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PRESS
RELEASE
A UNIQUE INITIATIVE IN THE CAUCASUSSunday
25th November
is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence
Against Women and also marks the beginning of the global
campaign ‘16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence’. Pida Ripley, the founder/Director of WomenAid International,
introduced and promoted the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender
Violence in the Georgia during 2000, establishing the first
nationally coordinated '16 Days of Activism Against Gender
Violence' in the world. Following the success of this Georgian
initiative last year WomenAid has now established the Caucasus 16
Days, the first regional coordination of the global campaign. Acting
as the Caucasus 16 Days focal point, WomenAid
International-Caucasus has created a Caucasus Coordination
Committee of almost 500 NGOs in Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia.
The aim of the project is to
broaden and deepen collaboration between civil societies in the
three countries of the South Caucasus. This
is a unique collaboration and partnership between members of civil
society in the region. Theme:
Violence in the home and violence in society The
theme of the 2001 campaign is ‘Violence in the home and violence
in society’. A
broad range of activities and events are being organized by
members between the 25th November to the 10th December 2000. The
Calendar of Georgian activities is attached and provides details
of all events planned. The
calendar will be updated daily and further details of the campaign
and activities organized by NGO partners can be found on the
specially created Caucasus 16 Days website:
www.womenaid.org/16days One
outstanding success of the first Georgian 16 Days coordinated
campaign was the elaboration and signing by over 70
representatives from the Georgian government, UN agencies,
international and local non-governmental organisations of a Joint
Declaration Against Gender Violence.
This Declaration is open for signature during the 16 Days 2001 and is now
also being replicated in Azerbaijan and Armenia. Support
for the Caucasus 16 Days
regional campaign for 2001 is being received from the Open
Society Institute Network Women's Program and Network
Media Program, and the Canadian Government with
additional funding support from WomenAid International. Non-governmental organizations and interested individuals from all sectors of civil society in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia are invited to participate in the Caucasus 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence 2001. BREAKING THE CULTURE OF SILENCE CAUCASUS 16 DAYS FOCAL POINT: WomenAid International-Caucasus 17 Khvichia St. Tbilisi 380060 Georgia Email: waigeo@access.sanet.ge http://www.womenaid.org/16days |
