Despite the completion of the project, the Gender Advisory Council (GAC) of Senaki continues its work and will contribute to the implementation of policies based on the public interest - was noted at the final conference summarizing the results and the achievement of three years of Senaki GAC work, which was held on July 25 at the hotel "Oscar" .

The conference was attended by top officials of the Municipality – Chairperson of Sakrebulo and Governor, deputies, heads of municipalities of the region of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti (Abasha, Khobi, Tsalenjikha, Martvili), representatives of the Governor's Administration, representatives of Fund "Sukhumi", members of the Gender Advisory Council.

Speakers summarized three years of GAC experience, shared information on implemented projects, joint initiatives, conducted researches of local gender needs, cooperation with the Club of Women Voters and local media.

Representatives of municipalities invited to the conference appreciated the experience of Senaki GAC and noted that this work must necessarily be continued and supported, as such a vivid experience will help them in formation of their GACs according to legislative amendment on creation of councils recently adopted by the Parliament of Georgia.

December 12 in Khoni there was held a regular meeting of the Women's Initiative Group, which summarized and evaluated the results of participation in 16 day campaign and work on advocacy. There were planned event, which are necessary to achieve the intended goal.

Members of the Women's Initiative Group pleased representatives of local authorities and partners with a pleasant news: a small volunteer project was funded, which will contribute to improving the living conditions of vulnerable communities of Akhalsheni - Khoni municipality.

Members of the Women Initiative Group, activists of Women Support Center and the Club of Women-Voters, together with representatives of local authorities will contribute to the administration of the project.

The project of Kutaisi Gender Advisory Council (GAC) "Formation of gender awareness among children of preschool age" is at the next stage.

The purpose of the project - to promote non-violent upbringing of gender-sensitive generation.

In frames of the project shadow theater played a performance by the scenario "Girls of the emerald country".

Performance professes love, friendship, patriotism, equality. The main character - a girl Pirimze - tries to return to her country, where all are equal and respect each other's capabilities.

Performance destroys social stereotype in terms of equality. The first performance was attended by representatives of Fund "Sukhumi", members of the GAC.

According the plan, performances will be held in Kutaisi, Khoni and Tskaltubo.

The local government of Khoni there was held an enlarged meeting of the advisors’ council, which was an agreement on the basic directions of the local action plan strategy for social inclusion. Adding new groups in kindergartens and pre-school facilities inventory, the social inclusion of elderly - a laundry service for the beneficiaries of "House of Charity", the purchase of the adapted transport for people with disabilities – mainly these issues were in the focus of participants.

Participants - members of the Council, representatives of various government services - thoroughly examined the necessary expenses for the programs, effect and resources of local budget for co-financing.

It was noted that all areas are important and cover the needs of the most vulnerable groups.

In the near future there is planned a training for those who wish to present a project.

The project is implemented with the support of the Czech organization PIN 

Kutaisi Gender Advisory Council (GAC) started a new project "Strengthening of the gender aspects for active inclusion in the formation of local gender policies." The project is co-financing by Kutaisi City Hall and the fund "Sukhumi".

On April 21 in frames of the project a regional conference was held in "Grand Palace", on "Gender component in the local budget - the current reality, the positive developments, the prospects for the future."

The conference was attended by representatives of local self-government 17 municipalities of Western Georgia - Kutaisi, Batumi, Ozurgeti, Senaki, Zugdidi, Poti, Tskhaltubo, Khoni, Vani, Samtredia, Kharagauli, Zestafoni, Terjola, Tkibuli, Kobuleti, Chokhatauri, Lanchkhuti, as well as members of the GAC, rectors of universities, professors, students, representatives of NGOs and the media.

In the first part of the conference members of GAC of Kutaisi, Ozurgeti, Batumi and Senaki told about the results in terms of gender, achieved in cooperation with local governments.

In the second part the speakers discussed the topic of equality in different contexts. The conference was concluded with the report "Gender needs of students and their integration into the formation of the local budget."

The first phase of the project was completed. Discussions on the issues discussed at the conference will continue in Kutaisi universities.

The mobilizers of the Women Support Centers of the Fund "Sukhumi" held six meetings with representatives of various government agencies in June.

The mobilizers of Khoni and Tskaltubo met with representatives of social protection and health services. In Poti, a meeting was held with the counselor on the gender issue, and in Senaki - with the head of the village of Teklati. The mobilizers of Khurcha/Koki Women Support Center met with Deputy Gamgebeli of Zugdidi Municipality. In Kutaisi a meeting with the director of the college "Iberia" was held.

The necessary information and innovations (on social support, on gender issues or free vocational training programs), which the mobilizers learned at the meetings, will undoubtedly be reflected in the next mobilization meetings.

On May 23, a meeting organized by the Women's Initiative Group was held in the office of Tskaltub Municipality, attended by representatives of various collective centers, activists of the fund “Sukhumi”.

The chief specialist of the Health and Social Protection Service, Nargiza Abesbadze, was invited to the meeting and spoke about local social programs.

Participants were asked questions about how the programs are planned in the budget, which ones are priority, how information about these programs is spread.

It was noted that it is planned to hold similar information meetings in the coming months, as this will increase the level of communication between the population and local authorities.

A regular meeting of the Advisers’ Council was held in the Sakrebulo meeting room. Members of the Council discussed the issues envisaged by the agenda: an analysis of the implementation of the goals and objectives of the social inclusion strategy of Khoni (based on the results of monitoring the 2017 action plan); highlighting the priorities of the social inclusion strategy for the 2018 action plan.

The meeting positively assessed the implementation of the 2017 action plan and presented interesting ideas for integration into the action plan for 2018, over which the Council members will work in the near future with the support of the organization "Reople in Need".

What should be the focus of the Council, in which issue it is necessary to strengthen the members of the Council so that the action plan is followed by its real implementation - an emphasis was placed on these issues.

The project is implemented with the support of the Czech organization PIN

There started the next phase of the project "Women implementing inclusive approaches in the field of human security to build a sustainable world." After workshops on the theme of human security in Tskhaltubo, Kutaisi and Khoni there were created initiative groups of women.

Tskhaltubo initiative group consists of 6 women. Each of them is selected by a special survey. In one of the paragraphs of the questionnaire, why you want to become a member of the initiative group, the activists wrote that around them there are lots of problems that can be solved at the local level, and they want to be actively involved in the process of advocacy of these issues.

Members of the initiative group will have a special training, after which they will be included in advocacy of the issues.