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CAUCASUS 16 DAYS 2001: BULLETIN #2 Dear
Colleagues! As
we approach the start of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender
Violence many organizations are finalizing their events,
actions and announcements. The
Caucasus 16 Days Calendar involves many organizations and is a
very good indication of the commitment to end violence against
women. Attached is
the Caucasus 16 Days Calendar from Yuva, our coordinating partner,
and the Azerbaijan Coordination Committee.
The media campaign is wide-ranging and focused on target
groups – fortunately the Committee have had the benefit of
professional expertise via the activity of journalists.
A Press Briefing on the 16 Days Campaign was held when the
WomenAid International Founder, Pida Ripley, visited Baku
recently, meeting the members of the NGO Forum, government and
parliamentary representatives and the Azerbaijan Coordination
Committee. Current
and future plans for the Caucasus 16 Days were discussed and all
involved were greatly encouraged at the active participation of
over 500 NGOs in the Caucasus region. Financial
Support WomenAid’s
request for financial support for newsletters, posters and
stickers for the first Caucasus 16 Days was granted by the
Canadian Embassy, thus ensuring the Georgian Campaign could
deliver a multi-media campaign in reality!
This important support ensures the Human Rights Day
Conference (10th December) will be held in Tbilisi on
10th December. Other donors include WomenAid
International and the Open Society Institute.
A
request for support of the Armenian Coordination Committee
activities was submitted to the British Embassy in Yerevan but
unfortunately it was refused. Currently ‘Democracy Union’ is awaiting a final
reply from an application made to the Canadian Embassy.
All these applications were prepared by WomenAid on behalf
of all partners and the requests covered specific items only and
no salaries. The size
of the Caucasus 16 Days Coordination Committee drawn from three
countries and range of events is a tribute to the many dedicated
volunteers, to whom we express our appreciation. Caucasus 16 Days Regional Seminar A
16 Days regional conference for 36 delegates will take place in
Tbilisi and will include representatives of NGOs, government and
the press/media. This will ensure early planning of the Caucasus
16 Days 2002, which can only benefit and strengthen the
collaboration established in the past two years. We thank the Canadian government for its support for this,
the first regional coordination of 16 Days of Activism Against
Gender Violence. Human Rights Day Conferences in Baku, Tbilisi and Yerevan The
three National Coordination Committees are organizing a Human
Rights Day Conference in the three capital cities – as the
concluding event of the Caucasus 16 Days.
The theme adopted is “Violence at Home, Violence in
Society”. The
conferences are sponsored by the Canadian Embassy, (Georgia), Open
Society Institute (Azerbaijan) WomenAid International (Armenia). With
the support of the Open Society Institute a special video, ‘Lost
Lives’ has been filmed in Georgia.
This moving film covers the issue of rape and the
kidnapping of young women for marriage.
This is still occurring in the country.
The film is very moving and is also available with Russian
language voiceover therefore it can be distributed through the
three Coordination Committees in the Caucasus region for
Video-Discussion events. NGOs
in all three countries are still registering their activities and
the next Bulletin will include Georgian and Armenian activities in
the Caucasus Calendar.
With best wishes from the 16 Days CoordinationTeam. For further information visit
the website or contact the Caucasus
16 Days Focal Point: WomenAid International-Caucasus: 17 Khvichia
St. Tbilisi 380060 Georgia Tel/Fax: (995 32) 37 92 70 Email#1:
waigeo@access.sanet.ge
Email#2: caucasus16days@womenaid.org |
