Two organizations work with us in Lanchkhuti in the framework of the project “A common forum for CSOs from Guria, Imereti and Racha-Lechkhumi for PAR Roadmap monitoring”.
Lanchkhuti Information Center and Georgian Rural Hall - these two civil society organizations are actively involved in the work process. They were the ones who received the first grants for the implementation of small projects in the municipality.
On April 20, representatives of Imereti Scientists’ Union "Spectri" held a consultation meeting with members of these organizations. The stages of implementation of the funded projects and other important issues were discussed.
The Fund "Sukhumi" started intensive work with Chokhatauri municipality for the first time. The first meeting - presentation of the project - was attended by representatives of local government and civil society activists. The conversation concerned the issues that are envisaged in the project: protecting women's rights, strengthening families, preventing domestic violence, supporting the victim, responding to gender problems.
Representatives of the municipality believe that three-year cooperation will contribute to the strengthening of local gender policy and will give positive results.
One of the Women's Support Centers of the Fund "Sukhumi" has been actively working in Kobuleti during a year. The center will be even more actively involved in the new project "Strengthening the Women's Rights in Western Georgia". On April 19, the presentation of the project was held in Kobuleti. The project is carried out in 10 municipalities of Western Georgia and aims to identify the problems of violence against women and prevent, strengthen families, and establish a non-violent culture in society.
The meeting was attended by members of the gender council of the municipality, representatives of the social service, the department for children’s rights protection and support, civil activists, as well as the members of the Supreme Council of Ajara Pati Khalvashi and Tsotne Ananidze.
Mother left her with acquaintances and disappeared. She grew up without love. She was a victim of bullying, she got married at 15, but was not happy, the husband was rapist. It was the final drop, when her husband almost killed her with an axe… she decided to ask for help and run away with two children. So, she appeared in the shelter. Then she was addressed to the Fund "Sukhumi", passed psycho-rehabilitation, professional courses. Fund "Sukhumi" managed to rent a flat, helped to solve living, health and employment problems. Then was Covid-19… she was immediately taken to the clinic and her children - to the children’s center. Now they are together again. In general, after the shelter, the victim is in difficult situation and needs partner network to feel stability and security. Fund “Sukhumi” created social partners’ network including Fund’s psychologist and lawyer, lawyer of shelter, children’s rights department and social workers. The "Network" meets periodically, summarizes the work, plans activities for the safety and social integration of the victim. The pilot of the “network” turned out to be successful.
Work with the youth has moved to a new stage. Agreements were signed with local governments of 10 municipalities, and the Centers for Youth Empowerment have been established in cooperation with the Youth Departments.
Six-month training courses on leadership, conflict management and violence will be held for the pupils from different schools.
The first trainings have already been held: in Zugdidi and Terjola, trainers and students had the opportunity of live communication, as for Chokhatauri and Kobuleti groups, the work was conducted online.
All participants differed from each other, but they have common characteristic features: great interest in training issues, leadership skills, motivation to learn more ...
“Prehistory of Georgian-Abkhazian conflict, its continuation and consequences” - this topic was discussed at online trainings with youth initiative groups of Tskaltubo and Tsalenjikha (school No. 1 - village Liya) municipalities. The trainings were held separately for both groups with participation of 40 pupils.
"The training was full of information and interesting".
"I wanted to know more about Georgian-Abkhazian conflict, and the training made up for this deficit."
"Today, many of my questions were answered".
The young people expressed interest regarding the topic in this way. They expressed their desire - to have more communication with their Abkhazian peers. The project will give them with this opportunity.
Several actual issues were discussed during the meeting of Baghdati working group. The group members decided to present the code of ethics to to City Council meeting for final approval. They also talked about the active updating of the web page - the new version will include an online petition system, access to public information, and the City Council meetings will be broadcasted.
Recently, local civil society organizations received mini-grants in the framework of the Fund “Sukhumi” project. Representatives of these organizations informed the group members about the future work in small projects that will contribute to the introduction of more effective public administration.
The meeting of the working group also considered the recommendations of the third monitoring of the implementation of public administration reform. These recommendations should be reflected in the action plan of the working group.
The results of the third monitoring of the implementation of public administration reform were discussed during the ordinary meeting of Ozurgeti working group. The monitoring was carried out by local civil society organizations - the Center for Education and Equality and the Union of Young Teachers - with the support of Imereti Scientists’ Unions “Spectri”.
Representatives of these organizations familiarized the meeting participants with the positive trends of the three monitoring processes and new challenges.
The meeting was attended by: Chairperson of the City Council David Darchia, representatives of the City Council Administration, mass media and civil society. David Darchia noted that the municipality has completed the process of internet covering and a person can have electronic access to municipal services from any place. It is one of the contributing factors of improving the practice of e-management.
Meeting of the Women Initiative Group was held in the village Pakhulani (Tsalenjikha municipality). The meeting discussed the tools of the Gender Responsive Early Warning System, the main stages of its implementation, as well as the components of human security. Emphasis was placed on studying the needs of women and participants were selected to conduct the research (focus groups, in-depth interviews and questionnaires).
On the same day, a similar meeting with a youth initiative group was held in school # 2 of the village Lia (Tsalenjikha municipality). The children also wrote essays on the topic of Abkhazia and sent messages to Abkhazian peers. Three members of this group shared the knowledge gained at the common training of the initiative groups with friends.
