Members of Tskaltubo mutual assistance group held their final meeting of the year and summarized their work:
"It's gratifying that we have resolved the problems in our settlements."
"Thanks to this project, we have established ourselves as community leaders and contributed to the resolution of specific problems."
During the meeting, initiatives were discussed, including the Kopitnari IDP community initiative, which has already received funding and is in the process of finalizing the technical details.
The project is implemented by a coalition of NGOs: the Association of IDP Women “Consent”, the Women's Information Center, and Women's Charitable Humanitarian Fund “Sukhumi”.
Mutual assistance groups actively participated in the international campaign "16 Active Days against Gender – based Violence." The leader of Zugdidi group held an informational meeting with the public. Meetings were held in Khobi and other municipalities, and informational materials prepared by our organization were distributed.
Participants discussed the importance of the campaign, violence prevention, and the need to support victims.
According to group members, it is very important to organize their work in the manner of the Women Fund “Sukhumi”. Awareness raising and women empowerment contribute to a reduction of violence.
The project is implemented with the support the Equality Fund (Canada)
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.