Authors from Eastern Partnership countries to produce works on gender equality in Georgian residency

Six authors from the European Union’s Eastern Partnership programme will produce literary works on subjects ranging from gender stereotypes to human rights, discrimination and parenting in a bid to raise public awareness on the issues as part of a residency hosted in the eastern Georgian city of Telavi starting on Friday.

The literary creatives from the six member states of the EaP - Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine - are brought together in the residency under the non-governmental organisation Care Together’s global MenCare campaign and the EU 4 Gender Equality programme.

Photo via Giorgi Dadiani

They will work to produce a collection of stories - designated for both children and adults - over five days, with the texts incorporating the socio-economic context of the South Caucasus region and covering issues that also include gender equality, positive parenting and male involvement, programme coordinators said. 

A summary from the United Nations Women’s Organisation said the initiative aimed to “strengthen equal rights and opportunities for women and men by shifting social perceptions around gender roles, tackling gender stereotypes and increasing men’s participation in childcare and other domestic responsibilities”.

Organisers said it was also designed to promote social and behavioural changes for overcoming barriers to achieving actual gender equality.

Photo via Giorgi Dadiani

Funded by the European Union and implemented jointly by UN Women and UN Population Fund, the programme also sets out to “encourage the wider public” to consider challenges, stereotypes and clichés preventing the creation of an equal environment in Eastern Partnership countries.

The collection of works resulting from the residency will be published in English and the native languages of the participating authors, and will be presented at an event in Georgia as well as at a designated international book fair.