One difficult year has passed since the beginning of the war in Ukraine. The Women Fund “Sukhumi” once again expresses solidarity with Ukrainian women and their families!
During a year, we helped and continue to help Ukraine, refugees from this country:
In first days of war we collected 10000 GEL and sent parcels.
On March 8, we held an action of solidarity in Kutaisi and other municipalities.
We prepared video clips.
We have helped the women from the occupied city of Melitopol. We sent them 55800 UAH (hryvnia) and there, women volunteers bought food and medicines for the citizens.
In April, when the first refugees from Ukraine appeared in Georgia, we have created a support group and started helping them.
We have distributed packages with the necessary products and hygiene items to 465 beneficiaries (226 women, 170 children and 69 men). 23 families received assistance in payment for accommodation, 11 families received payment for utilities. We help in paying for the cost of surgery, medical procedures, in the purchase of medicines.
The monitoring group studies the effectiveness of preventive measures (instruments) implemented by local authorities to identify, protect, assist and rehabilitate victims of violence against women and/or domestic violence.
In order to improve the efficiency of the self-government, recommendations will be developed that define the necessary strategies and new approaches to strengthen preventive mechanisms.
In February, 15 in-depth interviews and 3 focus groups were conducted with teachers, mobilizers of Womens Support Centers, representatives of local governments, victims of violence and various referral entities at the local level.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
At the initiative of the mobilizer of Senaki Women Support Center Mzia Bigvava, 2 trainings were held on the topic "Positive Parenthood".
The training was planned according to the needs identified as a result of the research - “The child rights protection and support department’s effectiveness assessment and existing challenges” conducted by the Women Fund "Sukhumi" in 10 municipalities with the inclusion of single mothers, women victims of violence and parents of many children.
Positive parenthood is behavior when a parent shows unconditional love, care, support, and respect for a child.
How to distribute money for the needs of the family, taking into account the interests of everyone and without violence against children and ignoring them - the participants of the training, which was one of the important activities of the Women Fund "Sukhumi", received information on this and many other necessary topics, as a constant connection with the beneficiaries of the rehabilitation center.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
To assess the effectiveness and achievements of project activities, the monitoring group actively conducts internal monitoring. Lessons learned will also be identified, conclusions will be drawn and recommendations will be developed to improve the work.
An online survey in 10 target municipalities covered the direct beneficiaries of the project. To obtain qualitative information, 6 in-depth interviews and 4 focus groups were conducted with the participation of representatives of target city groups.
The monitoring participants emphasized the importance of the web page https://sosfsokhumi.ge/. It was noted that this is a serious information base in terms of domestic violence, and it was considered a priority to increase the scale of its popularization.
The project is implemented with the support the Equality Fund (Canada)
On February 22, the Women Fund „Sukhumi“ participated in the preparatory consultation for the forthcoming 67th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in 2023 which focuses on “Innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls”.
The consultation with all stakeholders, including Women CSO, international organizations and International NGOs was organized by the Government of Ukraine together with the UN Women. During the consultation the gendered implications of war on women and girls both inside and outside of Ukraine, as well as their role in leading and driving change was highlighted.
During the panel discussions different topics were explored, namely how technology and digital solutions are playing an integral role in addressing the socio-economic needs of war-effected women across the region, and how technologies and digital economy could efficiently facilitate gender responsive recovery and development and reduce existing gender digital gaps.
We, the people of Georgia, strongly oppose the bill initiated by the members of the Parliamentary The majority, is also endorsed by the Speaker of Parliament and other MPs. We declare that the attempts to adopt this Russian bill attack not only the independent civil society organizations and the critical media, but the people of Georgia themselves.
This bill aims to leave defenseless the abused children and women; people with disabilities, minorities, scientists, workers, and the youth; to not provide assistance to socially vulnerable families, farmers, miners, internally displaced, homeless, illegally laid off, detained, and other people fighting for their rights; to mute the voice of the people living in the peripheries of the country that can only communicate their troubles through the independent media.
Proper management of cases of violence is an important mission of the Women Support Centers as it raises the trust of beneficiaries and increases the number of appeals.
In order to effectively manage the cases identified in the Women Support Centers of Senaki, Terjola and Chokhatauri, they have already been analyzed and evaluated. Two beneficiaries were redirected to the Rehabilitation Center of the Women Fund "Sukhumi" and pass a course of psycho-rehabilitation. The psychologist continues to work with the others individually.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
- In what direction should the work on violence prevention be improved, how to help women under the risk - these issues are discussed at information meetings that are held monthly at Women Support Centers.
During the meetings initiated by the Women Support Centers of Vani, Zugdidi and Kobuleti, the participants expressed their opinion, which will be reflected in the activities of the Centers.
- It is necessary to disseminate all the necessary information and deliver it to the addressee, this will help to prevent violence, - this is the general position of the participants.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
Council of Europe Office in Georgia and the Governmental Administration hosted on 13 February a conference to present the recommendations provided to Georgia by GREVIO, the independent expert body which monitors the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention), as well as by the Committee of the Parties to the Istanbul Convention. At the event, representatives of non-governmental organisations and academia together with the State agencies and Maria-Andriani Kostopoulou, GREVIO member and second vice-president of GREVIO, discussed the steps to take to implement the 16 recommendations approved by the Committee of the Parties to the Convention in December 2022. The recommendations are the most pressing as indicated in the first GREVIO baseline report on Georgia published in November 2022. Georgia is to submit a report on the implementation of the recommendations to the Committee of the Parties by the end of 2025.
