Women Support Centers (530)
Women Support Center these are the branches of the Fund “Sukhumi” in Kutaisi, Tskaltubo, Khoni, Terjola, Senaki, Poti, Khurcha / Koki (Zugdidi Municipality), Lanchkhuti, Ozurgeti, created since 2009. The centers are designed to strengthen women, provide social, psychological, legal assistance to women - victims of violence and to crisis families in a difficult life situation. They promote to the protection of women's rights and ensure their socio-psychological rehabilitation.
Despite the current situation, the Women Support Centers of the Fund “Sukhumi” continue to work actively. The resource of the organization’s specialists is involved In online meetings: psychologist, lawyer, conflict expert.
The beneficiaries highlight the importance of such meetings. For people who are isolated, online consultations are very important, which, if necessary, they receive permanently.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklunsdienst (Germany)
The work of the lawyer was remotely continued in April. Online meetings were held with the beneficiaries of Khoni, Senaki, Ozurgeti and Lia (Tsalenjikha municipality).
Representatives of various professions as well as housewives participated in the meetings. Questions to the lawyer were also different (pandemic situation, government regulations, problems of domestic violence during quarantine, etc.), and everyone received competent advice. Participants of the meetings noted that legal advice is a very important support during this difficult time.
Psychologist of the Fund "Sukhumi" Manana Gotsiridze with the help of a messenger talked with beneficiaries in Khurcha (Zugdidi municipality), Senaki and Tskaltubo. In addition, there were individual dialogues. There were also calls from the former clients, who are now abroad.
Despite the distance, all meetings were emotional - women shared their problems, feelings and received advice on how to establish interpersonal relationships during quarantine, how to avoid conflicts, and keep calm.
The psychologist’s advice on these topics was published on the Facebook page of the Fund “Sukhumi". Women expressed gratitude for the attention. This helps them in this difficult time.
During the period of self-isolation, domestic conflicts are very frequent - this is evidenced by statistics published by the country's Ministry of Internal Affairs. Against this background, the Fund "Sukhumi" actively continues online meetings with couples on the topic of conflict management. A video appeal of conflict expert on “Self-isolation and conflict management” was prepared. Based on feedback, such meetings will continue in this mode and in the coming months.
In March, group and individual meetings of the lawyer were held. On March 4, there was a meeting with a violence victim in the office of the Fund “Sukhumi”. On March 9, a group legal consultation was held in the village Tskaltubo (Tskaltubo municipality). The lawyer also met with the beneficiaries of the Fund “Sukhumi” Day Center - a cutting and sewing course. Then on-line meetings began - the lawyer gave online consultations and advice to the beneficiaries in Senaki, Khoni and Ozurgeti.
The questions were different, including the current situation, but the conversation mainly concerned the law on domestic violence, mechanisms for awarding victim status and protecting the victim from violence.
During the month, there were many phone calls, as well as messenger and skype calls to the psychologist of the Fund “Sukhumi”. Here is the number of beneficiaries from different locations: Kutaisi 15 beneficiaries, Khurcha (Zugdidi municipality) - 5 beneficiaries, Poti-3, Khoni - 3, Tskaltubo - 6, Senaki –7. Former client also called from Italy, Dubai, Germany, Turkey, Ukraine.
Totally there were 54 calls. All expressed anxiety, confusion, fear, hysteria, and asked for help to understand existing extraordinary situation. The psychologist gave everyone concrete advice. For communication with clients, she actively used the Facebook page of the Fund “Sukhumi” - publications were made about depression, panic and practical advices were given. All this contributed to improving the psychological mood of our beneficiaries.
Despite the situation in the country, active work was carried out by mobilizers of 10 Women's Support Centers of the Fund “Sukhumi” in March. They were able to mobilize beneficiaries, and conducted an online campaign against femicide. This year, femicide became our daily routine: 8 women were killed in 2 months. Everyone is looking for the guilt in others. Femicide has become a social problem and it is time for each of us to feel responsibility. Women, men, and especially young people were involved in the campaign.
Informational meetings are the main activities in the project of Tskaltubo Women Support Center “Medical Staff Against Violence”. In February, meetings were held with the head of the Public Health Center in Tskaltubo and with the personnel of the IDP clinic. The lawyer and psychologist of the Fund “Sukhumi” talked with medical staff about the importance of their inclusion in the process of identification of domestic violence and local coordination in order to prevent violence against women.
In frames of the small project of Kutaisi Women Support Center “Non-violent Future Generation”, trainings were held in public schools No. 5 and No. 17. Youth groups were provided with information on identifying and early prevention of conflicts. They showed an interest in working with peers in this direction, and learning how to manage conflict situations.
Information meetings were also held with parents of target schools. They received information about the programs of the local municipality.
In frames of the small project of Pakhulani Women Support Center “For a Healthy Future Generation”, the activities were carried out in Tsalenjikha municipality.
A training was held with the pupils of the school in the village of Lia. Conflict, violence, gender stereotypes, inequality, bullying, prevention - many familiar and unfamiliar words were heard at the training and most import issues were: how to resolve the problems that have arisen in our everyday life.
The second activity took place in the village Pakhulani - a meeting with teachers and students in school with the participation of a conflict expert, lawyer and psychologist. The aim of the meeting is giving information about violence and conflict management