The Embassy of Italy in Tbilisi and the Office of the Council of Europe in Georgia in cooperation with the Government of Georgia organised a conference aimed at raising awareness and fostering action to end violence against women and girls. The conference was organised in the context of the on-going Italian Presidency of the Committee of the Ministers of the Council of Europe.
The discussion focused on the implications of gender-based violence with the focus on the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, which Georgia ratified in 2017. The conference was an opportunity to take stock of the progress achieved by Georgia in its implementation of the Istanbul Convention, to discuss the remaining challenges and possible targeted actions to further enforce women’s rights. The conference used an inter-disciplinary approach discussing the issues at global level and in the national context of Georgia.
H.E. Ambassador of Italy to Georgia Enrico Valvo, the Head of the Council of Europe Office in Georgia Natalia Voutova, the Chairperson of the Gender Equality Council of the Parliament of Georgia Nino Tsilosani and the Advisor to the Prime Minister of Georgia on Human Rights Niko Tatulashvili delivered opening remarks.
During the meeting, the Italian Minister of Equal Opportunities and Family, Elena Bonetti, delivered her speech through a video message, “women’s empowerment is essential for the prevention of violence against women including economic violence, it is essential to continue to work on reconciling professional and private live to ensure that women are not obliged to choose between family and work.”
“We continue our efforts. The Council of Europe monitors the implementation of the obligations under the Istanbul Convention, not only to check the implementation status, but also to ensure more informed decision-making. The 2022-2024 Action Plan envisages in-depth work on this issue and foresees the preparation of a package of relevant legislative amendments in co-operation with the relevant stakeholders, including donor organisations,” stated Chair-person of the Gender Equality Council and the member of the Parliament of Georgia, Nino Tsilosani.
“I firmly believe that each and any of us, involved at the political, diplomatic level, as a civil servant or in civil society, can make a difference, provided that we keep committed to fostering awareness and identifying innovative solutions. This is the ultimate goal of this conference, within the “Gender Equality and Diversity Month” in Georgia,“ noted H.E. Ambassador of Italy to Georgia Enrico Valvo.
The Head of the Council of Europe Office in Georgia, Natalia Voutova, stressed that “Today we are here to reaffirm our values, increase our commitment and strengthen our efforts to achieve tangible results in ending violence against women.”
The speakers highlighted the need to continue with the efforts to develop and implement measures aimed at ending all forms of violence against women.
The conference was organised in the framework of the Council of Europe project “Promoting an Integrated Approach to End Violence against Women and Enhancing Gender Equality in Georgia”.
