Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Gakharia held a special meeting with representatives of relevant agencies regarding the femicide incidents occurred during the last two months in Georgia.

The struggle against violence against women will become more complex, the Prime Minister said. It was noted during the meeting that the law has been tightened several times in recent years and gender-based crime is now seen as an aggravating circumstance, but the situation requires coordinated action by all agencies.

The meeting focused on the challenges in the process of enforcement of the current legislation. As Giorgi Gakharia noted, violence against women requires a complex approach.

“We have had eight women killed by a family member in the last two months, this is a very difficult situation. This is a problem that requires a complex approach and all relevant agencies have an important role in this process. We need to take more active steps to combat this problem,” Prime Minister said.

Under the direction of the head of government, a large-scale campaign to combat violence against women will be launched. The Ministry of Interior, Prosecutor’s Office, Ministry of Justice, Ministries of Regional Development, Health and Education and the Government Administration will reportedly be involved in the campaign.

Furthermore, relevant ministries will determine specific actions aiming to strengthen women’s economic empowerment, provide crisis services, continuing and professional education, and enhance the work of local governments.