DUSHANBE, March 17, 2016, Asia-Plus – On Wednesday March 16, visiting Regional Representative a.i. of the Regional Office for Central Asia of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR ROCA), Ms. Elisabeth da Costa, met here with Tajik First Deputy Foreign Minister, Nizomiddin Zohidi.
According to the Tajik MFA information department, the two discussed issues related to cooperation between Tajikistan and UN human rights agencies in protecting and observing human rights and freedoms in Tajikistan as well as preparing the country for the second cycle of the Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Council.
The sides reportedly noted the importance of further expansion of cooperation in protecting and observing human rights in Tajikistan.
The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ (OHCHR) Regional Office for Central Asia (ROCA) was established in 2008 in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan and currently covers four of five countries in the region: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
The mandate of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights as set out in General Assembly resolution 48/141 of 20 December 1993, states that ROCA will engage with Governments, intergovernmental organizations, civil society, the private sector as well as relevant United Nations partners, to formulate and implement strategies, programs and measures for the promotion and protection of all human rights in the countries of Central Asia.
ROCA works with countries in the region to strengthen the capacity of national governments, national human right institutions, non-governmental organizations and civil society organizations to increase compliance with human rights standards and improve protection against human rights violations, in particular violations relating to torture and the right to a fair trial.
ROCA has a presence in Bishkek and Osh, Kyrgyzstan, in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, and in Astana, Kazakhstan.
