Needs Assessment of Ethnic Minority Women in Georgia

The study has been prepared in order to assess the situation and needs of ethnic minority women and girls and to elaborate the necessary policy level recommendations. Women and girls from ten ethnicities took part in the study, who were residing in compact settlements of targeted regions.

The aim and objective of the research was to provide a study of the situation of women who belong to an ethnic minority in Georgia, to identify their needs and priorities, to identify delivery of services by municipalities and the state level, to analyze to what extent these services cover women’s expectations and needs; to assess perceptions of public services provided; and finally, to draw conclusions and present recommendations. The study was conducted in the period of October-November 2013.

The scope of the study includes: socio-economic overview, indicating women’s social and economic (in)dependence; legal services accessibility and their use in the specific cultural settings of various groups; access to public social services at the state and municipal levels; access to various elements of infrastructure; specific gender-related aspects of family relations such as the occurrence of domestic violence; gender equality awareness among women at local levels (regional and municipal) and female political participation and interest in public life; preservation and protection of ethnic identity.