Informational meetings with medical staff on the topic “Violence against women and domestic violence - the role of doctors in violence prevention and victim assistance” were held in Tskaltubo, Terjola, Tsalenjikha, Senaki, Khoni, Kutaisi and Samtredia municipalities. The meetings were attended by: family doctors, emergency doctors, medical staff working in clinics and rural outpatient clinics.

The conversation touched on the law on combating violence against women/domestic violence, as well as referrals and specifically the role of medical personnel in identifying victims of violence and assisting the victims.

The meeting also included a presentation of the publication of the Women Fund “Sukhumi”, “Practical Guide to Responding to Gender-Based Violence for Representatives of Medical Institutions.”

The project is implemented with the support the Equality Fund (Canada)

An ordinary meeting of the municipal Interdepartmental Commission was held in Bagdati. Members of the commission discussed the plan of activities that will be held in frames of the civil initiative. These activities will increase the awareness of the commission, which is necessary for its targeted work – for reviewing cases and responding to them in a timely manner.

The planned activities include increasing the involvement of representatives of the Mayor of the municipality, managers of preschool educational institutions and youth. All this is important for the effective functioning of the commission, for the timely identification and prevention of domestic violence.

The project is implemented with the support the Equality Fund (Canada)

The next meeting was held with members of the “Municipal Interdepartmental Commission on the Prevention of Violence against Women and/or Domestic Violence, Protection and Assistance to Victims of Violence” of Vani City Hall. Participants got acquainted with the civil initiative that will be implemented under the topic “Break the silence - stop the violence!”

In frames of the initiative, representatives of the Mayor and employees of rural outpatient clinics will be informed about issues of violence. They will be provided with information about services available at the central and local levels. The importance of the Interdepartmental Commission as a response mechanism will be particularly emphasized.

These meetings will help the Commission move its work into a more active phase - in terms of considering specific cases and responding to them.

The project is implemented with the support the Equality Fund (Canada)

During a working meeting of the interdepartmental commission of Chokhatauri City Hall, the details of the ideas of civil initiatives were summarized and the authoritative persons were selected.

It was decided to conduct “Positive Parenting Training” and women’s needs research in Chokhatauri municipality. City hall structures, representatives of the educational sphere, active citizens will be involved in implementation of the initiatives.

The project is implemented with the support the Equality Fund (Canada)

The Women Fund “Sukhumi” has published a “Practical Guide for Responding to Gender-Based Violence for Representatives of Medical Institutions.” The aim of the guide is to provide medical workers, including doctors and nurses who have direct contact with patients, with information and tools that will help them to response to gender-based violence, in a timely, comprehensive and multi-sector way.

The practical guide includes the following issues:

- General information about violence against women and domestic violence;

- International and national standards for responding to gender-based violence from the side of representatives of medical institutions;

- The role of medical staff in responding to gender-based violence;

- Appropriate strategies, steps and recommendations to effectively respond to gender-based violence by medical staff;

- The importance of multi-sector collaboration in effectively responding to violence against women.

The project is implemented with the support the Equality Fund (Canada)

An assistant of the Women Fund "Sukhumi" held meetings with women's mutual assistance groups in Tskaltubo, Vani, Zugdidi, Chokhatauri and Bagdati. In the remaining five municipalities - Terjola, Samtredia, Khoni, Tsalenjikha and Kobuleti - meetings were held by group leaders. The psychologist of the organization attended several meetings and conducted some work with women. In almost all groups, serious cases were identified and ways to solve them were outlined.

The project is implemented with the support the Equality Fund (Canada)

A workshop on the prevention of violence against women and/or domestic violence, protection and assistance to victims of violence was held for members of the Municipal Interdepartmental Commission of Vani City Hall

Participants discussed the obligations of each member, that are necessary for the commission to operate effectively. They discussed the strategies that will help to manage specific cases.

It was noted that the composition should be reviewed and members added for more activity. It was also mentioned that the commission should contribute to the prevention of facts of violence and timely assistance to victims.

The project is implemented with the support the Equality Fund (Canada)

Women mutual assistance groups have joined the international campaign "16 active days against gender-based violence ". This campaign empowers women and helps them find more supporters at the local level.

All groups, together with local governments, try to solve their problems. A psychologist from the Women Fund “Sukhumi” presented at several meetings and began working on difficult cases.

Group members talk openly about problems. The meetings were attended by representatives of the City Hall, social services and the gender council, who are ready to get involved in the advocacy process and help women achieve their goals.

The December meetings were distinguished by the fact that group members were awarded with certificates of gratitude for their trust and cooperation. This is a good motivation for them.

The project is implemented with the support the Equality Fund (Canada)

Fill out the questionnaire! - Such request appeared on our web page.

The introduction says:

Our website “Digital Resource Center for Violence Victims” - https://sosfsokhumi.ge/ has been operating for the second year.

The number of users is increasing every day.

This means taking into account visitors’ requests for the most interesting, important information.

You can help us improve the site!

Dozens of people have already filled out a questionnaire, which contains following questions: how important such an information platform is, how actively people use the site, and whether the information posted is useful for women victims/potential victims of domestic violence.

What questions are of great interest? This question is followed by 8 possible answers representing the categories of the website: services of central/local authorities and NGOs, legal mechanisms/laws, links to hotlines and applications, success stories, statistics, map of risk indicators.

In addition, we are interested in what other information readers want to receive and how easy it is to find the necessary information on the site.

Analysis of the received responses will help to improve the site.

The project is implemented with the support the Equality Fund (Canada)

Map of the domestic violence risk indicator – this category is already used on our website https://sosfsokhumi.ge.

There are official statistics and data of the research of the Women Fund “Sukhumi”. In order to view the statistics of a particular region, you should select the corresponding unit on the map - Imereti, Samegrelo, Guria and Adjara.

According to the regions, anyone can find out statistics on complaints about domestic violence, reports received regarding cases of violence, as well as the level of employment or migration and statistics on families who receive a living wage.

Statistics can be viewed for individual municipalities of the region. Three municipalities are represented in Samegrelo: Senaki, Zugdidi and Tsalenjikha, in Imereti there are five: Kutaisi, Tskaltubo, Khoni, Samtredia and Bagdati, in Guria and Adjara data are recorded for one municipality: Chokhatauri and Kobuleti.

As we learned from feedback from Internet users, the risk map provides the necessary information to readers working on the problem, as well as to people who live in different municipalities.

The project is implemented with the support the Equality Fund (Canada)