Training for teachers in Kutaisi

Gender, gender-based violence, identification of violence, communication with a child and referral stages, legal mechanisms and the role of teachers in the prevention of violence, international documents - these issues were discussed at the training for teachers held in Kutaisi. The participants represented 5 municipalities: Senaki, Tsalenjikha, Terjola, Samtredia, Kobuleti.

At the meeting, the participants were also informed about the practical guide/toolkit: "Preventing and responding to gender-based violence in war and post-war settings - experiences and recommendations of women's NGOs", which was developed by the WAVE Network in collaboration with its four WAVE members in 2022 by the support of the OSCE. The Toolkit describes best practices and the strategies employed by the women's NGOs to prevent and respond to gender-based violence in different phases of conflict.

• Strategies during Wartime and emergency response settings were shared by Ukrainian and Armenian partners Sexual Assault Crisis Center (Yerevan, Armenia), Centre “Women’s Perspectives” (Lviv, Ukraine);
• Strategies during Protracted conflict were described by the Women's Foundation "Sukhumi" (Kutaisi, Tbilisi, Georgia);
• Strategies during Post-war and long-term perspective were based on the experience of the Bosnia-Herzegovina partner. Foundation United Women Banja Luka (Banja Luka, Bosnia & Herzegovina)

(A practical guide is available here https://www.osce.org/secretariat/530695)

Participants were actively involved in the training process, in discussions, sharing their experience with each other. According to them, the training will contribute to the destruction of gender stereotypes and the prevention of violence - the mechanisms of early identification and intervention.

It was noted that after the training they will introduce gender approaches in schools and will actively participate in the process of identifying cases of violence.

The project is implemented with the support the Equality Fund (Canada)