Constructive dialogue continues between the conflict-affected population and government representatives
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The Office of the State Minister of Georgia for Reconciliation and Civic Equality, in cooperation with the State Security Service and UN Women, and with the support of the U.S. Department of State, held an information meeting in Gori.
At the meeting, the results of the latest Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) meeting were shared with the conflict-affected population, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and representatives of local women’s civil society organizations.
It is noteworthy that since being initiated by UN Women in 2013, information meetings have been held regularly between the IDP and conflict-affected women and government representatives to discuss the results of the Geneva International Discussions and the IPRM. Traditionally, the meetings are held in the villages located near the Administrative Boundary Lines (ABLs).
This time, the topic of the information meeting in Gori was the results of the latest IPRM meeting, as well as the security issues along the ABL. Irakli Antadze, IPRM participant from the State Security Service of Georgia, and Zviad Zviadadze, head of the Department on Issues of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia and Former Region of South Ossetia at the Office of the State Minister, answered the participants’ questions and shared detailed information about the meeting held in Ergneti.
Various issues were raised at the meeting by the representatives of women’s organizations and the local population, among them: the human security issues in the villages located along the ABL; the so-called “borderization” process; the functioning of irrigation systems; improvements to road infrastructure; and the expansion of mobile communication coverage zones. In addition, the meeting participants underlined that the village population along the ABL lacks the information about the hotline established for responding to security problems and highlighted the need to improve its function.
“This [meeting] is an important and useful format, which should continue to keep the population informed about the ongoing negotiation process and its results in regard to the occupied territories,” remarked Mr. Zviadadze.
UN Women intends to continue supporting the Office of the State Minister in organizing the IPRM information meetings so that the participants of mentioned format can ensure that information about the negotiation process is provided to the conflict-affected population through a regular dialogue, and identified problems, including the needs of women and girls, are reflected in the negotiation process accordingly.