Ingushetia creates two new women's public organizations

The names of the new women's NGOs are the "Women's Solidarity" Centre for Social Development, and the "Women's Initiative" Centre for Social Programmes.

The NGOs appeared back in September 2010. Zarema Geroeva, head of the "Women's Solidarity", told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent about the idea of her organization.

According to her story, the situation in Ingushetia is somewhat different from other Russian regions, where the activities of women's organizations are usually combating gender discrimination.

"In our republic we have mainly social problems: lack of kindergartens, schools, hospitals, high unemployment, due to which sometimes family maintenance lies on the working woman; besides, still existing failures in supplies of power, gas and water are additional burden on women's shoulders," said Geroeva. "In Ingushetia, the vast majority of families have many children; and the lack of necessary conditions for rearing kids is a huge burden on our women, who put all their strength and spirit into education of their children."

"Women in the Republic of Ingushetia need not only specific material and social help, but also involvement, attention and friendly advice," she continued. "There are women in need of psychological rehabilitation, since they had experienced stress after losing their close relatives - husbands, brothers and sons."

As compared with the "Women's Solidarity" Centre for Social Development, the Task Force "Women's Initiative" of the Centre for Social Programmes is somewhat different. Its activities will focus on restoring qualification and training in new technologies of the women who had spent a long time at home on their maternity leaves.

According to Magomed Mutsolgov, head of the human rights organization "Mashr", establishment of independent women's organizations in the Republic of Ingushetia is a long-waited necessity.

In the opinion of Marifa Sultygova, Children's Ombudsperson in the Republic of Ingushetia, Ingush women need to unite, since "in the Caucasus women play a not very advanced role; and women's organizations enable women to get engaged in public life and take part in various activities."

Creation of women's organizations was also positively appreciated by Dzhambulat Ozdoev, Human Rights Ombudsman in the Republic of Ingushetia: "We are ready to invite Zarema Geroeva and Khadi Khamkhoeva into the "Public Council"; I think it necessary that they developed the women's movement, protect the rights of women and promote women's education."