On December 11, the 12-th meeting of Kutaisi GAC was held.
The council members actively discussed Kutaisi gender policy and took a decision and the recommendations were submitted to the government for further discussion.
At the end of the year the meeting with Ozurgeti journalists was held in different format. They were invited on the meeting of the Club of Voter Women in order to more familiarize them with the work of the club, how it works, what traditions does it have, how is the problem solved…
The journalists spoke about actuality of gender policy and their involvement in solution of local social problems.
The representatives of TV “Guria” aired a meeting in the informational program “Facts”.
Ordinary meeting of Gender Advisory Council was held in Batumi with discussion action plan project of local gender policy and it will be submitted to the Sakrebulo and City Hall in the nearest future.
The meeting approved voluntary project of the council, which will be continuation of the campaign against gender violation. The council members will conduct informational meetings with representatives of local governmental structures, youth, active members of the community. Information leaflets will be spread, which will make available the basic information regarding the problem of violence. The round table and radio shows will be conducted. The youth forum-theatre of the fund will be actively involved in the council project, which will promote to initiate public discussions regarding the problem of violence.
The project is implemented with the support of the U.S. Department of State
On the ordinary meeting of Ozurgeti Gender Advisory Council, it was made an information regarding activities of council members in frames of 16 day campaign. (round table, work-shops with the youth)
The meeting summarized the projects implemented by the council and discussed new projects, wich will be submitted to Sakrebulo for financing.
The 11-th meeting of Senaki GAC was held today, which elaborated plan of city gender policy, submitted by the gender council during last months on the basis of gender equality national action plan. It should be mentioned that some tasks, which are in composition of GAC plan, is already envisaged in Senaki 2015 budget.
According the day schedule the council members presented short reports regarding gender monitoring of 2014 budget, which they implemented in October. By the words of council members, during the monitoring they had opportunity to the budgets of 2012 and 2013 and elaborate recommendation envisaging gender aspects for 2015 budget. The head of the council – Nana Alania, familiarized the audience with the final version of the council project, directed to inform the teachers and the parents of Senaki kindergartens in the issues of gender, violence and eco – sanitary.
The project is already discussed and accepted on the meeting of Sakrebulo. It means that Senaki Sakrebulo is ready to co-finance the project together with the fund “Sukhumi”.
On December 4, in the public college “Iberia” of Kutaisi, the lawyer of the fund “Sukhumi” conducted informational meeting, which was devoted to the 16-day campaign.
There was a discussion on the meeting, the students fixed their opinions regarding prevention of violence.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt – Evangelischer Entwicklunsdienst (Germany)
Youth is actively involved in the campaign of 16 active days against violence towards the women. They express protest.
In Senaki the pupils and leader of ecological club (Ketino Koghua) joined the campaign on their own initiative.
On November 27 and 28 in public schools No1 and No2 of Senaki, informational meetings were held facilitating by Teo Soselia and Lika Gabunia.
On November 27 and 28, informational meetings were held in Kutaisi, in public school No 6 of Abkhazian Autonomous Republic after Zhiuli Shartava. The meetings were actively participated by the members of civil club (leader – Lela Apshilava).
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt – Evangelischer Entwicklunsdienst (Germany)
6 meetings were held in November with compactly resided IDPs. The main issue of the lawyer was “Georgian law on prevention of domestic violence, victim protection and assistance” and changes in it.
The main issue of the meetings was informing society regarding a fact that victim of domestic violence is protected and the rapist is punished by the law. According changes in the law, the rapist is punished with the term of one year.
The meetings were attended by 59 citizens. Individual consultations were made.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt – Evangelischer Entwicklunsdienst (Germany)
On November 28, a memorandum was signed between the fund “Sukhumi” and bureau of legal assistance service of Kutaisi – Imereti. The aim of the memorandum is collaboration for ensuring development of democratic principles in civil society, achieving gender justice and involvement of women in decision-making process.
The organizations plan to conduct different informational campaigns for raising public awareness.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt – Evangelischer Entwicklunsdienst (Germany)
The Ministry of Internal Affairs, together with other structures, with the support of USA Embassy, begins a social campaign of fighting against domestic violence with the slogan: - “No to Violence”. With the help of different activities, the society will be informed about a fact that the victim of domestic violence and is protected and the rapist is punished by the law.
Presentation of the campaign in the Ministry was attended by the Minister – Aleksandre Tchikaidze, chairpersons of the other Ministries, members of Parliament, representatives of US Embassy, international and non-governmental organizations. The clip claiming that “violence is punished” will be aired during 3 weeks aiming at informing the population about existing a hot-line “112” in case of hearing facts of violation; also they must address the police. The rapist must be informed that domestic violence is punished by 1 year of prison.
The lawyer of the fund “Sukhumi” attended the meeting.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt – Evangelischer Entwicklunsdienst (Germany)
In frames of the informational campaign the lawyer of the Ozurgeti Gender Advisory Council started to work on the problems of the residents of 7 Chanchibadze Street. The problem of water supply was raised long ago, but is still without reaction from the side of relevant structures. The lawyer helped to write a statement, which was signed by the population and submitted to the City Hall of Ozurgeti.
33 women participated in the group psychological meeting in the WSCs of Senaki, Kutaisi and Khurcha.
The psychologist of the fund “Sukhumi” spoke about actual issue: “why are we so stressed, where does aggression in family and society come from”.
The work was conducted by the test: “what is the weather like in your family”. 5 women, who got “bad” marks, were given individual consultation after the meeting. This is the first step to the changes in their family relations.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt – Evangelischer Entwicklunsdienst (Germany)
On December 21, during mobilizers’ network meeting, the issues of preparation to 16 active days of fighting against violence and conducting joint actions in Georgia were discussed.
During the network meeting, the sociologist Tata Kalandadze conducted consultations for the mobilizers regarding the research in frames of the project.
The mobilizers spoke about the work, conducted in the centers during last month. At the end of the meeting they were given the attributes of the campaign.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt – Evangelischer Entwicklunsdienst (Germany)
The fund “Sukhumi” organized a meeting in the Parliament of Georgia, where the members of the representatives of Parliament Gender Equality Council met the members of Kutaisi, Ozurgeti, Senaki, Batumi Gender Advisory Councils. They talked about achievements and existing challenges. Both sides were actively involved in the discussion. Exchange of information and experience was held.
The meeting was summarized by the Chairpersons of Parliament Council and the Fund “Sukhumi”. Its importance by the side of gender equality local perspective was underlined. The chairpersons of the fund emphasized the issues, for solution of which it is important to have collaboration with the Parliament Council and elaboration of joint strategy.
The head of Parliament Gender Equality Council, vice-speaker of the Parliament – Manana Kobakhidze told that such meeting was the first precedent in Parliament and this fact is essential “I am glad to meet the people, who are close to the needs of the citizens. First of all we need a government for making people’s life better and allocate the budget correctly for this. It is very important to collaborate with you, as you can discuss existing problems and address the people, who can solve them”.
It was decided that the following meetings will be more thematic, and it will be the beginning of deep discussion of the issues and making concrete decisions.
The campaign of 16 active days against violence towards the women and joint actions of the fund “Sukhumi” and self-government to this direction; discussion of budget programs and projects prepared by Batumi Gender Advisory Council; preparation work for elaboration of local gender policy. Working group of the fund “Sukhumi” and Batumi GAC, together with gender advisors of the City Hall and Sakrebulo met the representatives of relevant services..
The aim of the meetings – perspectives of closer cooperation with the council and planning of concrete activities in frames of the campaign.
The project is implemented with the support of the U.S. Department of State
Ordinary meeting of the fund “Sukhumi” was held in the office of the organization: “Unity for the Support”.
The problems of the IDPs were discussed. It was said that most of them is employed only seasonally. Unemployment is the main problem.
The issue of domestic violence was also discussed. The participants expressed a will to participate in the action, organized by the fund “Sukhumi”, on November 25.
The project is implemented with the support of the U.S. Department of State
On November 10, representatives of the fund “Sukhumi” and the members of Gender Advisory Councils of Kutaisi, Senaki, Ozurgeti and Batumi took part in conference: “Establishment of gender equality institutional mechanisms in local self-government”.
The event was organized by Women Informational Center with support of OXFAM, UN Women and the fund “Sukhumi”.
Public discussion of recommendations, among them the package of legislative changes, prepared by the NGOs was held while the meeting.
Representatives of gender advisory councils familiarized the attendants with their work, told about achievements and challenges.
While discussion they announced recommendations regarding legislative changes, based on practical work of the GACs.
The meeting was attended by the representatives of legislative and executive bodies, local self-government, international and non-governmental organizations.
