Georgia

Ahead of the parliamentary elections in Georgia, UNDP and Sweden are supporting political parties to empower women politicians and explore effective strategies for attracting, engaging, and promoting women candidates.

These targeted efforts envision consultations and training on introducing internal gender policies, while also fostering professional development opportunities for party members. 

Over 150 women local councillors from across Georgia gathered for their annual conference to discuss the increasing role of women in politics and decision-making, especially in the lead-up to elections.

Supported by UNDP and Sweden in partnership with the Gender Equality Council of the Parliament of Georgia, the Women Councillors’ Political Forum brought together representatives from the Government, Parliament, civil society organizations, diplomatic missions, and international agencies.

A joint statement by the United Nations, European Union, OSCE, NATO, and embassies from various countries in Georgia marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls and emphasizes that gender-based violence remains a critical problem in Georgia, despite decisive step

UNDP and Sweden support awareness-raising among first-time voters.

The upcoming parliamentary elections offer Georgia a chance to vote more women into office, overcoming a long-standing gender disparity in political representation. In support of greater openness to women in politics, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Government of Sweden are assisting civil society activists in Georgia’s regions to educate first-time voters about democratic elections and gender equality.

Georgia’s parliament is currently nearly 90 percent male. But a newly adopted gender quota will boost the number of women members of parliament up to at least 20 percent this year and more in the future. Local assemblies will have an even higher proportion of women.