The group of advocacy of the Club of Women-Voters started made the report about the carried out activity with the problem of bridges in the village Pirveli Khorga. This problem has been studied by the advocacy group and raised in the local self government. As a result the restoration of the bridges has been started.
The advocacy group said about the completion of rehabilitation works related to water supply and installation of meters. Active members of the Club (Naira Beraia and Manana Shulaia) were involved in that problem advocacy.
In the future the group decided to advocate the issue of free medical examinations.
At the end of the meeting was made the presentation of a new publication, "Women in Search of Peace" (author - Ekaterine Gamakharia).
The project is implemented with the support of the organization NED – National Endowment for Democracy, USA.
On May 14 President Tskhaltubo the Chairperson of Cultural-Humanitarian Fund "Sukhumi", Alla Gamakharia and the Chairperson of the City Council of Tskhaltubo, Mamuka Sagareishvili signed a Memorandum of Mutual Understanding. The memorandum identified the main areas of joint activity - organizing the information space, information sharing, supporting youth initiatives, strengthening the role and quality of women's involvement, cooperation on issues of advocacy, lobbying and public campaigns, and etc.
There were also defined the responsibilities and obligations of the parties of the Memorandum.
After signing of the Memorandum in their interviews with journalists the parties fixed the importance of this cooperation for the promotion of gender equality and women's rights in building a democratic society.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization EED Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst.
- I’ll make friends with Abkhaz peers via the Internet.
- I can come with the Abkhaz girl to the next meeting.
- I’ll send Abkhaz children pictures and toys made by Georgian children.
- I can cooperate with non-governmental organizations operating in Abkhazia.
- I’ll tell about women's peacemaking to my friends.
- I’ll hold a workshop and "gather" peacemaking initiatives of young people.
- I’ll try to influence on my parents, who are still aggressive.
There are many more specific suggestions made on the last day of training. Participants of the training expressed their strong desire to be engaged actively in the process of peacemaking.
All of this was conditioned by the three-day training session on "Conflict and Peace", which was held in Batumi on May 11-13.
Participants were interested in the theory of conflict, analysis and ways of its solution.
After the second day of the training they were watching the performance of Batumi Drama Theatre "Last stop".
They looked at different conflicts presented in the performance through the lens of the knowledge and on the third day, during reflection, they could not hide their emotions because of composure shown by the public. They mentioned: we should not give the conflict the opportunity to escalate, it is difficult to manage conflict, but everyone can do it, and if society is united, it will be able to resolve the conflict, we must take care of conflict resolution, even when it does not concern us personally.
Most of the participants knew well the information on Georgian-Abkhaz conflict. This facilitated the perception of the issue and created the background for the third working day, which was dedicated to the theme "Peace and Peacemaking." Emphasis was placed on the peacekeeping role of women, the publication of Fund "Sukhumi", "Women in search of peace". Participants elaborated action plans, taking into account their peace initiatives.
The young women will use the obtained knowledge not only themselves, but will provide for others – they will hold workshops in Kutaisi, Tskhaltubo, Khoni, Poti, Senaki, Khurcha and try to find peace initiatives.
The project is implemented with the support of Kvinna till Kvinna, women’s Swedish Foundation.
Participants of the meeting congratulated one of the most active members of the Club, Elsa Kvaratskhelia with her appointment as a Director of Zugdidi Public School № 3.
The moderator of the Club and a director of the gymnasium, Manana Nachkebia has also received congratulations, since the gymnasium named after St. George, had successfully passed the authentication.
Khatuna Bechvaia shared with the audience her impressions of the trip to America. She was in America for a month within the framework of one of the exchange programs.
Members of the Club learned that the problem raised by the advocacy group, has been positively resolved - the building (the former hotel "Odishi"), located in the center of the town, where live IDPs, was not provided with water.
After the advocacy group appealed in writing to the water company, the issue has been resolved (counters have been installed and the water supply have been restored).
This time at the club were raised and discussed local problems – there is no light on the streets, not enough parking space, internal roads are damaged, a botanical garden needs rehabilitation.
In order to solve those problems, they plan to invite members of the local government and offer them a specially designed package of problems. The Club members plan to take part in the consideration of the budget for the next year.
Zugdidi Club is different from the other Clubs by peace initiatives therefore the members of the Club read a new publication of Fund "Sukhumi" - "Women in the search for peace" with interest.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization NED – National Endowment for Democracy, USA.
The advocacy group of five members made a brief report on their activity carried out for the last month. The group has studied the issue of open sewer manholes in the area of the so-called "Benze" in Batumi. The open manholes, full of garbage, cause insanitary conditions that threaten people’s health.
In order to address the problem the advocacy group phoned on hot line, and then appealed to the leadership of water campaign. This time the problem was solved.
There was emphasized at the meeting that the group of advocacy had voiced in the local media the issue of breeding snakes on Mtsvane Kontskhi (Green Cape). Club members hope that the relevant services will address this painful problem for society.
At the end of the meeting was made a presentation of the publication of Fund "Sukhumi", "Women in Search of Peace" (author - Ekaterine Gamakharia). Active members of the Club were handed the book as a gift. The publication, released under the joint Georgian-Abkhaz project aroused interest in participants of the meeting.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization NED – National Endowment for Democracy, USA.
The cooperation of Fund "Sukhumi” with local self-government of Ozurgeti
has been continued. In particular, support and promote advocacy of problems
raised by advocacy group of the Club of Women Voters.
Representatives of Fund "Sukhumi” met with a representative
Ozurgeti City Council Aleko Mameshvili.
When asked whether there were positive mechanisms for active involvement
of women candidates in the election process and decision-making, the answer was
as follows: "The problem is not who will be deputy majority - male or
female candidate, the main is that this person was acceptable to society and a
professional. As to the cooperation with the Fund
"Sukhumi", we agree to support the solution to all problems, which,
under the force of local government.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization NED – National
Endowment for Democracy, USA.
The cooperation of Fund "Sukhumi” with local self-government of Ozurgeti has been continued. In particular, support and promote advocacy of problems raised by advocacy group of the Club of Women Voters.
Representatives of Fund "Sukhumi” met with a representative Ozurgeti City Council Aleko Mameshvili.
When asked whether there were positive mechanisms for active involvement of women candidates in the election process and decision-making, the answer was as follows: "The problem is not who will be deputy majority - male or female candidate, the main is that this person was acceptable to society and a professional in his field. As to the cooperation with the Fund "Sukhumi", we agree to support the solution to all problems, which, under the force of urban management.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization NED – National Endowment for Democracy, USA.
The representatives of EED
partner organisations from Armenia and Georgia gathered in Yerevan to
participate in the NetworkingWorkshop on Peace and Reconciliation held on May
3-6, 2012. Representative of NGOs from Abkhazia were also invited for the
participation.
Participants of the workshop
were 23 persons, including 19 from different NGOs, Caroline Kruckow from EED /
BMZ - Germany and Bruce Britton from Framework – UK (facilitator of the
workshop). The organizers of the workshop were: Executive secretariat YMCA
Europe (Armenia) and Levan Abashidze – EED
consultant in Georgia.
The objective of the
workshop: Strengthening of EED POs on issues of peace and reconciliation, and
creation of the network to use the opportunities, resources and experiences of
EED POs.
Active participants of the
workshop were: Meri Gelashvili (Chairperson of Fund of Women-Entrepreneurs) and
Alla Gamakharia (Chairperson of Fund "Sukhumi”).
Despite the limited time
participants could share experiences, get knowledge on the logical framework of
the RPP, get to know each other better, acquire facilitation skills, create a
network and open a Facebookpage: https://www.facebook.com/group/401242309915887/.
The presentation of the publication "Women in Search of Peace” was held on May 2 in Kutaisi, in the Center of Democratic Involvement.
The presentation was attended by representatives from partner and donor organizations of Fund "Sukhumi", and journalists. Especially for this day in Kutaisi arrived Sara Laginder (coordinator of Kvinna till Kvinna in Georgia) and Zurab Mchedlishvili (Assistant to the Deputy Chairperson of the Parliament of Georgia, coordinator of the Gender Equality Advisory Council under the Chair of the Parliament of Georgia).
Attendees were provided with information about the Georgian-Abkhaz project and the research process. They got acquainted with the publication and emphasized that "Women in search of peace" is an expression of a peacekeeping position of the women living in Georgia, a major statement in peacemaking and a wonderful gem, which Fund "Sukhumi" pampers people interested in People to People Diplomacy, should be used by them as a guide.
The presentation was merged well with the most beautiful holiday "Kutaisoba” (day Kutaisi).
The project is implemented with the support of Kvinna till Kvinna, women’s Swedish Foundation.
The peacekeeping library of Fund "Sukhumi" was enlarged with another publication "Women in search of peace", which is the concluding document – visions of the women of Georgia on the peaceful future, published within the framework of a joint Georgian-Abkhaz project.
The author of the publication Ekaterine Gamakharia - completed her Master’s Degree in the International Human Rights Law. She is a freelance consultant and trainer for various NGOs.
The project was implemented by Cultural Humanitarian Fund "Sukhumi” and the Association of Women of Abkhazia with the support of Swedish women’s organization KVINNA TILL KVINNA.
Long term goal of the project: Promotion of gender approach to Georgian-Abkhaz conflict resolution.
The publication consists of five parts and is published in three languages- full version in Georgian, condensed version – in Russian and English.
Forum-theatre scenes were performed at the Green Hall of A. Tsereteli University. Forty-five students and three teachers participated in the performance. There were performed five scenes which reflected the relationships between mother and child and young couple.
Young attendees were involved in the discussion after the performance. They offered different solutions to the raised problems. The scene about a young couple caused the liveliest debate.
- "This problem is very painful for us. Many girls are disappointed in their first love. The performed scene is a good example for young people, how they should avoid such a problem,"- Nana Goletiani, a student.
- "Forum theater shows us how to raise an issue in society that it made us think and take care of its solution", - Giorgi Urushadze, a student of the faculty of psychology.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization EED Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst.
The journal "Women’s Voice” was released in a modified form: the new design, increased number of pages, since Russian and Georgian versions have been added with English ones.
In the articles of the journal is analyzed the work of Fund, presented the main results and an impact of Fund’s activity on women.
The radio programme transmitted on the radio broadcasting "Dzveli kalaki" was about the work started in the project supported by the international organization EED.
The Project Coordinator provides listeners with the information about activities and expected changes in society, which should be realized within the framework of the three-year project.
The main component of the project is a new stage in the work of the Women's Support Centers, which implies greater autonomy and a greater involvement of local communities in the eradication of violence against women, closer cooperation of the organization with local authorities, resulting in drawing up of the memorandum. The memorandum, drawn up with the local government of Senaki is the best precedent for such kind of cooperation: "Any information which is important for society can be solved when we combine our efforts," – that is the evaluation of the cooperation by the head of the local government of Senaki, Mr. Besik Narmania.
The cases described by respondents confirm that this cooperation is valuable: The fate of several families has been improved only through the active involvement of society and the various structures.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization EED Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst.
Two-day training for women-mobilizers of Women’s Support Centers was held in Fund "Sukhumi”. The theme of the training was "Project writing and advocacy".
The training was attended by eleven mobilizers of the Women's Support Centers in Kutaisi, Khoni, Tskhaltubo, Senaki, Poti, and Khurcha. The first day of the training was devoted to the elaboration of projects (project cycle, main stages, mission, purpose, strategy is a typical project, etc.), and the second day was devoted to the issues of civil interests advocacy (advocacy skills: problem definition, searching for information, definition of objectives, verification mechanisms) as well as the issues of cooperation with local authorities.
During the training there were defined a lot of problems of the population. For example, pansioners who live in Khurcha and Nabakevi and it is very difficult to go to Zugdidi to get pensions, so they are asking for the opening of an ATM of "Liberty Bank" in Khurcha or delivery of pensions in place.
Reflection of the training showed that most participants are ready to work on project elaboration independently and develop an effective strategy for advocacy.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization EED Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst.
Participants of the meeting of the Club focused on the problems of local population and ways of their solution. There were raised the issues of car parking and the road in front of the first school (a narrow street, traffic congestion prevents safe movement of pedestrians, especially children).
The meeting participants emphasized that knowledge and skills obtained at the meeting would help effectively advocate for the aforementioned problems: "Advocacy is an action aimed at protecting people's interests through cooperation with the government or media. We think that the activity of the advocacy group will help to solve the problems of the local population." (Esma Todua, a member of the Club of Women-Voters).
At the end of the meeting club members elaborated a strategy for advocating for the aforementioned problems.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization NED – National Endowment for Democracy, USA.
The radio programme transmitted on theradio broadcasting "Dzveli kalaki" on April 20thtold listeners about the work of the advocacy groupsof the Clubs of Women-Voters.
The moderator of the Clubs tells about activities of the advocacy groups.
In Tskhaltubo - local government provided one-time financial assistance to the deserved teachers, the TV plot which presented society those people;
- The issue of water supply in several districts of Kutaisi and efforts made for advocating, which covered all the local structures and aroused great public interest;
- Workshops in regional clubs where participants identified issuesthat need to be advocated and elaborated a necessary strategy.
As an example, there were discussed the cases of advocacy and analyzed the correctness of its strategy - the main part of the programme was dedicated tothese issues.
Under the heading "Active Woman" the author of the broadcast tells about a journalist, a publicist and a member of the advocacy group – Lia Gvenetadze.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization NED – National Endowment for Democracy, USA.
A member of the women’s club Eka Bakhtadze was speaking about the problems of IDPs living in collective centre "Training centre”.There is no traffic light on the highway in front of the Training Centre that prevents normal and safe movement of population.
Members of the Club of Women-Voters have already made a collective statement, began to collect signatures – for the submission to the local government.
At the meeting of the Club was carried out a discussion on the theme "Role of mass media in advocacy of the problems of violence”. The attendees said that in order to effectively address the problems it is necessary to cooperate with the media.
In addressing the problems members of the Club will use the experience gained at the workshop ("The strategy and tactics of civil advocacy").
During the meeting of the Club there was showed a TV plot, prepared by Fund "Sukhumi" (the plot reflects the work of the advocacy group of the Club of Women-Voters in Tskhaltubo).
