The round table, which was held in Chokhatauri, was attended by the leaders of the municipality, members of the Gender Equality Council, representatives of the police, educational and medical institutions. They got acquainted with the document  “Monitoring of Services for the Victims - Support Services for Victims of Domestic Violence and Existing Challenges” prepared by the Fund “Sukhumi”.

It was noted that the situation in the municipality in terms of cooperation of local referral entities is not bad. There are also budget programs, which gives possibility to see the victim's problems, respond to them, and help the victim in employment in the long - term prospect.

Insufficient response from the side of the society itself to the facts of violence was mentioned as the biggest challenge, and a serious need for information and educational work was highlighted. It was said that the experience of the Fund "Sukhumi" in this regard will be very useful for the municipality.

The mobilizers of the Women Support Centers held information meetings in Senaki, Samtredia, Tsalenjikha, Chokhatauri and Tkibuli municipalities.

Women – meeting participants in different communities listened to information about victim assistance services, as well as about legal mechanisms, responsible for cases of violence. During the meetings, it is often necessary to record stories that require a response. Based on specific cases, a psychologist and a lawyer of the Fund "Sukhumi" are involved in the response process.

The Fund "Sukhumi" has 10 Women Support Centers in Terjola, Vani, Tkibuli, Bagdati, Chokhatauri, Samtredia, Kobuleti, Zugdidi, Senaki, Tsalenjikha municipalities. A two-day workshop was held for the updated staff of mobilizers. All discussed topics were necessary and relevant: selecting target groups, working with the audience, identifying problems, filling in a victim questionnaire and responding to it, conducting advocacy campaign, legal mechanisms for victim support, working with local governments, municipal programs and state services for violence prevention and victim assistance, informing, self-presentation, facilitation and moderation.

“The work of the mobilizer seemed difficult to me, but now I already know how to go step by step. The workshop showed me the sequence of the process”, mentioned one of the mobilizers at the end of the workshop.

The Fund "Sukhumi" started intensive work with Chokhatauri municipality for the first time. The first meeting - presentation of the project - was attended by representatives of local government and civil society activists. The conversation concerned the issues that are envisaged in the project: protecting women's rights, strengthening families, preventing domestic violence, supporting the victim, responding to gender problems.

Representatives of the municipality believe that three-year cooperation will contribute to the strengthening of local gender policy and will give positive results.

“Strengthening the Women’s Rights in Western Georgia” - Fund “Sukhumi” has started a new stage of this project… with changes, new directions.

The project area - four regions of Western Georgia: Imereti, Samegrelo, Guria and Ajara. The work will be carried out in the following 10 municipalities: Vani, Bagdati, Samtredia, Tkibuli, Terjola, Senaki, Tsalenjikha, Zugdidi, Chokhatauri, Kobuleti.

One of the innovations is that, for the first time, within the framework of the project, Women Support Centers are being created in Vani, Bagdati, Samtredia, Tkibuli and Chokhatauri.

The Fund "Sukhumi" has its own representatives who will work locally to strengthen women and protect their rights, they will try to advocate and solve problems through a gender-responsive system. The aim of the project is prevention of domestic violence in cooperation and coordination with local governments.

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