Georgia: State Minister Tea Akhvlediani paid an official visit to Zugdidi Municipality in the Samegrelo region, where she held meetings with women and young people affected by the conflict.
In particular, the State Minister, together with the head of the United Nations Women (UN-WOMEN) in Georgia, Kaori Ishikawa, held a meeting with women living in the villages of the dividing line of Zugdidi Municipality; Tea Akhvlediani also met with students living on both sides of the occupation line at Shota Meskhia Zugdidi State University.
The purpose of the meetings was to get instructed on the ongoing process of strategic review of reconciliation and engagement policies and to share the laughter and opinions of women and youth affected by the conflict for further consideration in the updated strategy and action plan. Tea Akhvlediani listened to the needs of the locals at the meetings and focused on the priorities of the new strategy.
“The Office of the State Minister is carrying out a strategic review of the policy of engagement and reconciliation in relation to the occupied regions, in which the priority will be to empower women and youth and their more active involvement in peace processes. Women and young people have a special role to play in both conflict prevention and peaceful resolution of the conflict. That is why the government’s efforts are aimed, on the one hand, at strengthening their involvement in peace and public diplomacy initiatives, as well as identifying and responding to the needs facing them. “These issues were the subject of a very interesting discussion in Zugdidi Municipality, both with women affected by the conflict and with students living on both sides of the border,” said State Minister Tea Akhvlediani.
“Today is the first event when the UN Women and the State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality met with women affected by the conflict in Zugdidi. It was a unique opportunity and a candid dialogue addressing the needs and concerns of the women and girls living here and hopefully these concerns will be reflected in Women, “In the National Peace and Security Action Plan, as well as in the policy documents, these tools are aimed at addressing the challenges under consideration,” Kaori Ishikawa said.
