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“Access of women/victims of domestic violence to support services at the local level” - the topic of an round table

“Access of women/victims of domestic violence to support services at the local level” - the topic of an online round table discussion organized by Women Fund “Sukhumi” on February 15 with the support of the Equality Fund, Canada.

The meeting was attended by local government representatives from the municipalities of of Senaki, Samtredia, Terjola, Kobuleti, Ozurgeti, Baghdati, Vani, Tskhaltubo, Tkibuli, Zugdidi, Khoni, and Chokhatauri, representatives of social services and children's rights protection departments, journalists from media organizations of Terjola, Kutaisi , Ozurgeti, Poti and Tkibuli, representatives of non-governmental organizations working on the topic, as well as mobilizers of the Women's Support Centers of the Fund “Sukhumi”.

During the first part of the event, representatives of Fund “Sukhumi” spoke about the project, and about the innovative and very necessary website - Digital Resource Center for Victims of Violence (http://gbvdigitalresourcecenter.ge/) created within the framework of the project, its promotion in municipalities, challenges and problems.

In the second part of the round table, the mobilizers of the regional Women's Support Centers of Fund “Sukhumi” told about the services provided to women/victims of domestic violence at the local level, problems and challenges that women face in terms of access to services.

In the third part, representatives of Zugdidi and Ozurgeti municipalities shared best practices and challenges in terms of support services provision (housing, economic support programs, etc.) for women in their respective municipalities.

The event contributed to identification of recommendations for the implementation of improved, more sustainable and long-term programs and services for women-victims.

The round table discussion was finalized with a high assessment of the website:

“Your website is a dream that has come true, a perfect electronic handbook for everyone who works on women's issues,” Rusudan Pachkoria, a lawyer of Association “Merkuri”.