On April 4, 2018, Deputy Public Defender Ekaterine Skhiladze, together with representatives of the Telavi Office of the Public Defender and Women's Information Center, held an informationmeeting with representatives of the City Hall and City Councils of the Kakheti region.

The purpose of the meeting was to get information about the gender councils functioning in the local self-governments and familiarize with the activities and plans of the persons charged with gender equality issues in the City Hall. The meeting was attended by the employees of the City Hall and City Councils of Telavi, Gurjaani, Kvareli, Lagodekhi, Dedoplistskaro, Sighnaghi, Akhmeta and Sagarejo.

The existing practice of ensuring gender equality and the recommendations of the Public Defender issued for the local self-government bodies, the role of NGOs in setting up the gender equality councils in the municipalities and the legislative regulations for ensuring gender equality, as well as local self-government’s commitments and challenges, were discussed at the meeting.

It should be noted that gender equality councils are functioning in 7 municipalities of the Kakheti region and establishment of a similar council is planned in the Telavi City Council in the nearest future. Financial issues related to the establishment of gender equality councils, the need for raising awareness and conducting trainings were also discussed at the meeting.

The information meeting was held within the framework of “Strengthening the Public Defender's Office in the Kakheti Region” - a project financially supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria.