Five inspirational speakers and role models met with young people and representatives of the public, private and civic sectors to showcase the role of rural women in the economy, entrepreneurship, climate action and governance.
Their sincere and honest speeches focused on personal experiences in achieving success, the challenges and obstacles they had to face, and the ways to empower rural women to build a better future for themselves, their communities and their country.
The motivational forum “The Future Women Build” echoed the theme of this year’s Rural Women’s Day, which called on rural women around the world to claim their right to sustainable development.
Organized by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the forum gave the floor to successful women coming from different regions of Georgia and from different walks of life. All of them take part in UNDP projects supported by the European Union, Sweden and Switzerland to promote rural development, strengthen gender equality and provide people living in rural regions with better access to vocational education and training:
• Amilona Dekanadze, an entrepreneur from Khulo Municipality
• Lali Chanqseliani, a farmer from Ozurgeti Municipality
• Luso Dostibegiani, a civic activist from Tetritskaro Municipality
• Natia Kakhidze, an entrepreneur from Khelvachauri Municipality
• Tamar Khomasuridze, a youth activist from Oni Municipality
High-level guests introduced the speakers to the audience:
• H.E. Anne Toft Sorensen, Ambassador of Denmark to Georgia
• Danielle Meuwly, Regional Director of the Swiss Cooperation Office for the South Caucasus, Embassy of Switzerland
• Erik Illes, Head of Development Cooperation, Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Sweden to Georgia
• Ilia Tamarashvili, Rural Development Agency Director
• Ketevan Khutsishvili, Program Manager for Rural Development, Civil Protection and Crisis Management of the Delegation of the European Union to Georgia.
Nick Beresford, UNDP Resident Representative in Georgia, facilitated the forum.
“These remarkable speakers prove that in Georgia, rural women fear no challenges and are willing to take risks to achieve their goals. They run successful businesses, generate innovative ideas and actively engage in governance and civic work. What they need to build the future they want and deserve is better access to services and opportunities and greater equality in economy and politics,” Beresford said.
UNDP assists Georgia to make social, economic and policy strides toward achieving meaningful gender equality in every area of life. Much of this work draws on UNDP’s longstanding partnerships with the EU, Sweden and Switzerland and cooperation with Georgia’s Government, Parliament, civil society and the private sector.
