United Nations Week Marked in Ushguli

On October 19, with joint efforts of the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator in Georgia and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Georgia Country Office, the United Nations Week was marked in Ushguli, together with other towns and municipalities of Georgia. Sabine Machl, UN Resident Coordinator in Georgia, and Lela Bakradze, Head of the UNFPA Georgia Country Office, attended the activities.

An exhibition of photographer Dina Oganova was opened in Ushguli School showcasing two photo projects: “Girls from the Future” and “Peers for Equality”.

The photo project “Girls from the Future” combines photos with texts to tell the stories of girls aged 10 to 16 living in various towns and villages in Georgia. The project aims to highlight that the full realization of girls’ potential, creation of equal conditions and an equitable environment for them, and access to health and education, play a crucial role in the prosperity and development of every country; that every girl should be given an opportunity to complete her education and make informed decisions about her life and health. “Peers for Equality” tells the stories of 12 youth. Within the framework of the photo project, they talk about gender equality, a healthy lifestyle, reproductive health, education, activism and their own initiatives.

Both photo projects were supported by the UNFPA Georgia Country Office, and are part of widescale advocacy work which the UNFPA is carrying out to eliminate the harmful practice of early marriage and to promote reproductive health and the rights of adolescents and youth.

In cooperation with the National Parliamentary Library of Georgia, an “Equality Corner” was opened in the Ushguli Library. The Equality Corner will enable the youth in Ushguli to raise awareness on equality with the help of contemporary fiction. Giorgi Kekelidze, a writer and the Director of the National Library of Georgia, opened the Equality Corner. Within the framework of the event, he delivered a public lecture on the idea of gender equality and its significance.

The opening of the Equality Corner aims to support the realization of the potential of adolescents and youth. Authors of the initiative consider that it is of utmost importance to have as many spaces as possible in Georgia where adolescents and youth are able to get an informal education, enjoy meaningful free time and share ideas.

The events were held within the framework of UN Week, in cooperation with the Ushguli local government.