Women in defence for Women, Peace and Security agenda in Georgia

“I serve in a structure that is a symbol of the country’s strength, how can I not be proud of that?” - Lieutenant-Colonel Ana Lukava

Ana Lukava, 49, is the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces and Senior Assistant to the Chief of the General Staff.

Originally from the village of Dranda in Abkhazia’s Gulripshi district, Ana was a student at the Faculty of Philology at Sokhumi State University when the war began, forcing her to flee to Tbilisi. “I lived with my relatives for three years,” she recalls. “I woke up every morning with the hope that I would get back to my district, but this happy moment has still not come.”

In 1995, Ana got an assignment protecting the security of government officials in Abkhazia, and she soon received the initial military rank of officer. In those early days, she did not think at all about serving in the Defence Forces, let alone about military uniforms and ranks. She thought that women in the military were just nurses and doctors, but things turned out differently. In 2004, already a captain in the state security sector, she decided to join the Defence Forces, and the first person she shared this desire with was her husband.

“My husband is a military sailor by profession and a captain,” the Lieutenant-Colonel explains. “In those days, he too served in the Defence Forces. He didn’t seem to be thrilled about my decision. But later, when I was going to the shooting range and the commander asked him how a mother of young children could stay away in the barracks for months, my husband supported my decision. I knew I had to be prepared for anything there, be it going out in the field, camping, training, shooting or conducting warfare. And by the way, I must say that if not for my mother’s support, I do not know what kind of career I would have had.”

During her career, Ana has heard lots of different opinions about her profession. She has met men from both sides: those for whom a woman’s presence in the military is unacceptable as well as those who do not discriminate against aspiring army personnel on the basis of their sex. Ana thinks that although there is now a lack of women in leading positions in the military, the number of girls wishing to master this profession is increasing, which gives her hope.

“I serve in a structure that is a symbol of the country’s strength,” Ana reflects. “How can I not be proud of that?” Although she will soon retire from the military, Ana says that the years she spent in the army will make her feel fulfilled for the rest of her life.

“As I grew up and became an adult, I had already decided that I would definitely go into the military sector” – Tamar Tchaava, Master Sergeant

Tamar Tchaava, 38, is an internally displaced person from Abkhazia whose father died in the war. The tragic events of her childhood had a profound impact on her choice of profession. “It all affected my future and my lifestyle,” Tamar says. “As I grew up and became an adult, I had already decided that I would definitely go into the military sector.” Neither her relatives nor her friends welcomed her decision with much enthusiasm. They believed that there is no place for women in the military.

But Tamar proved through her work that women can do anything: they can be doctors, teachers, housewives—and defend their homeland. “Little by little, it turned out that I am not the only exception—and that, of course, makes me feel proud,” Tamar reflects. “Back then, in 2005, gender equality in the defence sector was not as relevant as it is today. Now this topic attracts special attention. I think our Euro-Atlantic aspirations have also played a big role, prompting us to continue breaking stereotypes.”

Since 2005, Tamar has held a number of positions, working on operational and training planning as well as monitoring and evaluation. She currently serves as a Master Sergeant in the Public Relations Division of the NATO-Georgia Joint Training and Evaluation Center (JTEC) S-3 Public Relations Section.

Tamar has two children. Her family members— her husband and sister—also serve in the Defence Forces of Georgia. Looking towards her plans for career advancement, she wants to complete the next military career course and become a sergeant major.

The publication “Women in Service to Georgia” was prepared within the framework of the UN Women project “Accelerating Implementation of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in Georgia”, generously funded by the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund of the UK Government and the UK Ministry of Defence.