Tbilisi. The inaugural informational meeting between the Georgian Down Syndrome Association team and parents took place on September 7 as part of the "Reproductive Health of Girls and Women with down syndrome" project. The objective of this meeting is to address the reproductive health needs of females with down syndrom During the virtual assembly, parents were provided with comprehensive information regarding the project and the events that have been scheduled as part of its framework.  More ... Source: Georgian Down Syndrome Association

UNICEF calls on governments to strengthen policies and investments to expedite the transition to clean, efficient energy and transport and set up and maintain air quality monitoring systems nearby kindergartens and schools, and report information to the public, noting levels of air pollution that are dangerous to children and pregnant women. More… source: UNICEF

Tbilisi. The UNICEF shares the tips on how to look after yourself and others online. “Being online can present lots of great opportunities to connect, learn and share what’s important to you, but it comes with challenges too. If social media or the internet has ever made you feel stressed, envious or lonely, or experience feelings of lower self-esteem or social anxiety, know that you’re not alone. Here are five tips on how to look after your mental health and be kind online. Avoid doomscrolling Be mindful Protect yourself and others online Choose kindness Stay present and connected IRL”. Read more… Source: www.unicef.org

Tbilisi. The UNICEF shares the tips for a very hot summer. “Heatstroke occurs due to long stays outside during high temperatures, and as a consequence of a direct exposure to sunshine, as well as a consequence of staying in an enclosed space, due to damp and overheated air, i.e. in public transport, an automobile, or an overheated apartment. Even though a parent may feel comfortable at a certain temperature, this should not necessarily imply that the child feels the same way, since he/she is yet to have his/her thermoregulation stabilised. Newborns, infants, and toddlers should be taken out early in the morning and later in the afternoon. It is not advisable to take young children out during the hottest period of the day, from 10AM to 5PM. The child should be dressed in loose-fitting clothes made of natural materials (cotton, linen), with his/her head covered with an obligatory cotton cap, or a hat. Always have with you a bottle of water that you should offer the child frequently, at least a sip or two (instead of water, this can also be a mild lemonade). Never leave children in your car, or other type of vehicle in the sun – not even for a couple of minutes!” Read more… Source: www.unicef.org

Tbilisi. According to the study conducted by UNICEF on the cost of raising children with disabilities in Georgia, the cost of the required goods and services for the equal participation of children with disabilities is beyond the reach of most families in Georgia. Read more… Source: www.unicef.org

Kakheti. European Union in Georgia (EU) and UNDP Georgia under the Human Rights 4All project join hands with Qedeli Community to promote social inclusion, independent living, and empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in the Sighnaghi municipality through the implementation of a personal assistant service. “The Community hosted the gathering with the representatives of Signagi as well as other municipalities from the Kakheti region to share best practices of personal assistant service. It will help to ensure PWDs in the area are able to exercise their rights and equal opportunities as everyone else. Qedeli is a dynamic, life-sharing community for adults with disabilities in Georgia that has been striving for more than two decades to overcome the stigmatization of PWDs and promote their social inclusion”. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. PHR representatives conducted a training on the sexual and reproductive rights of women with disabilities at the Georgian Bar Association. Read more… Source: phr.ge

Tbilisi. As part of the World Immunization Week, UNICEF and International Chamber of Commerce in Georgia held a meeting on vaccination led by the Doctor of the Center of the Allergy and Immunology Bidzina Kulumbegov. The conversation touched on the role of vaccination in preventing the spread of infectious diseases. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. According to the new report of UNICEF, Georgia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Romania, and Ukraine have among the highest rates of under-vaccinated children. “Nearly one million children across Europe and Central Asia missed one or several routine vaccinations since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic”. Read more… Source: www.unicef.org

Tbilisi. UNICEF shares an informational blogpost about a panic attack. “A panic attack is an intense feeling of fear and anxiety. It often happens if people feel anxious about something happening in their life or have experienced something difficult or stressful. Panic attacks can feel very frightening, especially for children, but they can usually be stopped with treatment. It’s important to know that a panic attack won’t cause any harm and, even if it may not feel it during an attack, the feeling will pass”. Read more… Source: www.unicef.org

Tbilisi. The signatory organizations, wish to comment once again on the extremely serious health condition of the third president of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili. We call on the court to take into account the conclusions of specialists in the field and to make a decision in accordance with human rights standards as soon as possible. We also call on the international community to use all the means at their disposal to prevent irreparable damage to human life and health and the political collapse of the Georgian state. Learn more... Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. According to CENN February is Zero Hunger month. “In the 2022 Global Hunger Index, Georgia ranks 22nd out of the 121 countries with sufficient data to calculate 2022 GHI scores. With a score of 5.7, Georgia has a level of hunger that is low… One of the primary goals of the global community, including Georgia, is to create a world that is free of hunger by 2030. You can be part of solving this problem by supporting local, safe and healthy production. Download the calendar and follow the monthly tips… Join us on Instagram and participate in our fun monthly quizzes”… Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. In October 2021, the UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution recognizing that a clean, healthy and sustainable environment is a human right…  “An estimated one in six premature deaths is caused by pollution. Tens of millions of people are displaced each year by Climate Change. Biodiversity loss threatens the collapse of entire ecosystems. We need government and the international community to act with single-minded purpose and solidarity to deploy every possible resource to protect and fulfil the human right to a healthy”. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. According to the UNICEF, dispelling myths about mental health can help break the stigma and create a culture that encourages people of any age to seek support when they need it. Here are seven common misconceptions about mental health. If a person has a mental health condition, it means the person has low intelligence. You only need to take care of your mental health if you have a mental health condition. Poor mental health is not a big issue for teenagers. They just have mood swings caused by hormonal fluctuations and act out due to a desire for attention. Nothing can be done to protect people from developing mental health conditions. A mental health condition is a sign of weakness; if the person were stronger, they would not have this condition. Adolescents who get good grades and have a lot of friends will not have mental health conditions because they have nothing to be depressed about. Bad parenting causes mental conditions in adolescents. All above-mentioned are myths, learn the facts… Source: www.unicef.org

Adjara. Within the framework of the project Reproductive Health as a Women's Right implemented by the Solidarity Community, meetings and consultations were held on reproductive health for women living in the villages of Khulo and Shuakhevi municipalities of mountainous Adjara. The project provided both information and services necessary for reproductive health to women living in six villages of Adjara. The activities carried out by the Solidarity Community are supported by Taso Foundation. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. UNICEF held a workshop for Helping Hand volunteers and AIVA • Association of Immunization and Vaccinology MEDiators on “Evidence-Based Leadership Model for Vaccination Champions”. The workshop was led by UNICEF Representative in Georgia, Ghassan Khalil. The trainees were informed about the necessity and importance of having the right values, trust and empathy in the process of leadership and volunteering. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Samtskhe-Javakheti. On October 2, in Borjomi, GCSD, within the framework of the project Vaccination4Georgia, organized a training for local media representatives of the Samtskhe-Javakheti region on the topic: “How to identify and address disinformation and promote vaccination”.  The training module envisaged the specifics of the local media working and addressed the main challenges they face in the process of covering topic of vaccination. The training was conducted by Natia Kuprashvili, the head of the Journalism Resource Center. The project “Vaccination4Georgia” is implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in partnership with  Georgian Center for Strategy and Development. The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. As public is aware, on November 16, 2021, the Public Defender of Georgia, by order No. 157,[1] set up a group of specialists/experts in order to assess the adequacy and timeliness of the medical services provided to accused/convicted Mikheil Saakashvili. In accordance with the mandate of the Public Defender of Georgia, the goal of the group of experts, since its creation, has been to monitor the medical services provided to the patient. The group has not been involved in the treatment of the patient. Since information about the significant worsening of Mikheil Saakashvili's health condition has been actively disseminated in the recent period, the Public Defender decided to carry out another monitoring. Accordingly, on December 4, 2022, four experts arrived at the VivaMedi clinic in order to personally examine Mikheil Saakashvili and check the relevant medical materials, and on December 5, in order to obtain additional detailed information on specific issues, one of the representatives of the expert group met with Mikheil Saakashvili’s doctor at VivaMedi. The purpose of the visits on December 4-5 was to evaluate and describe the patient's condition, complaints and symptoms, as well as to assess the dynamics in relation to the previous visits, within the competence and capabilities of the Public Defender's group of experts. According to the monitoring: After the last assessment (27.04.2022), the patient's condition has deteriorated sharply and should be assessed as severe; Deterioration in neurological status, worsening of anemia, anorexia and gastrointestinal processes are observed. Sharp and rapid weight loss, declining muscle mass, fever. The patient is also suffering from cachexia, which is a condition with a severe prognosis; Read more… Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. Civil Society Organizations respond to the significant deterioration of the health of the third president of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, and call on the government that the issue of his further treatment should be decided not by political expediency, but only based on the standards of protection of human life and health. Read more… Source: osgf.ge Photo: OC Media 

Guria. During the period of 2021-2022 within the joint project of USAID and UNICEF "Preventing and Responding to COVID-19 in Georgia":. 32 schools and 4 hospitals in Guria region have safe drinking water thanks to installation of water filtration equipment in partnership with Shalom Club Guria. Up to 5,000 students and teachers and 7,000 patients of the primary health care clinic benefited from the safe water in these facilities.  38,234 adolescents and youth reached with messages on safe hygiene practices, COVID-19 prevention measures and safe water and sanitation, in partnership with Helping Hand, Adjara Organization of Scouts Movement, Civil Society Development Center and Kant’s Academy.  Find out more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. During the period of 2021-2022 within the joint project of USAID and UNICEF "Preventing and Responding to COVID-19 in Georgia" over 400,000 teachers and school personnel, healthcare workers, religious leaders, parents, and children were reached with information on COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccination in partnership with ჰელფინგ ჰენდ  (Helping Hand) and the AIVA • Association of Immunization and Vaccinology. The interventions contributed to increasing the rate of vaccinated teachers from 9 per cent in August 2021 to over 76 per cent as of early 2022. Find out more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. According to Taso Foundation October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Celebrated annually since 1985, this month is dedicated to breast cancer survivors, to the memory of those who have died as a result, and to support the progress the world has made in defeating breast cancer. “Increased awareness of breast cancer risk factors emphasizes the importance of regular screening starting at age 40 or at an age appropriate to a woman's personal risk. The symbol of breast cancer awareness is the pink ribbon”. Read more… Source: who.int