What do the meetings give us? What results have we achieved in 2025? How have our lives changed?
A summary of the annual work was presented at meetings held in Tsalenjikha, Khobi, Kobuleti, and other municipalities. Members of the women's mutual assistance group spoke about the impact of the project work, its results, and positive changes.
The website "Digital Resource Center of Services for Women Surviving Violence" (https://sosfsokhumi.ge/) is important to them, providing women with all the necessary information.
The women actively work from meeting to meeting. New members join the groups, and they look forward to the New Year with renewed mood.
The project is implemented with the support the Equality Fund (Canada)
The Peace Congress held in The Hague, at the Peace Palace, brought together more than 500 peace activists and women human rights defenders from different countries around the world. The Congress served as an important space to reflect on the growing challenges facing peace and to explore how peace activism can be sustained in an increasingly difficult global context. The event also carried strong symbolic significance for the global women and peace movement.
The Congress concluded with a panel discussion that included Georgian women leaders and peacebuilders, once again highlighting how essential it is that voices from conflict-affected contexts and shrinking civic spaces remain an integral part of global peace dialogue.
The final part of the Congress was the Bertha von Suttner Peace Prize award ceremony. The Prize, established in Georgia through the vision and initiative of Salome Adamia, is rooted in the pacifist legacy of Bertha von Suttner - the first woman Nobel Peace Prize laureate - and aims to support and recognise leaders and activists engaged in peacebuilding.
This year, the prestigious award was presented to Elene Rusetskaia, in recognition of her long-term, consistent, and significant contribution to gender equality and women’s empowerment.
We warmly congratulate Elene Rusetskaia on this well-deserved recognition, as our close partner and a collaborator in numerous joint projects that have delivered tangible benefits to communities. This award reflects not only her individual professional journey, but also the shared values and collective efforts that unite us in advancing women’s rights, peace, and justice.
It is also noteworthy that Ekaterine Gamakharashvili, Head of the Tbilisi Representative Office of the Women’s Fund “Sukhumi,” was included among the final nominees for the Bertha von Suttner Peace Prize. This recognition represents an important example of the international acknowledgement of the work carried out by the Women’s Fund “Sukhumi” women leaders and peacebuilders, and once again underscores the significance of their contribution to global peace processes.
The project is implemented with the support of Brot für die Welt
Economic control is a form of abuse in which a person is gradually deprived of financial independence and freedom of choice. In today’s digital reality, this control is often exercised through technology — by monitoring digital payments, accessing financial accounts, and controlling online communication.
“From that day on, my money was no longer mine.
My right to choose slowly disappeared, and care turned into control.”
This is economic control — one of the most invisible yet most painful forms of technology-facilitated violence.
It may leave no visible marks, but it deeply undermines a person’s dignity, autonomy, and sense of safety.
This project is implemented with the support of the WAVE Network
Image-based abuse is a severe form of technology-facilitated violence that often begins under the guise of love and trust.
“At first, everything seemed to start with love — „Send me a photo, it will be just for me“… but that trust turned into fear, threats, and emotional abuse,” — Lika, 23
Threats to share private images or intimate content without consent are used as tools of control, intimidation, and power.
Trust is not a crime.
The crime is abusing that trust.
This project is implemented with the support of the WAVE Network
Keti’s story highlights one of the most widespread and often overlooked forms of technology-facilitated violence — cyber surveillance.
What initially appeared to be an act of care through location sharing gradually turned into constant monitoring of Keti’s daily life. Her movements were closely tracked — where she went, who she met, when she returned, and why she would “disappear” from the map.
What was framed as concern and protection ultimately became a mechanism of control.
This is not love.
This is not care.
This is control — a form of technology-facilitated violence.
If this experience feels familiar, know that you are not alone.
Technology-facilitated violence is real, and recognizing it is the first crucial step toward freedom and safety.
This project is implemented with the support of the WAVE Network
Technology-facilitated violence against women (TFVAW) often begins invisibly — within everyday digital communication, through access shared in the name of “trust,” and the gradual normalization of control in intimate relationships.
The video presents the real story of Tamar. Her testimony illustrates how sharing passwords, restricting personal space, and constant questioning in a partnership may initially be perceived as expressions of love, but over time transform into mechanisms of control and sources of lost freedom.
“I shared my passwords because I thought that was how trust was built. From that day on, my life no longer belonged to me. Questions, restrictions, control — all in the name of love. And slowly, I began to lose myself,” — Tamar.
Technology-facilitated violence against women and girls is often invisible, yet its consequences are real and severe. It limits personal autonomy, undermines a sense of safety, and erodes self-identity.
If there is a feeling that someone is controlling your digital space, this is an important warning sign. A relationship should never require the surrender of personal freedom.
Freedom should never be negotiable.
This project is implemented with the support of the WAVE Network
“No to violence against women!” — with this unified message, community members in Senaki and Zugdidi joined the global movement, reminding society once again that violence against women is never normal for any community and no woman should ever stand alone.
The meetings, initiated by community leaders and held in small-group and individual formats, highlighted an important truth:
👉 Society needs more responsibility, more solidarity, and less silence.
👉 Violence is not a private issue, it is a shared problem that requires collective resistance.
Together, we are creating a space where violence is no longer tolerated and where every woman feels safe, seen, and supported.
The project is implemented with the support of the DANNER - Kvindecenterfonden Dannerhuset
At the invitation of EUMM Georgia, Ekaterine Gamakharia, Head of the Tbilisi Office of the Women’s Fund “Sukhumi,” delivered a lecture on: “Women, Peace and Security in Practice; Human Security and Violence Against Women in Conflict-Affected Communities.”
The meeting was held within the framework of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign. Ekaterine presented the key areas of the organization’s work, recent research findings, and the main security challenges faced by internally displaced and conflict-affected women — including rising social and economic risks, high prevalence of violence, and limited access to support services.
The discussion highlighted the importance of a human-centered approach in designing and implementing security policies, as well as the need to strengthen cooperation between civil society and international security actors.
The project is implemented with the support of Brot für die Welt.
On December 4, at the Kutaisi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Women’s Fund “Sukhumi” held a regional conference within the global “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence” campaign. The event aimed to summarize long-standing practices in violence prevention and response, as well as the key results from 2025.
Around 70 participants attended from 10 municipalities across Imereti, Guria, Samegrelo, and Adjara, including mobilizers of Women’s Support Centers, para-specialists of social work, youth groups, civil society organizations, and international partners.
Discussions explored violence prevention not only through individual cases but also within broader systemic and structural contexts.
The conference featured three thematic panels:
On-the-ground work with women’s groups
Risk identification, first-line support, trauma response, and strengthening community-based mechanisms.
Youth-led initiatives
Youth representatives presented campaigns and community projects, highlighting the new generation’s motivation and ability to contribute to positive change.
Work with women survivors of violence
Focus areas: psychological support, economic empowerment, rehabilitation services, media literacy, and digital safety.
A key insight from the final discussion was that technology-facilitated abuse is one of the fastest-growing threats in 2025, including online surveillance, cyberbullying, unauthorized account access, and digital manipulation.
The project is implemented with the support of Brot für die Welt.
UN Women hosted the traditional Open Day dedicated to the Women, Peace and Security agenda, marking the 25th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325. The event brought together ambassadors accredited to Georgia, high-level diplomatic representatives, UN agencies and partner organizations.
The discussion focused on the experiences of internally displaced and conflict-affected women—their everyday security challenges, the needs identified within their communities, and the small but impactful local initiatives they have implemented themselves.
Participants emphasized the critical importance of women's meaningful participation in decision-making processes. Presentations by the Women and Youth Peace Ambassadors Network, community workers and women’s organizations highlighted both progress and the growing threats facing women’s voices and activism today.
Eka Gamakharia, Head of the Tbilisi Office of the Women’s Fund “Sukhumi,” stated: “As many displaced women, I know what forced displacement means… This agenda has become a transformative tool for me and many other women… This is the key achievement we must hold on to and never give up.”
The event concluded with a warm reception hosted by the British Ambassador to Georgia, Gareth Ward, symbolizing continued solidarity and recognition of women’s leadership.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization Brot
für die Welt - Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Germany)