Mobilizers of the Women Support Center actively work with the activists of women communities to identify priority issues. Infrastructural problems are mostly identified. Women's centers in Senaki and Terjola have chosen the issues of cleaning sewer wells and regulation of street lighting for the advocacy.

In May, monitoring was also carried out at the Women Support Centers of Kobuleti and Bagdati. As a result of the monitoring, it was revealed which direction needs to be improved, what are the most acute necessities. The next meetings will be planned envisaging these needs.

The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot

 für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)

Maria Dobrovolskaya is 22 years old. She lived in Kyiv, during two months of war she was there and experienced all the horrors of the war. For a concrete period of time, the girl moved to Vinnitsa to her grandmother and then left for Poland. She worked for several months in Katowice and Lodz. In Katowice she met a Georgian man, got married and they came to Georgia together.

At first they were in the husband's family - in Svaneti, where they received the Ukrainian daughter-in-law warmly. Maria was pregnant when they moved to Kutaisi. Like many refugees from Ukraine, Maria's family was also assisted by the Women Fund “Sukhumi”. After the birth of the child, representatives of the Fund visited the mother and child, congratulated them with great joy and brought the necessary gifts for the child: clothes, hygiene products, diapers, food...

The young mother thanked the guests for their assistance and support, which is so important in such a difficult time.

The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot

 für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)

Local referral entities: members of the Gender Equality Council, existing in the City Council of the municipality, representatives of local self-government, the police and the social sphere, teachers and medical personnel gathered in the conference hall of Tkibuli Municipality City Hall

The meeting participants spoke about the facts of femicide, the problem of domestic violence and the importance of cooperation with local structures.

Attention was focused on ways of referencing, inter-agency cooperation and coordination that contribute to the prevention of violence.

During the meeting, there was a presentation on “National Referral Procedures for the Identification, Protection, Assistance and Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence against Women and/or Domestic Violence (National Referral Mechanism)”.

Important issues were raised during the conversation: municipal statistics on arresting orders, identification of problems and assistance to the victims.

The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot

 für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)

A meeting organized by the Women Fund "Sukhumi" together with the Educational Resource Center on the topic "Local system of social partnership - cooperation between the education sector and the City Hall of the municipality" was held in the conference hall of public school N6 in Tkibuli. The experience of Tkibuli municipality is an example of a successful practice of decentralization of social work. However, according to the meeting participants, without a systematic dialogue between different groups of society, it is impossible to implement social policy according to the needs of beneficiaries and strengthen vulnerable families.

During the meeting, representatives of the Department for Children's Rights of the City Hall and the education sector exchanged important information that will contribute to social protection and empowerment of children and their families.

At the meeting, the participants were also informed about the practical guide/toolkit: "Preventing and responding to gender-based violence in war and post-war settings - experiences and recommendations of women's NGOs", which was developed by the WAVE Network in collaboration with its four WAVE members in 2022 by the support of the OSCE. The Toolkit describes best practices and the strategies employed by the women's NGOs to prevent and respond to gender-based violence in different phases of conflict.

• Strategies during Wartime and emergency response settings were shared by Ukrainian and Armenian partners Sexual Assault Crisis Center (Yerevan, Armenia), Centre “Women’s Perspectives” (Lviv, Ukraine);
• Strategies during Protracted conflict were described by the Women's Foundation "Sukhumi" (Kutaisi, Tbilisi, Georgia);
• Strategies during Post-war and long-term perspective were based on the experience of the Bosnia-Herzegovina partner. Foundation United Women Banja Luka (Banja Luka, Bosnia & Herzegovina)

(A practical guide is available here https://www.osce.org/secretariat/530695)

The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot

 für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)

Members of both women initiative groups of Khoni spoke about the problems identified as a result of the research. They also selected the issues to be resolved at the local level and discussed the details of the advocacy plan. Say "no" to violence! - During 2 months, with small scenes of the forum-theater the young people will try to show the audience the seriousness of the problem and make them to think about the negative consequences of violence. During the May meeting, together with the project assistant, they once again discussed planned activities and developed a plan. The participants also distributed their duties equally.

From May the members of Tskaltubo youth group start implementing mini-projects within the grant competition. Working meetings were held with both groups. The participants discussed organizational issues and distributed functions. The mentioned work will contribute to the successful implementation of mini-projects. The members of the women initiative group reviewed the results of the conducted research and identified various problems. Based on these problems, the group members worked on an advocacy plan.

As a result of the research "Assessment of the human security quality and gender needs of the population", the women discussed the advocacy of the problems identified in the municipality. The meeting was held on May 17, at the office of the Fund "Sukhumi". Advocacy plan will be developed, deadlines will be drafted and responsible persons will be assigned. Kutaisi youth club also works actively. The members are preparing to implement a mini-project. They will talk about bullying and its forms. With small performances of the forum- theater, they will try to show the audience the seriousness of the problem and make them think about the negative consequences of violence. During May meeting, together with the project assistant, they once again discussed the activities to be performed and developed a plan. The participants also distributed their duties equally.

The women initiative group of the village Pakhulani - Tsalenjikha municipality held another meeting. The topic of their research was the assessment of the quality of human security and gender needs of the population in Zugdidi municipality. The results will be the basis of the next work process, which includes the development of an advocacy plan. During the meeting, they also talked about the topic: "Local cooperation for a social environment focused on children and families". The representatives of the Social and Children's Department of the City Hall informed the participants of the meeting about social and health care programs and the specifics of the work of the Children's Department.

 "Evidence-based advocacy process" - training on this topic was conducted with the members of Senaki women initiative group. What does the process of problem advocacy mean and how important is it to be based on evidence - the participants heard information about these issues. On the same day, a meeting with members of the youth group was held in Senaki. The participants worked on the plan of project activities. The persons responsible for the organizational issues were determined and the functions and duties were distributed.

Koki women initiative group - Zugdidi municipality conducted a research on the topic - assessment of the quality of human security and gender needs of the population in Zugdidi municipality. As a result, the problems of the community were highlighted. An advocacy plan will be developed to solve them. "Identifying misinformation and finding correct, verified information" - Koki Youth Club plans to implement this project. How to distinguish correct and incorrect information in the modern information age, how to avoid conflict situations based on misinformation - young people will prepare scenes for the forum theater on these issues.