Theme

Women’s Economic Empowerment.

Description

The Women’s Economic Empowerment Support Program in Kobuleti Municipality has been implemented since 2022, and this year marks the fourth time applications have been opened for participation.

The program started in 2022 with financial co-participation from the UN Georgia Office’s “Promoting Gender Equality” program. Initially, the program budget from Kobuleti Municipality was 5000 GEL, while the remaining funding was provided by the UN Georgia Office. Since 2023, the municipality has been implementing the program independently. During this time, 34 women have benefited from the program. Among them, some were starting new businesses, while others were developing existing ones.

Implementing Organization

Kobuleti Municipality

Challenge

Women living in Kobuleti Municipality often face social and economic barriers. The majority of women want to implement their own business ideas, but the lack of financial resources or difficulty in accessing loans significantly limits this opportunity. Women living in rural areas, in particular, experience limited employment opportunities, which leads to their economic dependence.

In some cases, stereotypes existing in society hinder women from starting independent activities. Additionally, mothers with many children or single mothers often cannot find enough time for new activities due to daily family care obligations.

For these reasons, it is particularly important for women to have the opportunity to realize their business ideas from home, allowing them to balance professional development with family responsibilities.

Solution

It was precisely these circumstances, which women in Kobuleti Municipality pointed out, that became the basis for Lia Shakarishvili to initiate the Women’s Economic Empowerment Program. After two years of advocacy, she managed to convince decision-makers of the project’s importance.

The Women’s Economic Empowerment Program is unique in that it provides financial support for small and start-up businesses. The preferential conditions defined within the program have changed over time and have been maximally adapted to the needs of women living in Kobuleti. Currently, the main conditions of the program are as follows:

• Funding for each winning project is determined from 500 GEL to 5,000 GEL.
• To obtain funding, only a 10% co-participation from the total project value is required.
• Special attention is given to vulnerable groups, including:
  • Representatives of national minorities
  • Women with disabilities and mothers of persons with disabilities
  • Women victims of violence
  • Single mothers and mothers with many children
  • Internally displaced women

The above-mentioned groups are exempt from the co-participation obligation, which reflects the program’s high standard of social responsibility and inclusiveness.

Women funded under the program successfully carry out diverse activities, including entrepreneurial projects, service provision, handmade product manufacturing, and other initiatives. Each of them not only creates an economic foundation for their own family but also offers additional benefits to the local community.

Last year, internally displaced women who are compactly settled in Kobuleti benefited from the program’s preferential conditions. Their inclusion aims to expand and strengthen the program.

The Women’s Economic Empowerment Program gives Kobuleti women the opportunity to turn their ideas into sources of income, become part of the success stories of women, and contribute to establishing economic independence and social equality.