On 12-13 December 2023 women from diverse political party groups from Ajara region participated in a workshop aiming at empowering women with the necessary knowledge and skills to better impact decision-making in political life. The workshop was organised within the framework of the Council of Europe Project “Supporting Transparency, Inclusiveness and Integrity of Electoral Practice and Process in Georgia”.

The meeting was opened by Parmen Jalaghonia, the Chairman of the Supreme Election Commission, and Markus Adelsbach, Head of the Council of Europe’s Elections and Participatory Democracy Division. Sonia Lockary discussed the main principles enshrined in the Council of Europe’s legal and policy instruments on gender equality and balanced participation of women and men in political and public decision-making.

Irma Pavliashvili, the expert of the Council of Europe, in her presentation focused on recent changes to the domestic electoral legislation, including the shift to a fully proportional electoral system, the use of the ICT during the upcoming 2024 Parliamentary Elections nationwide, the women’s political participation and socio-economic factors as well as political factors and inter-party democracy. The participants of the workshop discussed many important issues and also took part in practical activities.