In the words of Mzeo Sichinava: “Together with young people, we will achieve equality faster”
Mzeo Sichinava, 21, is a youth worker and future teacher. She studies at the Faculty of Education at Ilia State University and serves as the team leader of "Dia," a group within the Georgian Girl Scouts Association. She also participates in a UN Women initiative, where, together with other trainers from "Dia," she delivers trainings to young people in Tbilisi and across the regions on the prevention and elimination of sexual harassment, bullying, and gender-based violence. The initiative part of the “EU 4 Gender Equality: Together against gender stereotypes and gender-based violence" programme (phase 2), funded by the European Union, implemented jointly by UN Women and UNFPA.
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“I’ve been ‘poisoned’ by Scouting since I was 14,” Mzeo says. “Even today, I’m deeply moved by the story of its founding and the courage of the girls who, in the early 20th century, dressed as boys to sneak into a camp where women weren’t allowed. Their bravery laid the foundation for the Girl Scout movement.”
Scouting is entirely voluntary. Our main drive and motivation is to do good. For me, this is closely linked to my desire to empower women. I remember the first session I held with young people on violence and equality. I immediately realized how essential it is to share knowledge - especially in regions where the voices of girls, and of young people in general, are rarely heard. These trainings give me another opportunity to contribute to the fight against inequality and to support girls.
I feel a great sense of responsibility when participants share their personal stories and I explain the tools they can use to address their challenges. I also place great importance on sharing what I’ve learned. During each training, I post the key messages on a large wall and encourage the participants to take photos and share them with their peers. If even one person tells five friends what they’ve learned, that’s already a success.
We girls often understand each other without words. We share common experiences. When one of us shares her story, the gestures and reactions of others often say, without speaking: “I know. I’ve been through it too.” Still, we always strive to engage boys - by listening to them, giving them space to express their views, and showing them the reality, which is often difficult to hear. I believe these trainings are just as important for boys, because we cannot achieve equality without their involvement.
Unfortunately, many young people still lack knowledge about how to respond to violence or what protective mechanisms are available. They may have experienced something harmful, but cannot name it, nor do they know how to act in such situations. Yet, I can see they are less bound by stereotypes. That’s why I believe that, together with young people, we can reach equality more quickly.
Ever since those girls disguised themselves to enter a Boy Scout camp, women have had to fight repeatedly for recognition of their rights. Sadly, we still face numerous challenges today - challenges rooted in societal inequality and the undervaluing of women’s contributions. Though women’s rights are enshrined in law, gender stereotypes and patriarchal norms remain deeply ingrained. Still, my work with young people gives me hope. I see how deeply these topics resonate with them - how they reflect on them, experience them, and engage with them. We are providing them with so much knowledge that I am convinced our efforts will bear fruit. The younger generation will be the one to break the vicious cycle of discrimination born from outdated stereotypes.
“This article was produced with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of UN Women and UNFPA and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.”