April 2022

Origins of International Women’s Day

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March 8 is an important date – International Women’s Day, dedicated to celebrating the social, economic and political achievements of women and gender equality. This year’s theme is #BreaktheBias – Campaigners are urging people to eliminate gender stereotypes and discrimination if they witness it.

“Achieving gender equality and empowering women is an unfinished business of our time and the greatest human rights challenge in the world.”

This was announced by the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres.

International Women’s Day is celebrated every year. It was first celebrated as National Women’s Day in the United States in February 1909, and the following year at the Second International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen, Denmark, Clara Zetkin, a women’s rights activist, called on people to celebrate International Women’s Day. To demand equal rights. She was supported by women from 17 countries, including three women MPs from Finland.

There is speculation that the true founders of March 8 were American women, and this story dates back to an earlier date, 1857, when women staged a mass demonstration in New York for their rights. They protested against low wages and unbearable working conditions. The women who took to the streets were dispersed by the police. That is why the election was suspended on March 8.

International Women’s Day was first celebrated in March 1911, but the official date is March 8, 1913. It was first mentioned by the UN in 1975.

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Transgender Women Should Not Compete in Women’s Sports – Boris Johnson

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The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson says he finds it unacceptable for transgender women to participate in women’s sports events.

The issue of transgender athletes, which focuses on women’s involvement in sports, sports fairness and safety, has recently been addressed in the case of transgender cyclist Emily Bridges. She announced that she had been refused participation in the first elite women’s race.

Johnson addressed many issues, including the government’s approach to banning conversion therapy, adding:

“I do not think that biological men should participate in women’s sports tournaments. It may be debatable, but I just find it reasonable. I also think women should have their own spaces. Will it be in hospitals, prisons or dressing rooms. These are complex issues and cannot be resolved quickly and easily by legislative change. It takes a lot of thinking to make the right decision. “

Johnson’s comment was responded to by the LGBTQ charity Stonewall:

“Transgender people deserve to have the same opportunities as others to enjoy the benefits of sports, and excluding them from competitions is fundamentally unfair. Sport has a unique power to unite us, and it is important for transgender people to be able to compete without exclusion and violence.”

 

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Population Names Russia as the Biggest politically (90%) and Economically (83%) Threatening Country – IRI survey

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According to a poll conducted by the International Republican Institute (IRI), citizens are worried about economic problems, political polarisation and, at the same time, increased threats from Russia.

The survey was conducted on behalf of the Research Center of the International Republican Institute from March 4-24, 2022. The data are collected by face-to-face interview method and 1486 respondents with voting rights and age across Georgia took part in it.

Stephen Knicks, Director of the Eurasian Representation at the International Republican Institute, said:

“For the citizens of Georgia, the economic situation remains the main challenge. Research shows that more effective steps are needed to address the problems caused by unemployment and expensive living.”

According to a new survey, the majority of the population thinks that the economic situation in Georgia has deteriorated sharply or partially over the past year. Only 1% of respondents say the situation has improved dramatically, 5% believe the situation has partially improved, 18% do not notice the change and say it has remained the same, for 31% the situation has partially deteriorated, and for 45% it has deteriorated sharply.

Unemployment and high prices are considered by most of the population as the most important problem. Unemployment was named as the most important problem by 40%, high prices by 18%. In the second place these problems were chosen by 59% (unemployment) and 45% (high prices).

War and poverty were indicated by 8-8% of the respondents as the first choice, 9% chose the other, while in the case of the second choice, 16%, 20% and 18% were observed.

As for the country’s most important political partners, in this case, the citizens had the opportunity to give several answers and the percentage was distributed as follows: EU – 54%, USA – 53% and Ukraine – 45%.

In case of the most important economic partners for Georgia: EU – 45%, USA – 42%, Turkey and Ukraine – 32-32%.

The population names Russia as the country with the greatest political (90%) and economic (83%) threat. It is noteworthy that the number of opponents of deepening dialogue with Russia has fallen sharply in recent years and this year saw the lowest rate of support for dialogue (34%). According to the data of 2022, 25% of the population strongly opposes the deepening of the dialogue with Russia, 28% support it and 11% oppose it.

88% of the population supports EU membership, while 74% support NATO membership. 43% of the public believe that joining the EU will strengthen the economy, while 28% think that joining it will lead to political instability. As for NATO, 31% think that joining the alliance will increase security in the country, while 32% think that the biggest obstacle to joining NATO is Russia.

If the elections were held on Sunday, the results of this question would be distributed according to the parties as follows: Georgian Dream – 31%, UNM – 16%, For Georgia – 4%, Droa – 2%.

30% of the population fully and partially support the demand for early parliamentary elections of the opposition – 19%. Partially against 11%, while 25% are completely against. 60% of respondents want to see new political parties in the upcoming elections.

According to a survey by the International Republican Institute (IRI), Ilia II (92%), Kakha Kaladze (53%) and Salome Zurabishvili (52%) have the highest approval rating of the Georgian population. Irakli Gharibashvili (47%) and Public Defender Nino Lomjaria (44%) are in the fourth and fifth places.

Survey data were weighted by age, sex, region, and settlement size. The margin of error is +/- 2.5%, the response rate is 64%. The study was supported by the American people through the United States Agency for International Development.

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The April 9 Tragedy and Georgia United Around the Idea of Freedom

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33 years have passed since the tragedy of April 9, 1991. Since the day when the Georgian people sacrificed a lot to fight for freedom and bring Georgia its independence. Today is April 9th and once again the world is shaken by the brutality of war. Now, Georgia’s friendly country, Ukraine, is fighting for its freedom, and the enemy is the same.

There are many bloody dates in the history of the Georgian nation. Let’s not go back to the distant centuries, XX century is enough to recall the tragedies connected to Russia.

Recall 1921 – annexation of independent Georgia by blood-thirsty Russia; 1924 – Suppression of the uprising of Georgians fighting for the freedom of the country and mass shootings; 1937 – Mass repressions of prominent people of the nation; World War II, in which 24% of the Georgian population participated and more than half did not return; April 9, 1989, when brutal acts were carried out against unarmed, innocent people on and around Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi. On this historic day, the Georgian nation united around one idea. Georgia demanded freedom and demonstrated peacefully against the unjust regime of the Soviet Union. The protest of the Georgian people did not go unanswered by the Soviet army and on the night of April 9 the citizens were severely beaten.

These years were a genocide of the Georgian people, carried out by a foreign and ruthless force – Russia.

Despite the strong enemy, the rivers of blood and pain, Georgians have never slowed down their longing for freedom and independence. National awareness has always been present among the people, which has intensified especially since the 70s of the XX century. It was from this time that Georgian society became more active. In 1988-89, numerous demonstrations addressed issues of national independence, identity, socio-economic and political issues. They demanded the protection of the Davit Gareji monastery complex, the cessation of ecologically unjustified constructions, the violation of the sovereignty of the republic, the discrimination of Georgian soldiers in the Soviet troops and the violence against them.

Georgians took to the streets to protest against the regime. The main issue on the agenda was the question: whether the future existence and development of the Georgian people is guaranteed, whether we are in danger of extinction, why the state language does not get its legal, constitutional rights to the maximum and why we are gradually losing Georgian land and water.

Georgians took to the streets to protest against the regime. The main issue on the agenda was the question: whether the future existence and development of the Georgian people is guaranteed, whether we are in danger of extinction, why the state language does not get its legal, constitutional rights to the maximum and why we are gradually losing Georgian land and water.

These issues became particularly clear during the demonstrations in November 1988 and February 1989. Authorities opposed the protest with all available police forces, special services and the army. The government asked Moscow in November 1988 to introduce a curfew in Tbilisi. The situation was aggravated on March 18, 1989 after a provocative rally in the Abkhaz village of Likhni, on which an unconstitutional resolution was adopted on the secession of Abkhazia from Georgia.

On April 4, a student rally was held in the yard of the Medical University, in which about 2000 students took part. Zviad Gamsakhurdia delivered a speech and called on the protesters to facilitate mass rallies on the “Abkhaz issue”. At 7 o’clock on the same day, a resolution was adopted in the Assembly Hall of the University. Concerning  national disobedience to the Government of Georgia, the formation of an interim government of Georgia and the abolition of autonomies.

The protest lasted till April 5. The issue of Abkhazia took second place and the demand for the restoration of Georgia’s lost independence as a result of Russian violence in 1921 and its secession from the Soviet Union took the front stage. People went on a hunger strike to support this demand.

On April 6, the number of protesters increased, and on April 7, the presidents of the United States and France appealed to Russia to recognise the act of aggression against Georgia in the early twentieth century.

On April 8, it was reported that the Interior Ministry was planning to disperse the rally, so people blocked the streets around the rally with buses and trucks. Five hundred women went on hunger strike that day. At the same time, at the initiative of the rally organisers, a joint committee of the Georgian National Liberation Movement was established.

The protesters had decided to end their movement on April 14. Of course, the local authorities knew about it, but it was necessary to intimidate the people in order to suppress the unity and national spirit. As early as April 7, the fourth day of the famine, four tanks appeared in the central streets of the city, moving at high speed to intimidate people. The next day the tanks repeated the maneuver again, but after firing a few young men stood in front of them, the movement did not continue.

On April 9, at 4 am, an attack on peaceful, unarmed people began. Authorities mobilised an entire army for this. The protesters met the soldiers with their heads bowed. People were attacked by tanks, batons, chemicals, poison gas. They did not care if they were attacking the youth or the elderly. Soldiers chased the fleeing people, ransacked the sheltered citizens in the buildings, beat and stabbed the fallen, women and minors.

As a result of the dispersal of a peaceful demonstration demanding the independence of Georgia, 21 people were killed and 427 injured. Among the dead was one 16-year-old. The people who sacrificed their lives for this great idea of ​​freedom were: Nato Giorgadze, Tamuna Dolidze, Aza Adamia, Natia Bashaleishvili, Eka Bezhanishvili, Tina Enukidze, Nino Toidze, Zaira Kikvidze, Manana Loladze, Tamar Mamulashvili-Svanidze, Manana Melozadze, Mamuka Samulkadze Shalva Kvasroliashvili, Eliso Chipashvili, Tamriko Chovelidze, Marina Chkonia-Samarguliani, Nodar Jangirashvili, Mzia Jincharadze, Venera Metreveli.

The events of April 9 played the role of a divider in the Georgian National Liberation Movement. Both the dead and the living heroes have gone down in history for giving us a future and freedom that we must never forget. 33 years ago, the Georgian people were able to defeat the enemy together. The time will soon come when Ukraine will surely win and, like us, thank the heroes for their sacrifice and freedom.

 

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Why Lesbian Visibility Day is Important

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April 26 is the day of lesbian visibility and recognition. This day was first celebrated in the United States in 2008 and is still celebrated internationally today.

April 26 carries a heavy weight and is important not only for lesbian women but for the entire queer community. It can be seen as a place of refuge for lesbians, a day to make them feel protected, recognised and important in a world where they are still discriminated against and are often victims of violence.

One of the main purposes of this day is to make people ignore the stereotypes and misconceptions that lesbians encounter in their daily lives.

It is no secret that the lesbian community is marginalised. They are more likely to experience mental health problems (e.g., depression, eating disorders, and anxiety) due to the emotional stress they go through as teenagers. Often, this is caused by their families expressing hatred and homophobic attitude towards them.

Teenage girls put a lot of effort in keeping their sexual identity a secret. They are afraid that they will be severely punished by their family, or worse – they will have to leave home. This is especially difficult when they do not have trusted people around whom they can count on and share their feelings.

Even if you do not identify yourself as a lesbian, you can show support and solidarity with these women, even by acknowledging and seeing the barriers and obstacles they often face. When we are not afraid to stand with our sisters, it can be the beginning of a happy life for some women.

International Lesbian Visibility Day is not just a celebration of lesbian women, it is about the entire LGBTQI community, people of different races and nationalities fighting for queer rights.

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The UK does not Ban Conversion Therapy for Transgender People

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After years of promising to end LGBTQ conversion therapy in the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced last week that therapy would be banned, but not for transgender people.

On Thursday, the UK Independent News Broadcasting (ITV) obtained a document released from Johnson’s office stating that its government should not continue to change legislation banning LGBTQ conversion therapy. But after several high-ranking members of Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party pledged their support for the ban, Johnson announced that he was still calling for a ban on conversion therapy for gay, lesbian and bisexual people, but that the law would not apply to transgender people.

LGBTQ community advocates and victims of conversion therapy have condemned the change.

“As a person who has undergone almost 20 years of conversion therapy. Due to which I have been to the hospital twice, I consider it completely unforgivable. It creates a hostile environment for LGBTQ people, especially transgender people.”

– Said one of the victims of therapy in an interview with the Guardian.

Recall that in 2020, the UN Human Rights Council recognised conversion therapy as torture and called on countries around the world to take urgent measures to ban it.

 

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Everything We Need to Know about Transgender Visibility Day

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March 31 is Transgender Visibility Day and is dedicated to strengthening and advancing the transgender community. On this day we celebrate the existence of transgender people among us and try to raise awareness of their problems as well as fight to better protect their rights. This vulnerable group needs empowerment. Let us all join in this celebration and not be silent.

History of Transgender Visibility Day

Transgender community around the world is still discriminated against. They have to deal with enormous pressure in workplaces, schools, public places. They live in an unequal environment just because they are born different and perceived as “sinners”.

In 2009 Rachel Crandall, a transgender activist living in the United States, founded this day to raise awareness of the incredible discrimination that transgender people face in all parts of the world. The need to establish a day for transgender visibility points to the oppression that transgender people experience at different stages of life. Crandall noted that the only day centred around the transgender community was a day of remembrance for transgender people whose lives were sacrificed and there was no other day to encourage transgender people who are alive.

Therefore, every year, on March 31, we recognise and honour the contribution that transgender people have made to public life, commemorating their success in the fight against injustice. Through Transgender Visibility Day, we hope to evoke moral responsibility, increase tolerance, and lift restrictions on the rights of transgender people.

How to Keep Track of Transgender Visibility Day

  • We can read about the lives and experiences of transgender people
  • Share various statistics and news with the hashtag #TransgenderDayOfVisibility – spread the love we need so much
  • Attend events, meet transgender people in person and create memories with them

Who is Transgender?

There are different types of transgender people – transgender women, transgender men and non-binary people.

  • Transgender women are those who were assigned male at birth and identify as women;
  • Transgender men are those who were assigned female at birth and identify as men;
  • Non-binary people are those who do not identify as women or men.

Why Transgender Visibility Day is important

  • Transgender people have to go through a very hard life. In July 2017, a survey was conducted in the UK. It involved 108,000 LGBTQ people, the highest rate on the scale today. Research has shown that LGBTQ people are less satisfied with their lives than other citizens, as most of them have suffered harassment because of their identity. 24% of respondents have used mental health services in the last year;
  • Being transgender is not a crime. How can anyone be held accountable for something that is not under their control? Why are transgender people given a negative name? Transgenderism does not mean pathology – it is a condition and a way in which people express their identity and status;
  • They have made the same contribution to public life as gay people. We need this day to celebrate and remind the transgender community that the value of their lives, their achievements and their contribution to history are not forgotten.

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10-Day Residency Program for Ukrainians in Georgia

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Untitled Gallery Tbilisi is announcing a residency program for Ukrainian queer artists together with Project Fungus and the Ria Keburia Foundation.

The residency program will run from April 20 to 30, and 5 queer artists will work on pre-announced themes, with an exhibition scheduled for May 1st. Ukrainian artists have until April 11 (18:00) to register for the residency program.

“The terror that we are all experiencing in the region is intensifying fears in different directions. In this situation, queer people and artists face one of the greatest challenges and traumas: they face the self-discovery of what it meant to be queer in the context of this warlike attack, have hopes and fears about how to build a life out of ruins, what awaits the recognition and protection of their basic human rights, which depends on who wins the war.

Mutation and solidarity will be the two main topics that the artists think will about while living in the residence of the Ria Keburia Foundation (Kachreti). For 10 days, 5 queer artists from Ukraine will work on these topics, followed by a presentation of the works and a 10-day period ending with an exhibition. After that, a public discussion will be held at Untitled Gallery in Tbilisi,” – reads the statement published by Untitled Gallery Tbilisi.

During the residence period, accommodation, meals and transportation from Tbilisi to Kachreti and back will be provided by the project organizers.

 

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The Works of the Gori Women’s Choir Will Be Sent to the Moon

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“The craziest project we’ve ever had! The voices of Gori Women’s Choir are already on the moon!” – reads a post from Gori Women’s Choir official Facebook page.

With the support of the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration – NASA, SpaceX and Astrobotic Technology, Incandence Corp has created a digital archive called the Lunar Codex, which will be sent to the moon. The digital archive will include various works by artists from 90 countries around the world. Gori women’s choir was selected from Georgia. The author of the idea for the Lunar Codex is Dr. Samuel Peralta.

By the decision of the artistic director of the group, Teona Tsiramua, three works were selected for the project – composer Ioseb Kechakmadze’s “Exercice”, “On the Road to Lashari” and the Georgian (Abkhazian) song “Varado”.

All three songs were recorded on Leno Records. You can listen to them on streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. All works to be sent to the moon will be placed in the 2nd capsule and will land at the destination in 2024.

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Intimate Partner Will Be Added to the Category of Family Members to the Law on Violence

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The Parliament of Georgia has initiated a draft law “on Amendments to the Law on Prevention of Violence against Women and / or Domestic Violence, Protection and Assistance to Victims of Violence.”

According to the draft law, a new concept of Intimate Partner is added to the category of family members in the Law on Violence. As for the current preventive mechanisms – restraining and protective orders apply only to family members.

According to the draft law, Intimate Partners are those that are not/have not been in a registered married, do not/have not had a shared family business, but are in an intimate relationship, which includes romantic/sexual relationship.

Romantic and sexual relationship is defined as following:

“in a romantic relationship the couple/partners have (or have had) regular contact, an emotional connection. The individuals are characterized with an identity of a couple, have information on each other’s lives, have physical and/or sexual contact. Those individuals that do not have a romantic relationship but are in an intimate relationship are also considered to be intimate partners.”

The amendment is related to the provisions of the Istanbul Convention, which states that Domestic Violence means all acts of physical, psychological, sexual or economic violence that take place in the family or in the home, between ex or current spouses or partners, regardless of whether the offender lives with the victim.

“By adding intimate partners to the concept of a family member, we provide protection and support to those who do not fall within the scope of the current low, and thus we come closer to the norms of the Istanbul Convention.” – reads the explanatory note.

Additionally, support service prerequisites, including victim status required for shelters, are abolished and municipalities are empowered to participate in both preventive and victim protection measures for violence against women and domestic violence.

The authors of the initiative are Nino Tsilosani, Khatuna Kvitsiani, Mikheil Sarjveladze, Nino Iobashvili, Teona Akubardia, Ramina Beradze and Rati Ionatamishvili.

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