The Women's Congress of Georgia was founded in March. The idea came after the participation of the Women's Information Center in the Polish Women's Congress in 2024. The goal of the Congress is to strengthen the role of women in building democracy, promote their active participation and achieve gender equality.
The congress was attended by women from different fields and generations who are interested in actual issues: violence prevention, the fight against the anti-gender movement, promoting women's political participation, economic empowerment of women, gender policy, the implementation of the "Women, Peace and Security" agenda, etc. The congress in Georgia is supported by local and international partners. The Women's Congress was attended by women who actively cooperate with our organization.
The project is implemented with the support of the UN Women organization
The Women’s Fund “Sukhumi” has conducted a new study on the experience of cyber-attacks and online violence among school students, exploring its gender dimensions and impact. The research involved 192 students from ten municipalities in western Georgia, revealing that 25% had personally experienced online violence. TikTok and Facebook were the most common platforms for girls, while boys primarily encountered such incidents in online games. The most widespread forms of violence included offensive rumors, mocking comments about appearance, and sexual harassment, which was particularly prevalent among girls. Online violence has a serious psychological impact on students, leading to anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. Despite this, the study found that 30% of respondents do not seek any help, which may be linked to stigma and a lack of adequate support.
The research strongly emphasizes that preventing and addressing online violence requires a systemic approach, including strengthening education, increasing parental and educator involvement, and improving legal regulations to make the online environment safer for students.
Ekaterine Gamakharia, Head of the Women's Fund "Sokhumi" Tbilisi Office, along with activist Vero Melua, discusses the challenges faced by internally displaced persons (IDPs) today on TV Formula's program "With the People."
"Many of the challenges that IDPs face remain unnoticed by society and have practically never been, or only rarely, part of the political and social agenda," said Ekaterine Gamakharia.
How does domestic violence affect women's lives? What barriers do they face, and what are the possible solutions?
This video is based on real stories and reflects women's experiences, challenges, and paths to empowerment. It is grounded in the research and support services of the Women's Fund "Sokhumi."
During the meetings of women's mutual support groups in Tskaltubo and Vani, services offered by municipal and non-governmental organizations were discussed. Samtredia group has been replenished with new members, so new cases have appeared. They need to be processed in a timely manner and each one needs to be resolved.
In Kobuleti, the group members outlined their problems and needs. Necessities were discussed in Terjola, Zugdidi, Tsalenjikha, Senaki and Khobi. The woman from Chokhatauri has a great desire to take courses of working with polymer clay, as this is one of the ways to find employment along with therapy. It is important for women that a psychologist from the Women Fund “Sukhumi” periodically works with them, helping them to solve their problems.
The project is implemented with the support the Equality Fund (Canada
The five-month training course has been completed in all ten municipalities.
Ways of peaceful conflict resolution, relationships between children and parents – these topics were discussed by the trainers together with the youth.
The young people actively discussed the topics, openly expressed their opinions and shared their own examples with the audience. They noted that skills of peaceful conflict resolution are necessary in life. It is also important to have open relationships with parents.
The youth received information about the final meeting in March, and also learned details of the grant project announced by the Fund “Sukhumi” for the training participants.
Despite the difficult situation, the trainings were held without interruption.
In March, the trainers of the Fund “Sukhumi” will see the results of five months of work.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
Since February, a group of para-specialists has started working in 10 municipalities of Western Georgia. These are: Vani, Terjola, Samtredia, Khoni, Tskaltubo, Senaki, Khobi, Zugdidi, Tsalenjikha, Chokhatauri. The group members passed relevant training and are applying the information they have received in practice.
Para-specialists hold individual meetings in communities, study women's needs and provide information on women's economic empowerment programs and various services.
At the same time, group members provide consultations on identified cases and give them the right direction.
The work of para-specialists is aimed at preventing cases of domestic violence, informing and empowering women.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
Familiarization with the results of the research conducted by the Fund "Sukhumi" was held in Kutaisi, in the office of the "Generation of Books". Parents, specialists, experts, psychologists, journalists, heads of private and public kindergartens who participated in the meeting exchanged information and emphasized actual issues:
- What is the level of family and community involvement in processes taking place in preschool institutions according to the quality standard?
- What hinders equal participation of both parents. Why is it not possible to increase the level of fathers' involvement and what incentive initiatives do preschools use to solve this problem?
- How balanced is the equal participation of parents of children with disabilities/special needs in the upbringing process?
- How high is the level of cooperation and coordination with service providers and child protection departments?
During the discussion, participants heard about the challenges as well as successful practices and confirmed that in response to the research findings, it is necessary to strengthen the involvement of the family and community, as defined by the quality standard, which will primarily increase the benefits for the child and positively balance the child-oriented environment.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
"What Do Women Survivors Say?" reflects on the harsh realities experienced by domestic violence survivors in Georgia, sharing their personal stories, challenges, and the systemic barriers they face in seeking safety and independence. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, in 2024 alone, 8,744 restraining orders were issued, with the vast majority of victims - 6,634 cases - being women. Despite legal progress, many survivors refrain from seeking help due to social stigma, economic dependence, and a lack of accessible support services. Based on research by the Women’s Fund “Sokhumi,” this document assesses the effectiveness of existing assistance programs and underscores the urgent need for stronger, more sustainable mechanisms to support women in rebuilding their lives.
