UN Women hosted a two-day workshop on “Monitoring Human Security – a Gender Sensitive Monitoring Tool”.
The workshop is designed for the representatives of the Public Defender’s Office of Georgia (PDO) and the representatives of civil society organizations. The seminar is facilitated by an international expert Zara Jarvinen, who is the author of the tailor-made methodological tool - “Manual on Gender Sensitive Monitoring on Human Security” designed specifically for the use of the PDO and CSOs. This workshop aims to build the capacity of the representatives of the PDO and the CSOs to assess, monitor, analyze and report on human security of the conflict-affected and internally displaced population from a gender perspective, including through a joint and cooperative manner.
Ekaterine Gamakharia, head of the Women Fund "Sukhumi" Tbilisi representative office, participated in the seminar.
The Women's Fund 'Sukhumi' organized practical training for representatives of women's civil society organizations in Western Georgia. The training, led by Ekaterine Gamakharia, Head of the Tbilisi office of the Women's Fund 'Sukhumi,' focused on the theme 'Prevention and Response to Gender-Based Violence in War and Post-War Settings.
During the training, participants acquired knowledge about common forms of gender-based violence in times of war and conflict. The session also involved discussions on the direct and indirect impacts of armed or violent conflicts on women, girls, and other vulnerable groups. Throughout the training, participants actively shared their personal experiences during the post-war period and engaged in discussions about strategies crucial for the effective protection of women from violence.
The training was organized by the WAVE network, including the 'Crisis Center for Victims of Sexual Violence' in Yerevan, Armenia; the Women's Fund “Sukhumi” in Kutaisi and Tbilisi, Georgia; and the 'United Women's Foundation Banja Luka' in Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina. They utilized a training module based on the 2022 toolkit “Preventing and responding to gender-based violence in war and post-war settings: experiences and recommendations of women's NGOs.”
The guide is available at the following link: https://wave-network.org/toolkit-prevention-response-gbv-war/?fbclid=IwAR03LQ8QeKi3hM6de-O3nugIL8RdShWbYQ76tAA48o2YRefI4PY65ZVwwxg
The State Minister for Reconciliation and Civil Equality of Georgia, Thea Akhvlediani, conducted a meeting with members of the "Consultative Council of Experts Working on Reconciliation and Engagement Policy Issues" and the "Consultative Platform on Strengthening the Effective Participation of Women in the Peacebuilding Process," established through the agency's initiative. Ekaterine Gamakharia, the head of the Tbilisi office of the Women's Fund "Sukhumi," participated in the meeting.
Members of the Council and the platform shared their perspectives on taking essential steps to enhance the effectiveness of peace policy. The representative of the Fund "Sukhumi" underscored the importance of organizing thematic meetings within the platform and advocated for an increase in their frequency. This approach would provide participants with the opportunity to discuss issues in a more thorough and timely manner. The representative also highlighted the necessity of involving various sectoral agencies in these thematic meetings to improve the quality and timeliness of responses to concerns raised by the civil sector regarding peace initiatives and the interests and needs of people affected by the conflict.
The UN Open Day on Women, Peace, and Security was held, serving as a platform for dialogue between representatives of UN agencies and civil society, displaced and conflict-affected women and youth. The event aimed to exchange information about the needs and challenges on the ground.
In the mentioned meeting, the Women's Fund "Sukhumi" was represented by leaders of displaced and conflict-affected women, with whom the organization has been workind for years. Our goal is to actively involve women in the empowerment process and address existing problems.
Online practical training was provided for moderators of Women's support groups affiliated with the Women's Fund "Sukhumi." The session focused on the crucial topic of the preventing and responding to GBV during the war and in post-war settings. Ekaterine Gamakharia, the head of the Tbilisi office of Women's Fund Sukhumi, led the training session.
During the training, participants gained insights into typical forms of gender-based violence during war and conflict. They engaged in discussions regarding the direct and indirect impacts of armed/violent conflicts on women, girls, and other vulnerable groups.
In Chisinau, Moldova, Ekaterine Gamakharia, Head of the Women Fund "Sukhumi" representative office in Tbilisi, was honored to lead the Fireside event at a workshop with the inspiring Women's Advisory Board (WAB) for the Moldova Peace Talks, organized by the Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA) and UN Women. The workshop aimed at empowering WAB members with enhanced advocacy and negotiation skills, specifically addressing the Transnistrian Settlement Process. During the Fireside event, Ekaterine shared experiences of women activists' involvement in Georgia's peace processes, providing a detailed overview of the dynamic of cooperation between peace talks delegates and women's organizations. The session was open, interactive, and filled with enriching discussions.
"I believe in the power of shared experiences and knowledge exchange. Moldovan and Georgian women peace activists can learn from each other, reinforcing our collective commitment to building a more peaceful and inclusive world," said Ekaterine, reflecting on her visit.
An information-sharing meeting was held with participants from the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) and civil society representatives. Ekaterine Gamakharia, the head of the Tbilisi office of the Women's Fund "Sukhumi," along with women community leaders residing in the conflict's dividing line, participated in the meeting.
During the discussion, representatives of non-governmental organizations focusing on women's issues, along with conflict-affected women, including those residing in villages near the dividing line and displaced women, delved into a comprehensive analysis of the current situation in regions not controlled by Georgia. The conversation also covered villages located near the conflict's dividing line, humanitarian challenges faced by the local population, and the specific needs of conflict-affected women. The women emphasized the heightened sense of physical danger prevalent among the population near the dividing line, particularly following the incident where a Georgian citizen was killed by Russian border guards. Additionally, there was recognition of a concerning trend in the deterioration of mental and psychological health within the community. The discussion also brought attention to the poor socio-economic conditions and the lack of access to basic needs and services in the affected areas.
Ekaterine Gamakharia, the head of Women Fund “Sukhumi” Tbilisi Office was privileged to represent Women Fund Sukhumi and civil society organizations as a panelist at a remarkable side event organized by Canada, Chair of the Forum for Security Co-operation, and Ireland, Chair of the Human Dimension Committee. The event was dedicated to the crucial topic of „It's about people': Mental health impacts of war on civilians and military personnel.“
Among panelists were Mr. Oleksandr Klen, Clinical Psychologist at the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Dr. Julijana Stojanova, Deputy Head of the Human Resources Department, Ministry of Defence of the Republic of North Macedonia, Mr. Andrew Gardner, Deputy Head of Human Rights Departments, ODIHR, and Major-General March Bilodeau, Surgeon General in the Canadian Armed Forces.
Ekaterine Gamakharia, the head of the Tbilisi representative office of "Women's Fund Sukhumi," participated in the 25th international conference organized by the WAVE network in Madrid. The conference focused on the topic of "Institutional violence and its impact on women's rights in Europe." Approximately 200 women's rights defenders from various European countries discussed institutional violence against women, female migrants, and disabled individuals who have experienced abuse at the hands of state structures.
During the conference, Ekaterine Gamakharia took part in a parallel panel discussion with representatives from the OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe) and non-governmental organizations that are partners of the WAVE network. These organizations, including the Center "Women's Perspectives" in Lviv, Ukraine; the Sexual Assault Crisis Center in Yerevan, Armenia; and the "United Women of Banja Luka" Foundation in Bosnia & Herzegovina, provided insights into the project. Gamakharia had the opportunity to share information about the toolkit titled "Prevention and response to gender-based violence in the war and post-war period: Experience and recommendations of women's non-governmental organizations." The toolkit describes the experiences and best practices of women's organizations in Ukraine, Armenia, Georgia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina in preventing and responding to violence against conflict-affected women in war, protracted conflict, and post-conflict settings. The toolkit can be accessed here
The event, titled "Extended Advocacy Meeting to Address the Urgent Needs of IDPs and Conflict-affected Women and Youth," was held at Tbilisi Rooms Hotel. It was organized by UN Women Georgia and civil society partner organizations, including the Association of Internally Displaced Women "Consent," Women's Information Center, and Women's Fund "Sukhumi."
Representatives from national and local government, as well as the Public Defender, took part in the event. This included attendees from the National Association of Local Self-Governments of Georgia, local authorities from target municipalities. Additionally, international organizations, donor organizations operating in Georgia, international non-governmental organizations focusing on the agenda of women, peace, and security, the private sector - companies that have endorsed the principles of women's empowerment, local women's organizations, and community leaders among internally displaced and conflict-affected women, were present at the meeting.
The meeting centered around the key activities outlined in the National Action Plan and the well-being of internally displaced and conflict-affected women and youth residing along the dividing line and in IDP settlements.