The Human Rights Protection and Investigation Quality Monitoring Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia (MIA) held a meeting with the Task Force on Ending Violence against Women and Girls (Task Force on EVAWG). Representatives of the international, non-governmental organizations working on EVAWG and the Public Defender's Office of Georgia also participated in the workshop. They discussed the outcome of the activities carried out in combating domestic violence and/or violence against women in recent years, the existing challenges and ways forward. The meeting was held with the initiative of the MIA, in cooperation with UN Women, within the framework of the UN Joint Programme "For Gender Equality" supported by Sweden.

In her speech, Linda Chikhladze focused on the need for additional child care services for the economic empowerment of women, and on the importance of early implementation of programs to correct the behavior of perpetrators for the effective prevention of violence against women.

Manana Pipia is packing bags for Ukrainians with delight. This is her job in the Fund „Sukhumi“. She buys everything herself and puts a lot of necessary things in each bag: rice, buckwheat, oil, butter, eggs, sour cream, milk, sweets, sugar, coffee, tea, tomato, vegetables, chicken, shampoo, powders, soap, dishwashing liquid, napkins... When she finds out that there are children in the family, additional items appear in the bag: diapers, baby food, yogurt. She buys medicine for someone, someone needs glasses, someone needs slippers or a warm blanket ... Then these gifts "go" to Tkibuli, Senaki, Chkhorotsku, Lanchkhuti... Those who live in Kutaisi or in its vicinity come to our office and Manana herself gives them gifts. She also takes pictures of them. Nobody refuses. Look how beautiful they are. They have gone through a lot of pain, the end of their pain is not finished yet, but they are still smiling. - Someone comes to our office alone, someone with children. Couples and families come. They leave us very satisfied, says Manana Pipia. “Everything we provide them is enough for a couple of months. They are surprised, they say how much we do. This is not a single assistance, we distribute it to the same family several times. Ukrainians say that no one helps them like this and they are very grateful. I am also happy when I see their smiling faces...

5 people spent 10 November days in our rehabilitation center - three elderly women and two grandchildren of one of the grandmothers. Everyone tried to create family comfort in the center - delicious dinners were prepared for the guests. A social worker, a lawyer and a psychologist were actively involved in the process of women's rehabilitation and a teacher worked with the children. The work was carried out in direction of traumas, fears, resentment, stress and self-esteem.

The women shared their impressions:

- I have been to many places in my life, but I have never felt such a warm attitude anywhere, the advice of a psychologist is very important to me. Thank you so much for being so attentive and kind.

- Elderly people need warmth. There is a lot of warmth here - especially warm human attitude. Everyone helps, smiles, tries to please you. My soul is rejuvenated and renewed.

- For many years I suffered from psychological abuse from family members. And only now I realized that I need to love myself - that's how I was taught here and I will live by this principle.

The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot

 für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)

Brother and sister, doctors from Ukraine. They faced the horrors of war and miraculously survived. In September they arrived from Kharkov to Kutaisi. Their parents worked here as military doctors, they finished from school in Kutaisi, they have friends and acquaintances here.

They told psychologist Manana Gotsiridze that they still wake up from the voice of a siren, a harbinger of death.

“It is hard to imagine whether our city will return its former beauty. Almost all residential buildings were destroyed In Kharkov. There are a lot of stones, glass, iron everywhere... The inhabitants faced the second wave of psychosis when they realized that the war could go on for a long time. War is the fear that the enemy can rape, kill. This is a state of hopelessness. Even after it ends, it will affect the psychics of people for a long time.”

These are the words of our beneficiaries.

All feelings of Ukrainians are similar. Pain, anxiety... There is also some joys for the fact that some towns and villages are returning.

Our group, which supports Ukrainian refugees, worked actively in November, as in previous months. For the given moment we have 383 people in our database, in November we added 53 new people. This month, 42 families (95 people) were assisted, 3 families were given warm blankets, 4 families - heaters. One man was helped with paying for medical procedures (oncology) and special food was purchased.

Slippers and linen were also distributed. Assistance to pay for housing continues, this month 4 more families were added, one of which lives in Tbilisi. Since the couple is elderly, as an exception, the Fund took the responsibility to pay for their accommodation. Ukrainian refugees continue to receive free psychological assistance and support.

- In the City Hall of Kutaisi, issuing of personal travel cards was finished and now they are working on single assistance for children, from our we help them in communication, - says Sophia Tsirgvava, an assistant for working with Ukrainians. - The program of free education for Ukrainian children STEM, in English, continues to function. We picked up children of the appropriate age and sent them to the Kutaisi project coordinator. Work on other issues are also in progress.

The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot

 für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)

Statistics of meetings in November: Three offline psychological group consultative meetings in the Women Support Centers of Pakhulani (Tsalenjikha municipality), Senaki, Chokhatauri, Vani, online meetings in Tkibuli, Khurcha (Zugdidi municipality) - 47 participants. 23 individual psychotherapy sessions, 12 online out of them .

Psychotherapy session was held with 5 day center beneficiaries who are learning how to work with polymer clay. The group meeting in Senaki was special. There were also women who were in our Rehabilitation Center. They talked about their successes, that they got a job and improved their financial situation. One of them was a victim of violence, she was embarrassed to talk about her problem.

 But the fear of death (her husband threatened and chased her with a knife and she miraculously escaped) forced her to speak. Aggression also came from the eldest son, who was on the side of his father. She was humiliated, intimidated in the Rehabilitation Center. In Senaki - we saw her good-looking, self-confident, successful. The eldest son, who accused her of all sins, now hugs her every morning and asks to forgive him. She offered to create a self-assistance group, she will help others and share her successful experience.

On November 25, a march of the women's movement against sexual violence was held. Together with other solidarity groups, the Tbilisi representative office of the Women's Fund "Sukhumi" joined the march. The organizers and participants of the rally say that sexual acts with a woman without her consent are rape and violence. According to their own statement, this is recognized by international conventions and courts, but Georgian legislation does not recognize it.

Within the 16 days campaign against gender violence on November 25, the Anti-Violence Network of Georgia presented the program fathers violence behavior and correction, aiming to correct the behavior of fathers and support to become  as a supportive father. At the meeting, our representative - Linda Chikhladze, based on the findings of the monitoring report of the Women's Fund "Sukhumi" - “Importance of Behavior Change Programs of the Perpetrator at an Early Stage and Existing Best Practices", offered recommendations to the attendees about the importance of implementing the mentioned program at an early stage.

November 25 - Start of the 16-day campaign against gender-based violence.

The Women Fund “Sukhumi” held a traditional silent action in Kutaisi. Thus, it joined the global campaign against gender-based violence with the slogan: Let’s Unite! Activity to End Violence Against Women and Girls”.

The action was attended by the staff of the Fund, representatives of partner organizations, civil activists and youth. Forum theater performances were presented and information booklets were distributed.

Starting today, more than 100 events will be held in the cities and villages of Georgia in the framework of the campaign.

The action was actively covered by central and regional mass media.

The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot

 für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)

This is a best example of cooperation, the best practice!

The local self-government of Bagdati is a good partner of the Women Fund “Sukhumi”. The Women Support Center is actively working in Bagdati municipality, many interesting initiatives have been implemented.

One more interesting event has started. Women living in the village Dimi are given the opportunity to learn new professions.

Bagdati Gender Equality Council, with the support of the Fund “Sukhumi”, organized free educational courses in the village library. Within 10 weeks, some of the participants will learn how to make products from polymer clay, some will master the profession of a stylist, and some will take an Excel training course. The courses will help women and girls to improve their economic situation.

The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot

 für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)