In the words of Nino Chibchiuri: “We must never stop working to empower and support women”
Nino Chibchiuri, a 41-year-old journalist, lives with her family in the city of Gori, in the Shida Kartli region. She is the founder and director of the organizations Neo TV and “Georgian Media Group” as well as the editor-in-chief of the magazine “Liakhvis Kheoba” (Liakhvi Valley). Through various platforms, she actively covers women’s issues. With Nino’s initiative and support, the Women’s Information Center held the role-play exercise “In Her Shoes” twice in Gori in December 2025. The meetings were mainly attended by internally displaced women and youth living in villages adjacent to the dividing line. In Georgia, every second woman has experienced at least one form of violence. More than a third of them (38.2 per cent) have not spoken to anyone about what happened. The role-play exercise “In Her Shoes” aims to raise awareness about violence against women. The initiative is part of the programme “EU 4 Gender Equality: Together against Gender Stereotypes and Gender-Based Violence” (Phase II), implemented by UN Women and UNFPA with the generous support of the European Union.
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“During the war in August 2008, I was working at the local TV channel ‘Trialeti’, where I was in charge of the news service. When the conflict started, I did not go to Tbilisi with my family: I said, ‘I am a journalist and I must stay here.’ Those were difficult days: there were military aircraft constantly flying overhead. It was only me and a cameraperson working with me, and whenever we saw flames, we would run to cover the story.
This is when I met women living near the dividing line. In those days, many of them sought refuge in Gori, and some never made it back home. Being a journalist, these women would constantly reach out to me about their needs, and I tried to find answers and show them ways to address their problems. So, I have been telling their stories since then, and I am always interested in how they are, how they live. For years, whenever I learn about a new useful initiative or opportunity, I immediately inform them. It makes me happy when they achieve any success, however small it might be.
In general, I have been supporting women since childhood: from an early age, I understood how unequal the reality is around them. This support motivated me some years ago to begin cooperating with the Women’s Information Center as a journalist and activist. Last year, when I learned about the role-play at one of the organization’s meetings, I immediately thought of the women living near the dividing line. I wanted them to experience ‘In Her Shoes’ too.
The desire to do it was also driven by the specific context of our region: Shida Kartli has endured two wars. Some lost family members or loved ones, while others saw everything they had built in life burn down before their eyes, and the environment became more violent. Despite the trauma, women once again took on many responsibilities and managed to get back on their feet: some acquired new knowledge and professions, others started businesses and created livelihoods. This reality showed many of them that, compared to men, they have numerous obligations and fewer rights. I knew that the issues of inequality and violence would certainly interest women and that they would want to share their views.
The risk of violence increases even further in internally displaced and conflict-affected communities. Expressing empathy towards women who have experienced violence is also of great importance, as without it, escaping violence is extremely difficult. This is precisely the kind of empathy that ‘In Her Shoes’ fosters.
Indeed, the experience proved impactful for our women as well. Participants assumed different roles, went through various stages and spoke openly about their views and emotions. Through the role-play activity, they clearly understood the path that a woman survivor of violence goes through and realized that her choices are often shaped not by her own decisions but by stereotypes prevalent in society. This is exactly what the purpose of the role-play exercise was.
I remember that some participants had transport waiting for them to return to their villages after the meeting, but they could not leave the discussion: they listened attentively to what each person had to say. Their expressions were reflective and deep in thought: perhaps someone recalled their own or another person’s story, while someone else realized that, if they could turn back time, they would change many things.
I believe we must never stop working to empower and support women. I myself have a 6-year-old daughter, and I try to be a successful woman and a role model for her, so that she grows up as a self-confident person who believes in her own abilities. I believe such examples have a special power.”