Creation of “Women and Youth Peace Ambassadors” Network for Women, Peace and Security

The implementation of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda in Georgia consists of two important parts: its localization, and the empowerment of internally displaced and conflict-affected community-leader women across the country. This process involves not only equipping them with adequate knowledge and skills but also studying their needs thoroughly, as well as ensuring their active and effective involvement in advocating for solutions to problems.

UN Women has been working on the localization of the WPS agenda in Georgia since 2018. The initiative is carried out through the cooperation of three CSOs: the Women’s Information Center, the IDP Women Association “Consent” and Women Fund “Sukhumi”. As part of this work, 265 women in 17 municipalities have been trained, their awareness has been raised, and their technical skills in modern technologies have improved, besides their competence regarding gathering and filing information. Women today are better aware of the significance of their involvement in local policymaking and implementation, and as a result, the advocacy process has improved.

It is noteworthy that the formation of the first large-scale “Women and Youth Peace Ambassadors” network is also an important stage in the localization process and the empowerment of women community leaders. The network was formed at the end of 2023, and it unites 40 internally displaced and conflict-affected women and youth living in 17 municipalities of Georgia.

“Life is very hard in a village along the administrative boundary line because no one knows what will happen and when,” says the network member Tamar Sachaleli, who lives in the village of Kvemo Tchala in the Shida Kartli region. “I am one of the peace ambassador women who is not afraid of this difficulty and strives to improve her village and community. By creating the network, we will be able to share our achievements and problems with one another and be more involved in peacebuilding activities.”

Together with Tamar, other women leaders in the network want to pool their knowledge, experience, resources, and capabilities to implement the WPS agenda, to promote women and girls as leaders of change, and to highlight the role they play in conflict prevention, conflict resolution and peacebuilding. One of the most important plans of the women is to initiate advocacy efforts to address their needs and to present it at the local, central and international levels. The network will actively continue working in this direction.

The localization of the WPS agenda and the formation of the “Women and Youth Peace Ambassadors” network are part 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.