In a bid to address the challenges facing Georgia’s democracy, the General Assembly of the Interparty Council convened at the Marriott Courtyard Hotel on 15 November 2023. The event, organized by the Georgian Institute of Politics, showcased the collaborative efforts of young leaders and women politicians from diverse political parties, aiming to foster a more inclusive and responsive political landscape.
Established in December 2022, the Interparty Council of Young Politicians comprises representatives from seven political parties dedicated to encouraging innovative inter-party cooperation and cultivating a consensus-based political culture. The assembly presented outcomes from interparty working groups, delving into societal issues like gender-based violence, civil defense, and societal resilience.
Women politicians from 11 political parties collaborated on the issues of women’s political participation, conducting extensive fieldwork to understand the expectations of female voters across Georgia. The results were encapsulated in a Manifesto, shedding light on the needs communicated by women voters and the challenges faced by women in politics.
The public sessions of the assembly delved into crucial questions:
Expectations of the Electorate: How can political parties address the expectations of the electorate?
Violence Against Women: What approaches do political parties take to address violence against women in Georgia, and how can they contribute to tackling this problem?
Civic Defense Awareness: What is the level of society’s awareness regarding civic defense, and what role can political parties play in enhancing this awareness?
Women Voters’ Expectations: What do women voters expect from political parties, and how can politicians respond to their needs?
The event, organized with the financial support of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland (FDFA), falls under the framework of the project “Enhancing Political Culture in Georgia through Inclusive Party Politics.” The initiative seeks to strengthen issue-based political agendas and promote inclusive participation within political parties.
Empowerment of Women Politicians
The assembly featured the presentation of the Manifesto “Challenges Faced by Women Voters and Politicians: How Do Political Parties Respond to Their Expectations?,” moderated by Prof. Bakur KVASHILAVA, Dean of the School of Law and Politics at the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs (GIPA). The Manifesto was presented by some of its co-authors Ana GOGOLADZE (For Georgia), Salome KERVALISHVILI (Lelo for Georgia), Teona CHALIDZE (Strategy Aghmashenebeli), Nino TSULADZE (Anna Dolidze For the People), Ana GOGOLADZE (United National Movement). Party leaders, including Dea METREVELI (Lelo for Georgia), Giorgi SARASHIDZE (For Georgia), provided insights and commentary on the Manifesto, followed by a Q&A session.
Empowerment of Young Politicians
The assembly continued with a thematic discussion on the “Lack of public awareness in the field of civil defense: Key challenges and ways to solve them.” The report was presented by Goga POLADASHVILI (Georgian Labor Party), Zura GAMGEBELI (Gakharia for Georgia), and Otar PARULAVA (Lelo for Georgia). Party leaders and experts, including, MikheiI KUMSISHVILI (Georgian Labor Party), Tazo DATUNASHVILI (Lelo for Georgia), Mikheil DAUSHVILI (For Georgia), and Giorgi SHAISHMELASHVILI (Civic Idea), offered comments on the report, followed by a Q&A session.
The public sessions concluded with summarizing remarks by Renata SKARDZIUTE-KERESELIDZE, Deputy Director of the Georgian Institute of Politics (GIP). The closed session with party delegates to the Interparty Council’s Youth and Women’s Committees followed the public discussions.
The General Assembly marks a significant step in the ongoing efforts to shape a more inclusive and responsive political landscape in Georgia, with the shared commitment of political leaders and civil society actors.
