Global Campaign '16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence' Marked in Akhalkalaki
UNFPA Georgia Country Office, the European Neighborhood Program for Agriculture and Rural Development (ENPARD), the Akhalkalaki Local Action Group, National Parliamentary Library of Georgia and the Department of Rural Development and Vocational Education of the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs joined forces to mark the global campaign “16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence” in Akhalkalaki along with other cities and municipalities of Georgia.
An exhibition of photographer Dina Oganova was opened at the public school #3 in Akhalkalaki on December 7, showcasing two photo projects: “Girls from the Future” and “Peers for Equality”. Through pictures and quotes, Oganova's photo project “Girls from the Future” shares the stories of adolescent girls aged 10-16 from different parts of Georgia. The project promotes the idea that realizing full potential of girls, creating equal opportunities and an enabling the environment for them, encouraging their access to education and healthcare, plays a crucial role in the advancement and development of the country. Every girl should be given the opportunity to complete education and make informed decisions about their own life and health.
The project “Peers for Equality” tells a story of twelve young people from Georgia. Within the frameworks of the photo project, they talk about gender equality, healthy lifestyle, reproductive health, education, activism and their own initiatives. Both proto projects were made possible with the support of UNFPA Georgia Country Office, and are part of a large-scale advocacy work, which the UNFPA is carrying out for eliminating the harmful practice of early marriage and promoting reproductive health and the rights of adolescents and young people.
An Equality Corner opened in the library of the same school, in cooperation with UNFPA Georgia Country Office and the National Parliamentary Library of Georgia. The Equality Corner will enable the adolescents and young people residing in Akhalkalaki to raise their awareness on equality with the help of contemporary fiction. Giorgi Kekelidze, writer and director of the National Library of Georgia, opened the Equality Corner. Within the framework of the event, he delivered a public lecture and talked about the idea of gender equality and its importance.
Opening the Equality Corner aims at supporting the realization of the potential of adolescents and youth. Authors of the initiative consider that it is of utmost importance to have as much space as possible in Georgia where adolescents and youth are able to get informal education, enjoy meaningful free time and share ideas.
Within the framework of the event, Nana Kashakashvili, head of the Department of Rural Development and Vocational Education of the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs, awarded certificates to the training center’s graduates of the Georgian language and special painting course. The training center was founded at the Local Action Group of Akhalkalaki, with the funding of ENPARD, and its goal is to improve social integration in regard to education, culture, youth and gender equality issues. This also enabled the local population to visit the exhibition of graduates of the training course in a special drawing.
The event was attended by the representatives of UNFPA, local government bodies, Akhalkalaki LAG, GIPA and National library. The event was held within the framework of the global campaign “16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence”.