1878-1942
Kato Mikeladze obtained education in Europe. She graduated from the faculty of social and political sciences in the University of Brussels.
She familiarized herself with the European experience of womens movement in Paris and after returning to Georgia in 1916, started to fight for womens rights along with like-minded fellows. She spearheaded the establishment of the regional network “Womens League” in 1917-1918. She was a publisher and editor of the newspaper Voice of Georgian Woman.
Since 29 November 2013, Kato Mikeladze Award has been established by the Womens Fund in Georgia to honor womens rights activists and to celebrate International Women Human Rights Defenders Day. Ekaterine Aghdgomelashvili, the founder and director of Womens Initiatives Supporting Group, became the award winner in 2013.
My Speech Which B. Ak. Chkhenkeli did not Allow Me to Deliver to the National Congress in Tbilisi on 20 November
Author: Kato Mikeladze
“Citizens, the slavery of women was not historically customary to Georgia… Spousal relationship of Georgian people was always of friendly nature. This is proved, if not by the contemporary life, by our ancient language which called such a relationship the pulling of a yoke. Public activity was not strange to Georgian women and at the times when our brave fathers were busy sharpening their swords to repel enemy our mothers took care of civil life. They were engaged in spreading literacy and religion, curing diseases, building cathedrals, castles and fortresses that were ruined by enemies, and in many other activities.
“Nor was the political activity strange to Georgian women who, owing to their abilities and reasonable efforts, managed not once to unite disintegrated parts of Georgia.”
The newspaper Voice of Georgian Women,
issue #32, 4 December, 1917
Cowardice of Men and Conservatism of Women
Author: Kato Mikeladze
“If asked what they think about the equality of women, the majority of todays male socialists will respond: we do not have anything against women being on equal footing with us, but we are afraid that with their right, women will strengthen reaction because they are conservatives by nature as well as historically.
“Watching the behavior of current Bolsheviks, who cannot contain their desires either in the face of threat of country being destructed or at times when the country is invaded by enemies, I think that the above mentioned socialists view the sense of responsibility as conservatism.
“In this regard, we, women, are conservatives indeed. We hate and loath the bloodshed not because we cannot fight (nothing has yet been done by men that cannot be done by women), but because our human nature hates that…. No one can say that we, women, lack highest ideals and are concerned of daily problems alone. However, when we set a complicated issue of general importance as a goal, we want to have the ground prepared to achieve this goal, and when we see such a goal we do not shun sacrificing ourselves for achieving it.
“But what should be a concrete idea of the current socialism when people are not prepared for it either mentally or morally or in terms of labor skills. Defenders of private property view socialism as unrealized chimera. We do not share this attitude but we do not share the idea of establishing a commune either. If a segment of men still insist on that, this can be explained not by their radicalism but by their cowardice. In this regard, we, women, will always remain conservatives.”
The newspaper Voice of Georgian Woman,
issue #29, 6 November, 1917