In the framework of the global 16-day campaign against gender-based violence, the monitoring group of the Women Fund "Sukhumi" held an information meeting in the school of the village Etseri (Terjola municipality), which was attended by teachers and upper graders.
The meeting focused on the importance of the problem of violence and the timeliness of the response. The participants got acquainted with the monitoring results of the work of departments for the protection of children's rights and their support. There was a conversation about the services, achievements and tasks of the department. It was revealed that many people do not know about the departments, so it is necessary to disseminate information. It was considered important that departments have the resources to empower vulnerable families.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
An online information meeting was held with Zugdidi Women Initiative Group. The participants got acquainted with the tasks of the strategy, which were developed with the involvement of local government representatives at a workshop held in Kutaisi.
The meeting also evaluated the dynamics of the advocacy process. Solving problems raised by the groups will benefit the community. This will be good not only for internally displaced women and young people, but also for every resident of the municipality.
The project is implemented with the support
of the UN Women organization
Problems of health, education, employment and security, faulty infrastructure, lack of access to the Internet are issues that IDPs are concerned about and that can be addressed by the inclusion of state structures.
Member of the Parliament of Georgia Teona Akubardia and UN Women's consultant Mako Avaliani met with IDP women from Abkhazia and women living in the villages located near the occupation line.
The meeting, which was held in Zugdidi, was attended by five representatives of Zugdidi and Senak initiative groups of the Women Fund "Sukhumi". They are active participants in the coalition project "Women and youth localizing the women, peace and security agenda".
The meeting was organized by the Women Fund “Sukhumi” and the Association “Consent”.
The project is implemented with the support
of the UN Women organization
The Human Rights Protection and Investigation Quality Monitoring Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia (MIA) held a meeting with the Task Force on Ending Violence against Women and Girls (Task Force on EVAWG). Representatives of the international, non-governmental organizations working on EVAWG and the Public Defender's Office of Georgia also participated in the workshop. They discussed the outcome of the activities carried out in combating domestic violence and/or violence against women in recent years, the existing challenges and ways forward. The meeting was held with the initiative of the MIA, in cooperation with UN Women, within the framework of the UN Joint Programme "For Gender Equality" supported by Sweden.
In her speech, Linda Chikhladze focused on the need for additional child care services for the economic empowerment of women, and on the importance of early implementation of programs to correct the behavior of perpetrators for the effective prevention of violence against women.
Manana Pipia is packing bags for Ukrainians with delight. This is her job in the Fund „Sukhumi“. She buys everything herself and puts a lot of necessary things in each bag: rice, buckwheat, oil, butter, eggs, sour cream, milk, sweets, sugar, coffee, tea, tomato, vegetables, chicken, shampoo, powders, soap, dishwashing liquid, napkins... When she finds out that there are children in the family, additional items appear in the bag: diapers, baby food, yogurt. She buys medicine for someone, someone needs glasses, someone needs slippers or a warm blanket ... Then these gifts "go" to Tkibuli, Senaki, Chkhorotsku, Lanchkhuti... Those who live in Kutaisi or in its vicinity come to our office and Manana herself gives them gifts. She also takes pictures of them. Nobody refuses. Look how beautiful they are. They have gone through a lot of pain, the end of their pain is not finished yet, but they are still smiling. - Someone comes to our office alone, someone with children. Couples and families come. They leave us very satisfied, says Manana Pipia. “Everything we provide them is enough for a couple of months. They are surprised, they say how much we do. This is not a single assistance, we distribute it to the same family several times. Ukrainians say that no one helps them like this and they are very grateful. I am also happy when I see their smiling faces...
5 people spent 10 November days in our rehabilitation center - three elderly women and two grandchildren of one of the grandmothers. Everyone tried to create family comfort in the center - delicious dinners were prepared for the guests. A social worker, a lawyer and a psychologist were actively involved in the process of women's rehabilitation and a teacher worked with the children. The work was carried out in direction of traumas, fears, resentment, stress and self-esteem.
The women shared their impressions:
- I have been to many places in my life, but I have never felt such a warm attitude anywhere, the advice of a psychologist is very important to me. Thank you so much for being so attentive and kind.
- Elderly people need warmth. There is a lot of warmth here - especially warm human attitude. Everyone helps, smiles, tries to please you. My soul is rejuvenated and renewed.
- For many years I suffered from psychological abuse from family members. And only now I realized that I need to love myself - that's how I was taught here and I will live by this principle.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
Brother and sister, doctors from Ukraine. They faced the horrors of war and miraculously survived. In September they arrived from Kharkov to Kutaisi. Their parents worked here as military doctors, they finished from school in Kutaisi, they have friends and acquaintances here.
They told psychologist Manana Gotsiridze that they still wake up from the voice of a siren, a harbinger of death.
“It is hard to imagine whether our city will return its former beauty. Almost all residential buildings were destroyed In Kharkov. There are a lot of stones, glass, iron everywhere... The inhabitants faced the second wave of psychosis when they realized that the war could go on for a long time. War is the fear that the enemy can rape, kill. This is a state of hopelessness. Even after it ends, it will affect the psychics of people for a long time.”
These are the words of our beneficiaries.
All feelings of Ukrainians are similar. Pain, anxiety... There is also some joys for the fact that some towns and villages are returning.
According to the participants, listening to successful women and peace initiatives will contribute to the activation of women and promotion of peace issues. What can young people do to establish a culture of peace in their municipalities - the members of Tskaltubo and Senaki youth groups talked about these issue. The meetings in both places were held on the background of discussion, exchange of interesting ideas and discussions about future plans.
The project is implemented with the support of the USAID
Our group, which supports Ukrainian refugees, worked actively in November, as in previous months. For the given moment we have 383 people in our database, in November we added 53 new people. This month, 42 families (95 people) were assisted, 3 families were given warm blankets, 4 families - heaters. One man was helped with paying for medical procedures (oncology) and special food was purchased.
Slippers and linen were also distributed. Assistance to pay for housing continues, this month 4 more families were added, one of which lives in Tbilisi. Since the couple is elderly, as an exception, the Fund took the responsibility to pay for their accommodation. Ukrainian refugees continue to receive free psychological assistance and support.
- In the City Hall of Kutaisi, issuing of personal travel cards was finished and now they are working on single assistance for children, from our we help them in communication, - says Sophia Tsirgvava, an assistant for working with Ukrainians. - The program of free education for Ukrainian children STEM, in English, continues to function. We picked up children of the appropriate age and sent them to the Kutaisi project coordinator. Work on other issues are also in progress.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)
