UN Women supporting the dialogue between conflict affected women and the government
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Empowering women affected by conflict, facilitating their dialogue with governmental actors, advocating for their needs with relevant agencies and engaging them in decision-making processes are among the key priorities of UN Women. One important part of these processes is identifying and promoting the voices of women and girls living in villages adjacent to the Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) and within the settlements of Internally Displaced People (IDP).
This year, women leaders conducted a needs assessment in their communities in the Samegrelo, Zugdidi and Tsalenjikha municipalities with the support of UN Women. The needs identified were presented to the State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality, Tea Akhvlediani, and local authorities in Zugdidi on 19 May.
Nina Korshia, a spokeswoman for the NEFA Foundation noted: “Such meetings are very important. They enable women to tell policymakers about their needs, their problems in the village and about the importance of improving infrastructure, especially water supply and kindergartens, municipal transport and other issues.”
Khatuna Gogua, leader of the Sokhumi Fund working group, presented the results of their recent survey. She also noted that some buildings where IDPs live are collapsing and that there is urgent need to identify alternative housing solutions for the affected individuals.
According to Tea Akhvlediani, the Office of the State Minister is carrying out a strategic review of the engagement and reconciliation policy in relation to the occupied regions. She additionally noted that:
“Women and young people have a special role to play in both conflict prevention and its peaceful resolution. That is why the government’s efforts aim to strengthen their involvement in peace and public diplomacy initiatives, as well as identifying and responding to their needs.”
Through these meetings, UN Women encourages women leaders to share the needs and priorities of their families and communities with central and local governmental representatives in order to apprise relevant government planning and budgetary allocation. Both the needs assessment and meeting were conducted in collaboration with UN Women, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, and the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund from the United Kingdom Government.