On July 18 the group of fund “Sukhumi” representatives left for Senaki municipality, with the aim of conducting inner evaluation and monitoring of the project.
From the beginning of the project 11 months passed – this is a short period, but enough for analyzing, how is the project important, relevant and effective in the region, how were the goals reached. In order to have answers to these questions, the group of monitoring conducted 2 focus-groups with the GAC members and society leaders and 3 in-depth interviews with journalist – member of Sakrebulo and representative of the NGO.
Respondents mentioned that from the moment of GAC creation, a short time has passed only 7 months and it is difficult to speak about any kind of big achievements or results, at the same time, it was mentioned that the council reached the goals in envisaged period of time and now it is time of concrete actions, which will make the GAC work more visible and fruitful.
Informational meeting in Senaki esthetic center was conducted, where the assistant and the lawyer of the fund “Sukhumi” met the staff of the center and some residents of the city. The problems of healthcare, economics, unemployment and many others were revealed while conversation with them. Participants received legal consultations regarding interesting and problematic issues for them.
The monitoring for approving effectiveness, fruitfulness and relevancy of the project – “Gender Advisory Councils – rising of women’s role for social changes in the region” was carried out on July 17. Also 2 focus groups with the members of GAC and society, 3 in-depth interviews with representatives of local self-government, media and local NGO sector.
It was shown that the aims of the council are real – achieving of gender equality, formatting of gender sensitive budget and conducting of gender policy on local level.
Ordinary informational meeting was held with the Sakrebulo staff of Ozurgeti municipality.
The leader of the meeting familiarized the participants with the fund activities and project goals and got interested in what kind of questions do the citizens address them and whether there are representatives of ethnical minorities among them. By the words of department chairperson – Nino Makharadze, the citizens address them mainly for solution of the problems in sphere of healthcare and infrastructure. There are Georgians as well as Armenian and Russian citizens. All statements are discussed by relevant commissions and then the citizens are allocated relevant assistance.
Three more meetings were held with the youth this month.
On July 9, 13 young people attended the meeting in Poti WSC. The issue caused active discussion. The participants found “reasons” of the violence – social problems, unemployment, unstable political situation.
On July 11, in the meeting of Khoni WSC the boys also were actively involved in the discussion together with the girls. They were open and spoke about their mistakes loudly, each of them thought he was right.
Lasha Kopaliani mentioned: “such meetings, educational activities change us. The example of it is Khoni and its youth”.
On July 15, the meeting in the WSC of Senaki was attended by 14 girls. There was an interesting inter-active, conversation about problems and changes.
“We study correct communication and conflict management on similar meetings. Exactly informing and education is a great power against violence” – was mentioned on the meeting.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt – Evangelischer Entwicklunsdienst (Germany)
On July 15 the 8-th meeting of Kutaisi GAC was held, there were discussed changes in the package of suggestions and recommendations received as a result of the local gender needs research.
The council members discussed each questions. They decided to individually work on recommendations and discuss all issues together with them after adding 5 members of newly elected Sakrebulo to the GAC.
The staff of the fund “Sukhumi” met the beneficiaries of the charity fund “Caritas Georgia” and got interested with their problems.
There are about 300 beneficiaries in the fund (65 – 85 ages representatives of ethnical minorities). The fund is ruled by an Italian missioner Loredana Moneti.
- We provide the elderly with medical, social, legal psychological assistance – mentioned the main specialist of the fund, social worker – Nana Mizandari.
- The meeting was attended by 17 people from socially unprotected families, who receive different assistances: medicines, products, clothes and many others, but despite this they have lots of problems.
The lawyer of the fund “Sukhumi” – Ia Kvaratskhelia spoke with them about the evaluation rules of socially unprotected families’ socio-economical condition, also about data setting, filling in the family declaration and so on…Two individual consultations were made about lease agreement and public information.
02.07.14 – Kutaisi, meeting in auto-factory settlement was held by the initiative of girls, so they actively started activities. One of the participants mentioned: “Speaking about violence problems and mechanisms of protection changes attitude towards law protecting structures. Elder generation is against public discussion of their problems, of making appeal against rapist, but my generation looks at the problem from the other side”.
04.07.14 – Tskaltubo. Meeting was held in the WSC of Tskaltubo. There was an interesting discussion, the participants remembered examples from their life. It was said that violence among the youth is caused by many factors: unemployment, social problems, stressed political situation, indifference.
07.07.14 – Zugdidi, meeting in the university of Meskhia was active and interesting. The youth said that it is actual to speak with the youth regarding the problem of violence, protective mechanisms, importance of right communication and meaning of conflict.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt – Evangelischer Entwicklunsdienst (Germany)
Members of different departments of the Ministry of Internal affairs and the representatives of emergent operative management center 112 met those NGOs, who work on women’s rights.
Among the meeting participants were the representatives of the Fund “Sukhumi”
The sides spoke about current and implemented projects. Representatives the Ministry of Internal Affairs delivered information to the representatives of the NGOs regarding trainings for the law enforcement structures and familiarized with the changes in containment protocol.
At the end of the meeting it was again mentioned that fighting against domestic violence is still the main direction of the Ministry, for effective implementation of which adequate support of the civil sector and involvement is essential.
At the beginning of the meeting local self-government elections were summarized, they said that election results are not so acceptable by the gender side. By the preliminary results, there are only two women in Sakrebulo from the coalition “Georgian Dream”. There was announces pleasant information too: active member of the council – Ramaz Surmanidze was chosen as a member of Sakrebulo.
They received information about duration of budget gender analysis, the priorities were defined again, which will give us possibility of local budget gender analysis. There were discussed two issues presented by advocacy group.
The council was attended by the representative of local construction business, who began new private business initiative – practice of paid practice for the youth, it underlined the fact that support of the youth must priority for all society and not only prerogative of the state structures.
Special show was devoted to this issue in TV “Channel 25”.
The project is implemented with the support of the U.S. Department of State
The seventh meeting of Kutaisi GAC was conducted. The council member, representative of “Fair Elections” Teona Gogishvili presented information about election results round Kutaisi. As she mentioned, final results are not counted yet, accordingly the results which are announce are not correct.
“In local self-government elections in Kutaisi 29% of voters participated, while the number of voter during previous elections was 36%. Alike presidential elections, there were less abrogation and numerous invalid ballot papers” – said Mrs. Gogishvili.
The meeting discussed a package of suggestions and recommendations elaborated as a result of local gender needs’ research. The members discussed each issues and made changes according self-government functions and possibilities.
Ozurgeti journalists are famous by their social activity, but it is more obvious in pre-election campaign, all media sources ("Alioni", "Guriis moambe", "Guria-news", TV "Guria") tried to present women candidates and support them.
That’s why the journalists were praised by the fund “Sukhumi”. Meeting in Ozurgeti was carried out on the backgroumd of this feeling.
Their mission was not finished by it – there is much work to do: seeing deputat’s activities by the gender side and more informational support from the side of those journalists, who actively cooperate with Ozurgeti GAC.
Ordinary meeting of the GAC was devoted to summarize results of local self-government elections. These elections are different because Ozurgeti was divided into two governmental units: Ozurgeti Sakrebulo and Sakrebulo of Ozurgeti municipality.
5 of 43 Sakrebulo members of Ozurgeti municipality are women (11,6%). In Sakrebulo of Ozurgeti gender equality is achieved: 7 women out of 15 members (46,7%).
The meeting also discussed recommendations, elaborated as a result of gender needs research, they were prepared for presenting to new composition of both Sakrebulo.
Mobillizers of Poti WSC shared information on network meeting regarding activities – planned in June. The stress was made regarding the ideas of new project and new activities, also for improving of IDP accommodation condition. The mobilizers attended work-shop on: “Interview with the violence victim”.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt – Evangelischer Entwicklunsdienst (Germany)
The 6-th meeting of Senaki GAC was carried out in renewed conference hall of Senaki Sakrebulo.
First two questions under day schedule of the meeting, regarding information about results of local elections, got interested the attendants.
Chairperson of the council, Natalya Khubua mentioned that as a result of Senaki Sakrebulo there were elected 30 deputats, 15 of them by proportional list and 15 – by majoritarian system. 6 among them are women, including 2 majoritarians, probably one more women will be added to this list.
GAC members were too surprised and glad by the information about the results of elections in Ozurgeti, as in comparison with 2010 elections, number of women in Sakrebulo was increased and now there are 7 women out of 15 members of city Sakrebulo of Ozurgeti and the gender equality is reached.
There was also discussion of the recommendations elaborated as a result of the researches of local gender needs of Senaki women. Members of the GAC decided to prepare final package of the recommendations, which will be presented for discussion to new Sakrebulo. They expressed a will that while planning budget for 2015, Sakrebulo will envisage their suggestions and recommendations, which will help to solve lots of gender problems, existing in the city.
Representative of the Fund “Sukhumi” conducted informational meeting in the publishing house “Kolkheti”. This is a free newspaper of Senaki Municipality, which is issued since 1923. The newspaper periodically airs the work of the fund “Sukhumi” in Senaki. At this time, in the publishing house, where only women work, the conversation was regarding the issue of elections of women candidates, election results and further support of already elected deputats.
Then the meeting was continued in the conference hall of Sakrebulo. TV “Egrisi” traditionally made a show about meeting of the GAC.
One more issue: pleasant news – we congratulate our journalist from Sukhumi Teona Janashia with the marriage! Teona worked in the newspaper “Main issue in Samegrelo” and actively cooperated with the fund “Sukhumi”. The first publication about Senaki GAC was written by her. We wish her happiness and all the best.
