aniao1s nips tewniaccess createsend comNViewEmlfOE7BESIC8SBSE05IC STFDZFS8ACAB5C previews Web Version | Update preferences | Unsubscribe Like Tweet — Forward = @usaip|caucasus Women's History Month The purpose of Women’s History Month is to highlight contributions of women to events in history and contemporary society, and to encourage women’s active engagement in social and political developments. Women’s History Month is an annual declared month celebrated during March in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, corresponding with International Women's Day on March 8, and during October in Canada, corresponding with the celebration of Persons Day on October 18, Citizen Outreach Grants (COG) Contest On January 28, EWM ACCESS announced the first Request for Applications (RFA) for 1§3800dIL3IM LIBMBIOMINN 8868NNNSHTI9 TESTERAET | Po smad.wosade nrenaemans sonas00 EHSTUUTE | ADVANCING CSO CAPACITIES AND ENGAGING SOCIETY FOR SUSTAINABILITY (ACCESS) EWMI ACCESS celebrates Women’s History Month in regions of Georgia Within the framework of the Women’s History Month in March 2015, EWMI ACCESS organized more than 20 events dedicated to women’s rights and gender equality, highlighting women’s role in the social and political life and encouraging women engagement in decision-making process, Events were held in Centers for Civic Engagement in 10 citles of Georgia (Marneuli, Rustavi, Sagarejo, Telavi, Gori, Kutaisi, Zugdidi, Ozurgeti, Akhalstiske, and Batumi). Representatives of local NGOs, government, political parties, media, students and other interested parties were invited to these various events. Local women clubs existing at Centres for Civic Engagement were also actively involved in the events. ACCESS expresses its gratitude towards all participants, women members of local Sakrebulos, Radio program “Feminstream” (a joint project of Radio Liberty, Women's Fund and South Caucasus Regional Office of the Heinrich Boell Foundation), people who translated TED Talks in Georgian, local women clubs and others who participated in the events. Women in Politics Discussions held in Akhaltsikhe, Gori, Kutaisi, Ozurgeti, Sagarejo, Rustavi, Telavi and Zugdidi Centers for Civic Engagement revolved around the Radio Liberty program “Feminstream” on the topic of women’s participation in politics. The follow-up discussions elaborated on the current situation and problems in Georgia with regards to women engagement in decision-making process, and explored possible solutions, Discussions were facilitated by female representatives of Sakrebulo in Kutaisi, Ozurgeti, Sagarejo and Zugdidi, and a female representative of city hall in Telavi. Ida Bakhturidze, tps ewmiaccess crestosend com View mail 0E7BEBICEMBSE0B\C67F D2F 38AC 48500) preview Ale 5anes ipsilewmiaccesscreatesord comiMiewEmailQE7BES1C8S4B8608/C67F D2FSBNC4B59C/PpreviewAl=t Citizen Outreach Grants (COG) program: A total of 69 proposals were submitted, EWMI ACCESS plans to award up to four grants under this RFA. Winners of the contest will be announced in April, 2015. Public Policy and Accountability Grants (PPAG) Contest On February 6, EWMI ACCESS announced the first RFA for Public Policy and Accountability Grants (PPAG). 24 proposals were submitted under this call. EWMI ACCESS plans to award up to. two grants. Winners will be announced in April, 2015. an invited expert from Tbilisi and representative of independent feminist’s group, led discussions in Akhaltsikhe and Gori. Participants discussed social and cultural barriers hindering women representation in both executive and legislative branches, Quota system was an issue that triggered particular interest and hot debates among participants. Opinions regarding the quota system were split in pro and con positions in almost all centers. Men prevailed among opponents to the system, however, there were few women too who believed that the quota system was not the best solution to the problem. In their opinion, this approach would be humiliating for women. A female Sakrebulo member noted that she had not favoured the quota system before she entered politics, but thereafter, when she came to encounter problems only because she was a woman, she turned into a supporter of the proposed quota system. Similar issues were discussed in Batumi, Kutaisi and Zugdidi Centers where participants listened to the TED Talk “Why we have too few women leaders” (author: Sheryl Sandberg, https: //www.youtube.com/watch?v=18uDutylDa4) and drew parallels with the Georgian reality. The topic of another interesting discussion in Sagarejo Center for Civic Engagement was Woman and Politics led by the regional coordinator of the Gender Equality Network, Sophio Mandzulashvili-Kharebava. Representatives of local NGOs, women clubs and youth discussed the role of women in social and political developments. Participants noted that despite number of initiatives aimed at ensuring gender equality, a plethora of problems still remain and women and men do not enjoy equal start-up opportunities. A number of reforms in various areas should be carried out to ensure gender equality, including the introduction of the quota system. Special attention should also be drawn to the promotion of gender equality at schools and the integration of gender issues into the curriculum, as children start developing gender attitudes from early age. Women from the Past At Ozurgeti Center for Civic Engagement, participants recalled unknown stories of women of Guria. They talked about those women who, at various times, were actively engaged in social life and left enduring traces in the history of Guria, Attendees also recalled foreign women who lived and worked in Guria and talked about their contribution to the development of the region as a whole. Representatives of the local government and NGOs working ‘on women issues attended another meeting on “Women Stories” held in Gori. NGO activists made a presentation np Jewiaceess createsend contViewEmall/0E7BES 1CBSBSEOEICSTFOZF S8AC 48590 previews 1anvants Hips itewmiaccess createsend comAMewEmailOE7BESCBS4B86081C67F DIF S8AC4B50C previowAl= about first feminists of early 20th centurty from Gori and after the follow-up discussion, called on the representatives of local government to name streets after prominent women of Gori (and other cities). Homophobia “Homophobia and LGBT Women” was the topic of radio program “Feminstream” streamed and discussed in Akhaltsikhe, Rustavi and Telavi Centers for Civic Engagement. Natia Gvianishvili, a member of independent feminist group and Ekaterine Aghdghomelashvili, Exectutive director of Women's Initiative Support Group, facilitated the follow-up discussion. Speakers spoke about rights of lesbians and female bisexuals, cases of discrimination on the ground of homophobia and transphobia, including discrimination at workplace, medical institutions and other public institutions. Women’s Rights Re-evaluation of the importance of March 8 was the topic of discussion in Batumi Center for Civic Engagement, Participants spoke about the history and underlying idea of the International Women’s Day, and about a prevailing tendency of misinterpreting the core idea of the event. Nino Tavlalashvili, head of Adjara Branch of the Georgian Young Lawyer's Association, facilitated the discussion. The documentary “Girls have their Say” produced by the Go Group Media “Eyewitness Studio” was screened at the end of the event. The movie consists of four episodes depicting the stories of four young girls living in various regions of Georgia, and conveying their views and attitudes concerning women’s and men’s rights, opportunities and equality. Movie episodes were shot by professional journalists as well as by ordinary citizens. The full version of the movie is available at www.gogroupmedia.net. Beauty Standards The Radio Liberty program on Beauty Standards and Myths was streamed in Zugdidi ips ewmiaccesscresteserd comAMewEmallJOETBES C9488608/C57F D2F 38AC 4869 7previewAll=1anv tips /lewmiaccess erealesend comAViewEmai//OE7BEB C8S4B8006!C67F D2F SOACASEECY?previewAll=1 Center for Civic TapbreaGame sBgbo+ “TF Engagement, Ekaterine 39dobl Imerlishvili, EWMI ACCESS Deputy Chief of Party co-hosted the radio program. Event participants discussed “beauty standards” as a means of pressure on and discrimination against women as well as how these standards affect women’s careers and personal lives. Women Forum A forum of NGOs working on women issues was held in Marneuli Center for Civic Engagement. Advisor to Head of Marneuli Sakrebulo on Gender Issues Ia Esebua, Representative of Ombudsman’s Office in Kvemo Kartli Leila Mamedova, representatives of local NGOs (Society of Democrat Women of Marneuli, Union of Azerbaijanis in Georgia, the UN Women Fund), local leaders of political parties, students and journalists took part in the forum. Representatives of NGOs and local government summarized their work and discussed future plans. Forum participants also spoke about women’s political and economic empowerment and the elimination of violence against women. Problems faced by women in Marneuli and generally in Georgia also triggered hot debates. Sakrebulo representative informed the attendees that a gender council will be established at Marneuli Sakrebulo in the nearest future, bringing together active local women. Council members will engage in the decision-making process. Special attention will be paid to accommodating women’s needs in the budget planning process. The composition of current Sakrebulo and Gamgeoba (local administration body) was also assessed from the gender perspective. “Currently none of Gamgebeli deputies is a woman and there is only one female among heads of local services at the local administration. Also, there is only one female member among 33 members of Sakrebulo,” Ja Esebua noted. Participants in the discussion talked about necessary steps for women’s economic empowerment and expressed their readiness to cooperate on the elimination of above mentioned problems. The screening of the documentary "Who is Afraid of Feminism in Georgia?” produced by South Caucasus Regional Office of the Heinrich Boell Foundation in 2013 was organized in Marneuli Center for Civic Engagement. ACCESS isa five-vear, $5.5 million USD civil society development initiative Imps tewmiaccess cretesend comt/ViewEmali/OE7BES (CBS¢BS0E/C67FD2F 3BACABSOCIIprevieWAll=anes nips stewmiaccess.createsend comMViewEmal/OE7BESIC8GA850067FD2F S8AC4B59C;previewAll= 4 funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by the East-West Management Institute (EWM). USAID administers U.S. Foreign assistance programs providing economic and humanitarian assistance in more than 80 countries worldwide. hitps://wwr facebook com/EW ML ACCESS ipsutewmisccess.crealesend comNViewEmal/CETEES IC BS4BS50BICE7FDIF3BACAR6CproviewAl=t