Women engaged in social mobilization gain new knowledge and skills

UN Women continues to promote the social mobilization methodology as part of advancing the Women, Peace and Security agenda, empowering women engaged in self-help groups with essential knowledge and skills.

In July and August 2025, UN Women, in partnership with the Association of Internally Displaced Women “Consent”, the Women’s Information Center and the Cultural-Humanitarian Fund “Sukhumi”, conducted trainings for members of self-help groups in Gori, Kutaisi and Zugdidi. Nearly 90 women from 15 municipalities across Shida Kartli, Kvemo Kartli, Imereti and Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti took part in the trainings.

Participants learned about the vital role that self-help groups play in improving community life, including how to assess local needs, identify priorities, design community initiatives, develop relevant projects, engage in advocacy and mobilize necessary support for implementation. Through practical exercises, the training also helped women strengthen their leadership, presentation and other essential skills.

“During the training, I learned how to manage different initiatives and prioritize them effectively,” participant Eka Gogatishvili said following the training. “It was especially important for me to understand the role of women in community life, needs assessments and advocacy. I became even more aware of how much responsibility lies in the work of a self-help group. I am also pleased that other women actively participated in the discussions throughout the training, offering valuable insights.” Eka lives in the village of Perevi, along the Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) in the Imereti region, and leads the newly established self-help group “Women’s Power for Change”. Eka is a community worker, and her group currently includes five members and three volunteers.

Since 2010, UN Women, in collaboration with partner non-governmental organizations, has been utilizing the methodology of social mobilization for community-based projects. The approach supports women and youth living in rural areas in developing leadership skills, engaging in decision-making processes and participating in advocacy initiatives. It also fosters successful and inspiring examples of volunteerism.

As of 2025, women who are internally displaced or residing along the ABL have also begun implementing community initiatives through the social mobilization methodology. Following a series of trainings, self-help groups are presenting community initiatives and carrying out projects aimed at improving the daily lives of local populations.

UN Women will continue to support and empower these women in the future. The introduction of the social mobilization methodology at the local level contributes to the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda and forms part of the UN Women project “Women Act for Peace and Security”, which is implemented with financial support from the UK Government.