During the Global Week of Action Against Gun Violence mobilizators of Poti Women’s Support Centres conducted meetings with IDPs living in the building of the former Training Centre.
During the meetings IDPs recollected the days when they were compelled to leave their homes in Abkhazia. They said that war and gun violence have caused them incurable pain, brought physical and material losses.
One of the participants said: "As a result of war my psychical health has been suffered severely. I needed long time to return to normal life. We don’t want violence, war and bloodshed. We want peaceful future for our children!”
Meetings within the framework of the campaign "Global Week of Action Against Gun Violence” were held in the local self government of Senaki and Press service of the Municipality.
Chairperson of the local self-government Besik Narmania recollected the facts of gun violence of 1991-93.
The meetings were also held for IDPs living in different collective centres of Senaki: JSC "Egrisi 2002”, School # 3, Railway boarding house, Museum, Childrens’ Sanatorium, Trest # 5, Food plant, Railway Sanatorium and Ceramic Plant.
Participants of the meeting talked about the threats that may be caused by the uncolntrolled arms. They recollected hard days of war in Abkhazia and events in August 2008. They told that uncontrolled arms made them IDPs on their own motherland. Those who went through such a tragedy understand well the value of peace.
It should be noted that the information about the campaign and meetings was placed on the web-site of the municipality www.senaki.ge.
In three collective centres of Kutaisi (Musical boarding school, Cottages # 2, Culinary College) were held meetings within the framework of the Global Week of Action Against Gun Violence.
All the participants said that violence is evil.
"We will actively involve in the campaign since gun violence destroys people’s lives. Thank to the international IANSA network we have possibility to be informed about the World campaign against gun violence and be involved in the discussions on global issues”, - Nino Chakhunashvili, participant of one of the meetings.
According to women uncontrolled arms bring disaster and devastation therefore everyone should fight to eradicate this problem.
In collective centres of Tskhaltubo – "Sakatrvelo” and "Inturist” were held informational meetings with IDPs. Participants of the meetings were provided with the information about the ongoing campaign against gun violence. They recollected the war in Abkhazia and August events, talked about how the war depressed people, what difficulties follow the post conflict period when population has uncontrolled weapons.
All the meeting participants expressed readiness to support the campaign:
"We hope that such campaigns will give positive results, number of uncontrolled arms will be decreased and accordingly, there will not be wars”.
Within the framework of the Global Week of Action Against Gun Violence meetings were held in the collective centres of Poti: former hotel "Aieti”, 8 and 8a Eliada St., Training centre, 59 Gorgasali St., 3 Tabidze St.
Participants of the meeting were provided with the information about the current campaign and the IANSA network which is the organizer of the campaign.
Almost all the participants of the meetings have gone through difficult days of the war in Abkhazia. They know the pain caused by the loss of relatives, friends and family members.
Women made a protest against gun violence.
-We don’t want to live in a violent society. We want peaceful future for our children and families.
A meeting on the theme "Global Week of Action Against Gun Violence" was held in the collective heart of the former kindergarten in Kutaisi. The attendees were given leaflets. There were hung posters and recorded radio interviews.
At the meeting participants expressed an opinion that such companies help to avoid severe consequences of the war.
- How much pain the abuse of weapons caused. It is because of gun violence we have had to leave our homes, - said an IDP woman from Abkhazia, Nasi Katsia.
Any sane person thinks about how to avoid wars and conflicts. We also join the international campaign - said the participants in the conclusion of the meeting.
Exchange meetings in Azerbaijan (7-8.06.11) and Armenia (15-16.06.11) were organized within the framework of the project "Contribution to IDP women’s integration in local society through their involvement monitoring of local self-government activities”. Participants of the meetings were women IDPs who did monitoring of the local self-government budgets in the spheres of social protection, health care and education taking into account gender aspect.
Women IDPs had meetings with representatives of Azerbaijani non-governmental organisation "Protection of Women’s Rights” (Baku) as well as with representatives of Sarai (Sumgait) and Yasamal (Baku) municipalities. In Yasamal municipality there are 3 women-chairpersons in 5 commissions.
In Armenia they had meetings with representatives of non-governmental organisation "Women for development” (Gyumri), municipalities of Shirak region (village Aregnadem) and Gyumri, and with the board of the Society for the protection of the rights of the family, women and children.
During the meetings participants were familiarized with the very effective programe on assisting of pregnant women. According to this programe consultations for pregnant women and childbirth are free of charge. Women who have given birth have annual maternity leave and receive finanicial aid during 2 years.
At the meetings it was stressed that the situation of women has improved, but still there are many unresolved issues related to gender, social protection, healthcare and education and there should be developed a special strategy to address those issues.
As part of the international campaign "Global Week of Action Against Gun Violence" meetings were held in 3 collective centers (Administrative building of the Tractor factory, cottages №1, Lyceum).
Participants of the meeting were handed out leaflets about the campaign.
Posters with the slogan "Women Against Gun Violence" were hung around in the centres.
At the meetings participants were informed that the campaign organized by the international IANSA network is held all over the world from June 13-19 and Fund "Sukhumi" joined the movement this year to express solidarity to the victims of gun violence.
IDPs living in collective centers, who have suffered the horrors of war, said that the civic duty of every person is to raise his/her voice against uncontrolled arms and gun violence.
The first network meeting was held in the office of Fund "Sukhumi” within the framework of the project "Durable solutions – A way forward for IDPs in Georgia”.
The meeting attended a Vice Governor of Imereti Nikoloz Kachkachishvili, Head of Regional Department of the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Accommodation and Refugees of Georgia David Aptsiauri, Head of the Government of the Abkhazian Autonomous Republic in Imereti region Zaza Chachava, a lawyer from the Legal consulting center Irma Kharchilava (project "Women for equality, peace and development").
The attendees discussed problems revealed during the two trainings on the theme of accommodation. They asked questions to the representatives of the government.
At the end of the meeting were summarized all the discussed issues. In conclusion, they said that problems can be solved through mutual cooperation.
In May in collective centres of Kutaisi, where live IDPs from Abkhazia, were held 8 group meetings with psychologist. The theme of the meetings was "Civil marriage - the union of the loved ones or the game into adulthood".
As a result of the meetings with psychologist most of the women-participants aged 19 to 63 have come to the opinion:
"Family should make us happy. We need to look for the "bright” and "joyful” then the close person will be a support".
"Family is a free union between two people, and family duties must be performed with desire, interest, and love".
The project is implemented with the support of the organization EED Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst.
The Club of Women-Voters in Batumi was joined by the students of Batumi branch of Tbilisi European University.
Representatives of Ajara region, women of different generations and professions discussed current problems (social, health problems) and the ways of solution.
A participant of one of the study meetings Irma Kakhidze has shared her experiences with the attendees:
- Fund "Sukhumi" gave us another beautiful day. We visited the museum of the great Georgian son of the fatherland Ekvtime Takaishvili. I think such meetings are fruitful and should be held more frequently.
For the members of the Club was held a workshop on the topic – "Leader and his/her team”. Participants were familiarized with the types of leaders, discussed the importance of teamwork.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization NED – National Endowment for Democracy, USA.
Debates on the theme "Early marriage – social responsibility or the step forward” were conducted in Tskhaltubo. The theme was selected as a result of the issues discussed at the meetings held there.
In the meeting participated teachers, senior pupils, representatives of medical sphere and law enforcement bodies. At the beginning of the meeting a facilitator and invited experts provided the attendees with the information about the aforementioned topic. The participants immediately joined the debates and there were held very interesting discussions.
It was noted that the state attaches special importance to this issue and determines the age of marriage.
According to them early marriage is undesirable for the State as well as for the under age as this is an imprudent step from their side, which is fraught with disastrous results.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization EED Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst.
Creation
of the training model on the topic "Peaceful future with women’s eyes” through
the methodic of creative games was the main purpose of the meeting organized in
Istanbul on April 26-30. Participants of the meeting were four representatives
from each of the two organizations (Fund "Sukhumi” and Association of women of
Abkhazia), which have been working on the problem "Conflict – solution,
prevention and role of women’s participation” in peacemaking process.
For
the short period of time women managed to elaborate training materials which
will be used for the conduction of trainings in Kutaisi and Sukhum.
-Brief
description of the four day training "Peaceful future with women’s eyes”;
-Program
of creative training "Peaceful future
with women’s eyes”;
In April meetings of women with a gynecologist were held in Women’s support centres in Kutaisi, Tskhaltubo, Khoni, Poti, Khurcha and Senaki.
At the meetings were discussed such women’s illnesses as malignant tumors of the breast, cervix, fibroids, uterine fibroids, and more.
At each meeting, our specialists remind women that they should constantly undergo gynecological examination, as according to statistics the number of women with cancer is increasing every year.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization EED Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst.
- Why it is difficult for parents to communicate with
children, especially boys? Why do parents think that in the awkward age their
children behave differently, speak in another tone, and often their
communication is ending in conflict? How to build relationships with children?
These issues were discussed by women IDPs at the meetings with a psychologist
in the various collective centers of Kutaisi.
The
psychologist advised them the following:
Imagine
that you are just at that age as your child. Do not force your child to speak
and think as you do. So you will not accomplish anything. Try to be close to
them and look at each of their activities from the positive side. Be sure you
will understand each other better and trust each other. In April, the
psychologist of Fund "Sukhumi" held 8 group and 5 individual
meetings, which were attended by 120 women.
Resolution 1820 - what this document means, how far young people know about its existence and what they think about women's rights - these issues were discussed by the young ladies, who gathered together at the meeting held in Kutaisi, Khoni, Senaki, and Tskhaltubo. Young people think that they should begin to defend their rights specifically with these documents. When woman knows that there are similar instruments at national as well as international level, she feels herself secured.
Knowledge of these documents will help young women avoid being a victim of violence and promote formation of non-violent society.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization EED Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst.
Meeting on reproductive health are of particular importance, since women are not well informed on such topic. At the meetings held in Women's Support Center in Kutaisi, Tskhaltubo, Khoni, Senaki, Poti and in the village of Khurcha a gynecologist constantly reminds and explains to women that once a year every woman should have an obligatory medical examination, which provides a timely opportunity to avoid various kinds of infectious diseases.
At the meetings were also discussed women's diseases such as: malignant tumors of the breast and cervix, fibroids, uterine fibroids, and more.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization EED Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst.
