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GEORGIA

 

Photo Georgia women’s NGO's Press-Conference on the threshold of Mother's Day in Georgia. "Georgian women deserve admiration of not only photographers and not only on the Mother's Day!"

 

GenderMediaCaucasus Journalists’ Association,

Tbilisi, Georgia

 

 

NGO's OF WOMEN COALITION OF GEORGIA:

"Maternity should not be an obstacle to professional growth."

 

March 3 is the national holiday Mother’s Day in Georgia. It is another occasion to think about what does being a mother in Georgia mean, and what are the problems Georgian mothers face.

 

 

About 42-45 thousand babies are born in Georgia annually. Before 1991, this index was twice higher. The number of women who dare to become mothers reduces, especially for the families already having children. According to statistics, an average Georgian woman gives birth to 1.4 babies. This index is lower than that needed for numerical change of generations.

 

The state considers that the fight against poverty could be the best solution; the national poverty reduction program aims at aiding 14-16 percent of population - those living beyond the poverty line. There is also the state program on aiding the families with many children; it is focused on the families with at least 7 children aged younger than 18. These are two major national programs finances by the state budget.

 

Besides this, there are several initiatives and projects implemented at the level of local authorities; there is a program of social benefits; and there is a presidential decision on granting GEL 1 thousand to a newborn in the families living beyond the poverty line. The families of this category are also subject to receiving medical insurances (issued by private insurance companies in Tbilisi and Kutaisi, and by state companies in other towns of Georgia). All these initiatives are aimed at reducing poverty and at supporting the most vulnerable families.

 

But there is no particular program aimed to support maternity in Georgia. According to experts’ estimates, alike program is of vital importance for the country. Working both at their working places and at homes, women have double obligations; in many families women are the only bread-winners. Many of women’s NGOs in Georgia, members of NGO Coalition, underline that the state needs to consider women’s status at the labor market as well as the particular qualities of women’s professional career; the state should be protecting women from discrimination and unfair treatment at work. In order to increase motivation for maternity, it is necessary to think about the actions aimed at helping women to share their work in the family and at their working place. Maternity should not be an obstacle to professional growth.

 

The women’s NGOs in Georgia working in this field stress the importance and extreme necessity of particular programs that would consider maternity as a complex of problems and would influence all of its components. This would lighten the work of maternity and promote successful realization of women’s potential, which is so important for the society.

 





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