14 May, 2022
Today is Tamaroba, the Day of Remembrance of Queen Tamar – the queen whose name is associated with the Golden Age of the Georgian state and Georgian culture, and who was canonized by the Georgian Church due to her special contribution to her homeland and her faith. Congratulations to everyone on this notable occasion!
It is symbolic that the Women’s Organization of our party, Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia, is founded precisely on this day, the Day of Remembrance of Queen Tamar.
Women have always played a special role in the centuries-old history of Georgia. The fact alone that Christianity was introduced to Georgia by Saint Nino, a woman, is enough to demonstrate this. The most selfless example of devotion to one’s homeland and one’s faith is also associated with the name of a woman – Saint Ketevan, the martyr queen. For centuries, women in Georgia have made a great contribution to the protection of our statehood and our faith, as well as to the development of our country and its culture. Our recent history is also very rich with examples of the above.
Even today, the women of Georgia, regardless of their nationality, play a special role in the public life of our country. They have a distinguished role in the fields of education and science. Women make a great contribution to the development of Georgian culture. They are making a name for our county in the arena of sports. Women are making a significant contribution to the management of various spheres of public life, public service, and the development of the Georgian economy.
You will agree that the active participation of women in politics is of particular importance. To this end, our party has taken a number of important steps over the past years. Especially noteworthy is the introduction of gender quotas, on the basis of which the representation of women has increased significantly both in the Parliament of Georgia and municipal councils. However, we understand that more needs to be done to ensure an even more active role for women in political life.
The establishment of our party’s Women’s Organization serves this purpose precisely. Promoting the professional development and career growth of women party members, creating new tools for communication, cooperation, and sharing of experience between women party members, and stimulating the role of women party members in the party’s international relations will be the main goals of this organization. At the same time, naturally, the successful operation of the ruling party’s Women’s Organization can make a significant contribution to empowering women in the country in general as well as stimulating their role in various spheres of public life.
We have ambitious plans, and I wish our Women’s Organization success in implementing these plans. – Irakli Kobakhidze
It is a great honor for me to speak before you on this very important occasion.
We Georgians are justifiably proud of the unique, entirely special role of women in our history and our present – of their contribution to the development of culture, science, education, sports, political life, and statehood in general.
Saint Nino, our enlightener, and Queen Nana, Queen Tamar and Ketevan the Martyr, Barbare Jorjadze and Maro Makashvili, Nona Gaprindashvili and Eliso Virsaladze and other strong, independent, educated, creative, and courageous women – their names would decorate the history of any country.
Therefore, we are justifiably proud of the fact that Tamar’s era, and then the First Republic of Georgia, were among the first in the world – preceding many modern Western states – to establish gender equality in terms of political, civil, economic, and familial rights and to grant women the right to vote.
Of course, these names and facts, as well as our traditional attitudes toward the role of women, do not mean that we may forget that a great deal of hard work is still required to achieve the desired situation. The issues of women’s rights, their participation in political and public life have not yet been finally resolved and regulated in our country or in the whole world, including the most developed democracies.
It remains our job to ensure equality, and this must be done by all of us, every single woman and man. Our party, the Georgian Dream – whose creation and victory, I should note, involved the active participation of women – began implementing legal and institutional reforms upon coming to power with the aim of strengthening the role of women. The development and refining of legislation eliminating discrimination against women, the promotion of quality healthcare and decent employment, and the introduction of the quota mechanism – this is but a small list of these measures.
Today, with the establishment of the Georgian Dream’s Women’s Organization, we are taking another important step in this direction. Strengthening the voices of our mothers and sisters, our daughters and spouses is, of course, a very joyful and welcome event for our party and for the strengthening of intra-party democracy and equality in general. And I believe that the goals that this organization aspires to achieve – highlighting and addressing the challenges faced by women, strengthening women’s participation, and ensuring gender equality – are also beneficial for the advancement and development of our society and our country as a whole.
So, once again, congratulations on this remarkable event. On behalf of myself and the Government of Georgia, I promise you full support and wish you success and the achievement of your – our common – goal! – Irakli Gharibashvili
I extend special greetings to the strong women gathered here who strengthen our team and our country with their daily activities. They are actively involved in the political life of the country and are contributing to the processes of Georgia’s irreversible democratic development.
This event is a special occasion in the history of modern Georgian politics, our party, and the involvement of women in Georgian politics.
Today, the Georgian Dream’s Women’s Organization is founded. This was preceded by a great deal of work and fruitful meetings in the regions and in Tbilisi, together with the women members of our team.
The involvement of women in Georgian politics has a long history.
In the distant past – not to bring up Queen Tamar and Rusudan – Georgia was among the first countries in the world and in Europe whose 1921 Constitution ensured electoral, and not just electoral but all forms of equality between women and men.
Unfortunately, no effective steps have been taken in this direction since the loss of independence. However, the Georgian Dream is the political team that implemented a whole series of changes to strengthen women’s rights and made it possible for more women to be included in the country’s legislative life.
EU membership means not only economic or legislative compatibility – it means a political culture based on progressive values and the proper involvement of women in politics.
In a patriarchal society, women have to redouble their efforts. To date, even in the most developed democracies, increasing the visibility of unpaid, invisible domestic labor is a rarity. Unfortunately, an imbalance of pay between women and men, along with a number of other inequalities, still exists in many places.
These issues are impossible to resolve unless women themselves are in decision-making positions.
I am confident that the Georgian Dream’s Women’s Organization will work in a dignified and successful manner to overcome all the challenges faced by women in our country.
You will set a new standard in the political culture of our country, and you will definitely achieve great success. This success belongs to each and every of you, and I personally will always stand by you in this process!
Victory to our strong women, victory to our team! – Kakha Kaladze
I greet you, the members of our party, and the women whose contribution to our various victories has been of paramount importance. The victories that we – this party – have achieved over many years are the result of your selfless hard work, and I would like to begin with a big thank you. You are the people who are numerous in this hall. At the same time, we know – and the people listening to us today need to know as well – that you are few in number because you are delegates, and you represent the countless women who have stayed in the regions and who have sent you to attend the founding congress. Naturally, I greet them as well on behalf of the government and the party.
When we came to the helm of the country, it was a time when the dignity of a female politician – and the female politician as such – was trampled underfoot as a result of Saakashvili’s dirty policies, and in reality, no one took female politicians seriously. This issue was merely a subject of ridicule and mockery. Also, when we came to power there were no legal norms, with the exception of two modest laws, which were passed by the previous authorities as a result of foreign pressure and which guaranteed our rights in the household, our rights at our place of employment, and our rights in politics. When the National Movement revoked Bidzina Ivanishvili’s citizenship, he was unable to become the first chairman of our party for that reason alone; and it was precisely he, a male politician, who placed an emphasis on women politicians. Consequently, a woman, Ms. Manana Kobakhidze, became this chairperson. I will say that just like that, this party was auspiciously born on the basis of trust toward a woman chairperson. I know that no one will be offended but I have to say this: As a witness that was present during the first year of our rule, I know better than anyone that the only man who believed that a quota was necessary (who supported women candidates and a balanced party list) was precisely Bidzina Ivanishvili. I am not saying this because it has to be said – it truly was so. Then, the party continued in this spirit and under Irakli Gharibashvili as Prime Minister, on 19 June 2014, I – a woman minister of justice – was delegated the honor to sign – on behalf of all of you, on behalf of your daughters – the Convention in Strasbourg, which even some European countries have not yet signed. I’m referring to the Istanbul Convention. Following the signing of the Istanbul Convention, a very difficult, three-year period began in order for the Parliament of that convocation to ratify it in 2017.
We, the Government of Georgia, have introduced 24 major legislative packages in Parliament and amended a number of legislative acts. This is precisely how we defeated silence. When we are oppressed, when we are beaten, when there is violence within or outside the family, silence is no longer the rule. This is exactly what the Istanbul Convention and the reforms carried out by the Georgian Dream have brought. Of course, this is not enough, which is why recently, under Mr. Irakli Kobakhidze’s leadership, the Parliament passed the law on quotas. Creative women often ask me, a lawyer and the current head of their ministry: Yes, but why are these quotas necessary?! Of course, under normal conditions these quotas are not necessary. However, we need these quotas and I, a female member of this party, thank all the members of Parliament who voted for this law. Someone might say: What do you need these quotas for? After all, you already are the deputy prime minister, you already are in the Parliament, you already are in the city council, you already are the mayor. We need these quotas, nonetheless. We need these quotas for young women because politics still remains closed to women. Regardless of the spirit within the party, the law is the greatest guarantee. That is why we, our party, have opened wide the doors of politics to women, and I will really not tire of saying thank you. We need these quotas, and these quotas will be used by all the young women who will join this organization.
And finally, once again, I thank you – the women of our party who are present here, who are watching us and listening to us on television – for your selfless hard work. This hard work is not just hard work – it is hard work against evil, it is the struggle for peace, the struggle for the children who must one day take our place. But still, of the greatest importance are those who do not appear in the frame – those who are not visible in the party. I would like to single out two categories – I would not want to leave this rostrum today without doing so. The first are the spouses of our male companions-in-arms. I would like to thank them for their resilience, to thank them for their patience because there are no successful men in politics without decent, patient women standing behind them, toiling to care for the family and having a career of their own, or raising children. For this I thank them, and we apologize to them for all the insults that they endure on our behalf. And I would also like to thank the ladies, members of your families, your spouses – I would like to thank my spouse as well because they are the men who have to endure and support us when we are being insulted, and if we are even the least bit successful today, it is primarily thanks to these men. Many thanks to everyone. – Tea Tsulukiani
Today, we unite women, and a new political reality is being created where we will surely share each other’s successes and overcome the challenges that still affect us together.
I see so many strong women and I want even more women to occupy representative and executive positions in cities and villages.
With today’s union, we provide a new opportunity for women, especially girls, to get involved in the social and political processes.
Years ago, this team gave me the opportunity to be active in the political arena and at the same time, I did not give up what was most important to me – my family. I was able to balance the job that I love and what is most precious to me – caring for my large family. Our team, together with you, will share and support the success of many more women.
So, today, we unite for the greater success our country and new opportunities for women in politics. – Nino Latsabidze
Strong women are the history of Georgia, and Georgia is the country of equality. Given that a woman king, the first women members of Parliament in the early 20th century, heroes in the struggle against the enemy, and innumerable successful women are a part of our history, ensuring the empowerment of women is certainly an even more legitimate goal.
The most important value for every state is the people, and since more than 50 percent of our population are women and they possess special skills, abilities, and innate qualities, they should be involved in the processes.
You, the women present here, and hundreds of thousands of other women are an example of success in your field – you are a source of motivation for others and a real opportunity for the state to utilize your strength and energy.
And when the development of opportunities needs a special basis and when equal opportunities for women and men are guaranteed by the Constitution, why shouldn’t we make use of additional opportunities to develop these skills of ours?
The founding of the Women’s Organization today is another declaration on our part – that the stated goal of the empowerment of women is our intra-party strategy and our priority.
We open the doors of this organization to all of our loyal, hardworking, and awesome women and also to all of our women supporters who share the ideology that our political team espouses.
By founding this organization, we are telling everyone that we will empower the women in our ranks, that we will promote their success, and that gender equality will be part of our political agenda.
The participation of women in politics is not just about numbers. This must be the involvement of women and their essential participation, and the numbers should reflect precisely this.
I wish us success, and through our empowerment, I wish our country success. – Nino Tsilosani
