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.
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.
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.
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).
The advocacy
group presented a brief report on the work carried out during the last month.
According to the
group members, they informed the head of Khoni Municipality, Besarion Chelidze,
about the problems of IDPs (with regard to paying for water supply and garbage
collection), living in the collective centre of Khoni, and got the quick reply.
"The issues of exempting
of socially vulnerable families (such families will be financed from local
budget) living in the collective centre of Khoni from paying for water and
garbage collection, is on the agenda of Khoni municipality, - Eliso Jikia,
leader of the Club of Women-Voters in Khoni.
The one-hour
workshop on the theme "Strategy and tactics of civic advocacy” was held during
the Club meeting.
At the end of
the meeting there was screened a TV plot of Fund "Sukhumi” about the activity
of the advocacy group of the Club of Women-Voters in Tskhaltubo.
The project is implemented with the support of the
organization NED – National Endowment for Democracy, USA.
The advocacy group of the Club of Women-Voters in
Khobi made a brief report on the carried out activity.
As a result of this activity and through the Village
Support Programme a bridge was rebuilt in the village Khorga.
The problem of water
supply was solved in the village Bia. Several villagers were supplied with water without any schedule and water
counters, that led to non-purposeful water consumption. According to Manana
Shulaia (a leader of the Club of Women-Voters and a member of Khoni Municipality)
soon there will be installed water counters in the village.
The second part of the meeting was dedicated to
one-hour workshop on the theme: "Strategy and tactics of civic advocacy”.
Participants of the meeting emphasized that the
workshop was interesting and they would use the obtained skills in advocacy
planning and implementation.
At the end of the meeting there was screened a TV plot
about the work of the advocacy group of the Club of Women-Voters in Tskhaltubo.
The project is implemented with the support of the
organization NED – National Endowment for Democracy, USA.
Women, attending the meeting, discussed challenges of the local population, related to water supply. It was mentioned that the population is worried about the issues of the termination of benefit rates and payment for water based on the number of family members, inconvenient schedule of water supply etc.
According to members of the Club, the problems require long and careful study.
Members of the Club of Women-Voters have already raised that issue in the Joint Water Supply Company of Georgia. They hope that the problems of urban water supply will be resolved soon.
At the end of the meeting a representative of the insurance company "Aldagi" - Roland Bregvadze, invited to the meeting, answered questions of the Club members.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization NED – National Endowment for Democracy,
Participants of the meeting focused on the issue of
rehabilitation of city streets: "The streets are dug over due to ongoing
renovations causing problems to the population (limited movement, dust)."
Advocacy group of the Club decided to address this problem together with the
local government.
At the meeting was raised the issue about one of the
active members of the Club of Women-Voters, a lecturer of Batumi European
University Mrs. Mzia Ramishvili (she was injured and needs urgent operation).
An advocacy group wrote a statement to the Mayor’s
office in Batumi which had been signed by the Club members.
They will apply to the City Mayor’s office with the
request to allocate funds from the budget for Mzia Ramishvili (she is a mother
of many children and a widow) or recommend free of charge treatment in any
medical clinic.
The Advocacy group has already submitted the statement
to the Mayor’s office and is expecting for positive answer.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization NED – National
Endowment for Democracy, USA.
The theme of the meeting was "Advocating for problems
of local population. Local budget and social programmes”.
Women were actively involved in discussion of the
theme. They stressed on the work carried out by the advocacy group.
According to the members of the advocacy group one of
their important achievements was that they addressed the local self government
of Tskhaltubo with the proposal to make special mention of public service of elderly
teachers – IDPs from Abkhazia, living in Tskhaltubo.
The local government supported their proposal and the
teachers, who had been left without attention, will be provided with the financial assistance in the amount of 200 GEL.
The project is implemented with the support of the
organization NED – National Endowment for Democracy, USA.
Twenty
participants of the meeting – members of the Club of Women-Voters,
representatives of political parties, and journalists discussed the issue of
parking. They mentioned that there is not a car park on the territory of the
central market of the town.As a result traffic
jams often occur there, that endangers passers-by.
At the
Club was also raised the issue of cleaning of the town: "Despite the fact
that garbage collection service carries out work daily, small trash cans create
discomfort and poor sanitation". According to the participants of the
meeting, there should be put bigger trash cans.
Activists
of the Club of Women-Voters, members of advocacy group will prepare photographs
reflecting the traffic jams and dirty areas, collect signatures of the
population and send a letter to the local self-government. The local newspaper
"Alioni" will also be involved in addressing the problem.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization NED – National
Endowment for Democracy, USA.
Members of the Club of Women-Voters, gathered in a collective centre (Military town) of Khoni, raised the issue of water supply: "After redecoration and privatization of IDPs’ accommodations in the collective centre of Khoni, water is supplied only for an hour per day. They have to carry water from wells. The lack of access to water results in poor sanitation and endangers human health".
Advocacy group of the Club raised the aforementioned issue in local government and regional media.
Deputy Chairman of Khoni Sakrebulo Besarion Chelidze commented on the raised problem: "In the near future the local government will try to improve water supply schedule."
The project is implemented with the support of the organization NED – National Endowment for Democracy, USA.
Members of the Club of Women-Voters got acquainted with 2012 budget of Khobi municipality. The budget line on social sphere and healthcare attracted particular attention of the participants: "These are the spheres that local people are mostly concerned about, since most of them are unemployed and have limited access to health services."
Advocacy group of the Club discussed an issue of high parental fee for kindergartens (they emphasized that benefits are only for families with many children and IDPs).
To solve the problem raised at the meeting, the advocacy group will present a Letter of Appeal to the local government.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization NED – National Endowment for Democracy, USA.
Members of the Club of Women-Voters in
Batumi were acquainted with the Action Plan on UN SCR 1325 (2012 – 2015), as
well as an amendment to the Organic Law on Political Union of Citizens in order
to increase women's political participation. Namely, the amendment envisages
the additional 10% of financing to the electoral subjects, which will include
at least 20% of female representatives to the municipal election list.
According to the Club members, this amendment
will promote gender balance.
Participants of the meeting made emphasizes
on the training, conducted on January 17-18 in Kutaisi. The training on "Advocacy
- an effective tool for the protection of civil interests" increased our
knowledge. We studied the methods which will help us successfully solve the
problems," - said the Club member Mari Papidze.
Members of the Club of Women-Voters gathered in the City Hall of Poti, discussed the problems of IDPs living in a collective center (Training Center): "After removing the garages from the yard of the collective centre, the yard got dirty, and there was formed a swamp that threatens the health of the population living there. There were cases when children and elderly falled into the swamp and received minor injuries, "- said the meeting participants.
In order to solve this problem members of the Club will apply to the city's mayor in the near future.
The project assistant acquainted the participants with the Georgian National Action Plan on UN SCR 1325 (2012-2015) as well as an amendment to the Organic Law of Georgia on the Political Unions of Citizens in order to increase women's political participation. Namely, the amendment envisages the additional 10% of financing to the electoral subjects, which will include at least 20% of female representatives to the municipal election list.
Members of the Club of Women-Voters hope that the amendment in the Law will have a positive impact on women's mobilisation and gender balance.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization NED – National Endowment for Democracy, USA.
At a meeting of the Club of Women-Voters was stressed the importance of the training on advocacy, organized by Fund "Sukhumi".
Participants of the meeting discussed the issues related to resettlement. They said that the process of resettlement is not painless. Some of the IDPs are satisfied with their accommodation, while for the others is very difficult to get used to the new environment.
In the place of resettlement, which is settled by several tens of IDP families, was arranged a micro bus, but the road fell into disrepair and the car often breaks down.
The advocacy group of the Club of Women-Voters decided to work to resolve the issue of repairing the road from the place of resettlement of IDPs to the central route.
At the end of the meeting participants of the Club expressed the initiative to submit to the the Sakrebulo of Tskhaltubo an application with regard to congratulating of elderly teachers with the World Women’s Day.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization NED – National Endowment for Democracy, USA.
