversations at the meetings showed that the theme was very interesting for the young women.
Tamuna Patsatsia (village Khurcha) said: "The generation which establishes contacts via Internet, social networks, messages, really needs such meetings”.
"I always considered myself communicative but sometimes I was too rude. After the trainings and workshops I understood that there is a big difference between communication and rudeness. Now I am more careful and attentive in relations”, - Irina Putkaradze (Tskhaltubo).
In October were held four meetings in Kutaisi, Tskhaltubo, Khoni and Khurcha. Participants of the meetings were 63 young women.
The project is implemented with the support of Kvinna till Kvinna, women’s Swedish Foundation.
On 13-15 October mobilizers of Women’s Support Centres
of Fund "Sukhumi” from Kutaisi, Khoni, Tskhaltubo, Senaki, Poti and village
Khurcha – Zugdidi District visited Armenian non-governmental organization
"Women for development” and three rural communities.
The objective of the visit was to study experiences of
the NGO and local rural communities.
The first meeting was held in the office of the
organization "Women for development”. During the meeting mobilizers also visited
three rural communities of the villages Gogovit, Torosgyukh and Tsogomarg. They
were very interested in the work experience of "Women for development” with
youth, specifically formation of separate groups of girls and boys as well as initiatives
of rural communities.
Mobilizers of Fund "Sukhumi” are ready to use this experience
in their centres.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization
EED Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst.
In a conference room "Jazushi” located in Tbilisi was held a public discussion on "Women for democratic elections". The organizers of the meeting - the President of the International Fund for Sustainable Development Mrs. Mariam Tsatsanashvili presented the results of the study, according to which the rate of female participation in elections is low, and in high mountain regions it does not exceed 5-10 percent.
Participants in the meetings explain the passivity of women in the electoral process by various reasons - marital status, the problem of transportation to Election precincts, stereotypes - women should not participate in elections and etc.
Participants of the meeting were students and representatives of women’s NGOs – Fund "Sukhumi”, "Universitetelebi”, Women’s Information Centre, "Bazaleti”, "Women of Georgia for Peace and Life”.
The International Fund for sustainable development is planning to conduct such meetings in the future.
September is associated with the beginning of the school year, so women again have many concerns with regard to their children.
According to the psychologist, some parents believe that children are their property and physical punishment is an adequate way of their upbringing. If parents can imagine how tense internal organs of the child are during physical punishment, they would never have used this method. When parents do not have enough strength, no sufficient inner proximity with their child, there comes a "pedagogical helplessness," which turns into violence.
The psychologist reminded women that punishment is a kind of lesson: "If punishment is severe your child may make the following conclusion – they do not love me".
The duty of parents is to teach the child and if they do not have patience, compassion for the child, what can we expect from society?
In the Women's Support Centers (Kutaisi, Tskhaltubo, Khoni, Senaki, Poti, Khurcha) were conducted group meetings with a psychologist, which were attended by 113 women aged 17 to 55.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization EED Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst.
"What impact negative emotions have on us" the psychologist’s conversation on this topic was of great interest among women. They tried to explain why they have so much negative emotions that make them feel constrained. "We feel fear and anger, and our attention is focused on the fact that we urgently need to defense ourselves. Negative emotions narrow our field of consciousness, because they are heavy and quickly take possession of the soul" - say women.
In collective centers of Kutaisi, where live IDPs from Abkhazia, were held 8 group meetings with a psychologist. Participants of the meetings were 79 women aged 18 to 58 years.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization EED Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst.
The number of women-participants
of the meetings with reproductive health specialist is not reducing. The
specialist listens carefully to every woman - participants of the meetings and
gives detailed answers to questions.
In September the meetings
were held in Women's Support Center in Kutaisi, Poti, Tskhaltubo, Khoni and
Senaki. There were discussed the following issues: pregnancy, sexually transmitted
diseases, diabetes. In the meetings participated local and IDP women of all
ages.
It should be noted that
in Senaki a reproductive health specialist-gynecologist provides free consultations
three times a month.
The specialist advises
women to undergo a gynecological examination permanently, as the number of
female patients with various tumor diseases is increasing every year.
The theme discussed at the meetings with young women in September was about mechanisms of protection from violence.
The theme of violence was not new for the girls: ""Generations are changing, society discusses the topic of violence ina different way. Violence has always been a subject of debate, but not on such a large scale"- said participants of the meetings.
"My cousin had big problems with her husband. She applied to a patrol police. That’s why her family members were upset with her and were not talking to her for a long time", - the Club members provide some examples from real life.
In September there were held four meetings of the Club in Tskhaltubo, Khoni, Senaki and Poti with participation of fifty four young women.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization EED Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst
Six meetings with reproductive health specialist were held in Women's Support Centers. The themes discussed at the meetings were: pregnancy, pregnancy care, hypertensive diseases, and infectious diseases of genital organs.
The theme associated with taking tan (tan - positive and negative results, acquiring of sunburn with figs - a dangerous method) was of particular interest during the meetings. The special focus was also made on the following diseases: fungus and problems associated with it, genetic disorders (deafness, numbness, etc.).
Participants of the meetings were given the relevant medical literature and leaflets to be informed on innovations of women's reproductive health.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization EED Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst.
In eight group meetings with psychologist conducted in collective centres of Kutaisi participated 67 women aged 18 to 48.
At the meetings the psychologist spoke to women about the theme of deception – why people deceive.
- Often we do it because we want to create better impression about ourselves, often because of a sence of compassion, fear or a sence of duty, not to offend others and avoid the pain caused by emotions. We hold something back, control ourselves, change one information with another. And we don’t act consiously always, - says the psychologist.
The meetings participants shared interesting opinions on that theme.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization EED Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst.
In July meetings on the theme of reproductive health were held in Senaki, Poti, Tskhaltubo, Kutaisi and Khoni.
Women IDPs were particularly interested in issues related to diseases of the endocrine system, particularly the thyroid gland (goiter).
In the last decades thyroid diseases are progressing in the structure of endocrine diseases. According to research in the near future the number of these diseases is expected to be increased.
At the meetings the gynecologist told participants about ways to prevent complications of the aforementioned disease, gave them practical advice.
- Issues related to the thyroid gland and the female reproductive system are of considerable theoretical and practical interest not only in terms of overall clinical, but also gynecological endocrinology, - was said at the meeting.
Counseling on these and other issues help women IDPs to care more about their health.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization EED Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst.
Lessons learnt from the meetings with a psychologist:
"I shall not tolerate it any more. So many years I did everything for my family and for the sake of my family. I had a frank conversation with my husband and told him that I had already made a passport and would leave him if he did not stop drinking. I must help my son become a professional in the sport. I'm tired of looking at the drunken man, I'm not a slave, and I am not obliged to endure".
Eight group and seven individual meetings (103 women IDPs aged 19 to 62) with a psychologist were held in June, in the collective centers of Kutaisi.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization EED Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst.
In the Women’s Support Centres in Khoni, Tskhaltubo, Senaki, Kutaisi, Poti, and in the village of Khurcha (Zugdidi District) were held six group and two individual meetings with a psychologist. Participants of the meetings were 117 women aged 21 to 56.
Women participating in the meetings become more and more active.
One of the participants said the following about her internal mental changes: - "When we consciously and deliberately develop new and better skills, our own "I" usually gets rid of old habits, and pulls on a new one. After several meetings with a psychologist, I tried to throw off the mantle, that all failures are "my" blame. Today, I praise myself even when I cook and relations in our family are getting better.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization EED Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst.
In June six meetings with a gynecologist were held in Women’s Support Centres in Kutaisi, Poti, Tskhaltubo, Khoni, Senaki and Khurcha.
Participants of the meetings were women and young women IDPs of different ages. The following themes were discussed at the meetings: how to get rid of an unwanted pregnancy, hormonal changes and their effect on fertility, malignant breast tumors, the importance of annual mammograms, and more.
Women IDPs said that at the meetings with the gynecologist they receive the necessary information about diseases and the ways to avoid them. Topics discussed at the meetings vary, but equally necessary.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization EED Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst.
In June meetings with young women and girls were held in Khoni (02.06.2011), Senaki (10.06.2011), Poti (14.06.2011), and Khurcha (21.06.2011). The topic of the meetings was – Gender equality and its mechanisms.
-Gender equality does not mean that fathers should carry out mothers’ duties. The role of parents in upbringing of children is equal and irreplaceable, - said participants of the meetings.
It should be mentioned that the meeting on such a topic held in Khurcha (a village near the conflict zone) is very important with regard to awareness raising.
At the meeting in Khurcha young women expresseed an opinion that discussion of such themes helps them make free choice.
Meetings on the theme "Global Week of Action Against Gun Violence” were held in 10 Collective Centre of Khoni Military town.
IDPs were provided with the information about the international campaign against gun violence organised by IANSA Network in June 13-19.
Organizers of the meetings emphasided that special attantion during the campaign is paid to gender thematic since women suffer most of all during the conflicts. Participants also talked about frequent facts of gun violenceamong teenagers.
Young persons were especially active during the meetings. They distributedleaflets and posters prepared by Fund "Sukhumi”.
IDPs talked about their pain caused by uncontrolled arms and war. There was expressed an opinion that control on arms should be strengthened and everyone should be solidar in the struggle against gun violence.
