On May 21, 2021, a number of events focused on the topic of empowering women and girls were held in Zugdidi Municipality through the joint effort of the Human Rights Secretariat of the Administration of the Government of Georgia, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Georgia Country Office and the publishing house “Intelekti Publishing” and with the support of the UN Resident Coordinator Office in Georgia. The events were attended by Ms. Sabine Machl, UN Resident Coordinator in Georgia, Ms. Lela Bakradze, Head of the UNFPA Georgia Country Office, Mr. Malkhaz Toria, Governor of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti and Mr. Zviad Kvaratskhelia, writer and Editor-in-Chief of the publishing house “Intelekti Publishing”.
As part of the initiative, an Equality Corner was opened in the public school of the village of Koki in Zugdidi Municipality. Opening Equality Corners at schools and libraries in various regions of Georgia is an initiative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), which has been implemented together with partner organizations since 2018. This initiative enables adolescents and youth to learn more about the concept of equality through contemporary literature. The Equality Corner at the public school in the village of Koki, which is the ninth Equality Corner in Georgia, was opened by a famous writer Ms. Nino Haratischwili.
At the Zugdidi Botanical Garden, a meeting was held with Ms. Nino Haratischwili, owner of several literary awards and one of the favourite authors of Georgian and not only Georgian readers; the meeting was jointly organized by the publishing house “Intelekti Publishing” and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). During the meeting, the author of world-famous bestsellers, which have been translated into many languages, spoke about her work and life and present-day issues of interest and high relevance; she also answered readers' questions. The meeting with Ms. Nino Haratischwili was moderated by Ms. Gvantsa Jobava, Deputy Chairperson of Georgian Book Publishers and Distributors Association.
Within the same space, the exhibition “Girls from the Future” by the photographer Dina Oganova was organized. The photo project, through photos as well as texts, tells the stories of girls aged 10 to 16 living in different cities and villages of Georgia. The project aims at emphasizing to the public that unlocking the full potential of girls, creating equal conditions and equitable environment for them and ensuring their access to education and health care is crucial for the progress and development of every country, that every girl should enjoy the opportunities to complete education and make informed decisions about her life and health. The photo project was initiated by the UNFPA Georgia Country Office within the UN Joint Project for Gender Equality and is part of the large-scale advocacy work undertaken by UNFPA to address harmful practices of early marriages and to respect the reproductive health and rights of adolescents and youth.
