Fourth Annual Gender Equality Awards Held in Tbilisi

On July 6th, the fourth national contest of Gender Equality Awards was held in Georgia with Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili as a special guest. The event was organized by the Gender Equality Council of the Parliament of Georgia with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Government of Sweden in order to enhance Gender Equality in Georgia.

Before the winners were awarded, Shombi Sharp, acting Head of the UNDP in Georgia awarded President Margvelashvili with a special award for his contribution to gender equality issues.

The main award was granted by the Georgian President himself to Nutsa Abramishvili from Schuchmann Winery for the Best Woman Entrepreneur Award. The President went on to address the attending guests and in his speech mentioned Georgia’s accomplishments towards the issue. “Georgia has gone a long way to ensuring gender equality in political, economic and social life. And yet we are determined to build a society where everyone will be able to enjoy their rights and exercise their choices without any discrimination,” said President Margvelashvili.

Shombi Sharp clearly expressed the meaning and the importance of gender equality at the award ceremony: “Today we celebrate the fourth Gender Equality Awards in Georgia. We of the United Nations and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are joining forces with the Gender Equality Council and Government of Sweden under the special participation of the President of Georgia to highlight the importance of gender equality both because gender equality is a human right, a woman’s right, but also because it is the foundation of social, economic and democratic development in every country worldwide. And the message is clear – gender equality in business and politics and also protection for women and girls, means a more prosperous Georgia for all,” Sharp said.

Manana Kobakhidze, Chair of the Gender Equality Council and the First Deputy Chairperson of the Parliament of Georgia noted that despite Georgia’s achievements in gender equality it still needs more gender equality. “Georgia needs more gender equality in political life and in business. I am sure we are moving in the right direction and we will to achieve significant progress in this particular area,” she said.

The Gender Equality Winners of 2015 are:

Grand Award for Gender Equality – Kula;

Woman Entrepreneur Award – Nutsa Abramishvili (Schuchmann Winery);

Gender Balance at the Executive Level - Personal Data Protection Bureau, Policy and Management Consultancy Group;

Best Innovative Gender Policy - GTS Electronics;

Special Recognition for Gender Awareness Trainings - Zurab Zhvania School of Public Administration;

Special Recognition for Female Empowerment Programme – Geocell;

Special Recognition for Gender Budget Implementation - Ozurgeti City Hall;

Special Recognition for Supporting Women Entrepreneurship - Cooperative Alvani;

Special Recognition for Supporting Women in Leadership - Radisson Blu Iveria Hotel.

Meri Taliashvili