DUSHANBE, July 30, 2011, Asia-Plus — UN Women Office in Tajikistan together with Coalition “From Equality De-Jure to Equality De-Facto”, PDV project, and Helvetas held the National Public Hearings on July 28 to discuss the draft law on domestic violence in Tajikistan.
The objectives of the hearings were to gather the stakeholders and partners to discuss the draft Law on Domestic Violence in a joint meeting; to make necessary revisions on the content, and to work out a range of suggestions in forms of official recommendations. The meeting was attended by representatives of the governmental agencies, including various Ministries and Committees, International Organizations, local NGOs, and the representatives of local Mass Media. UN Women Office in Tajikistan facilitated the process of preparation to the hearings and consolidation of comments by partners.
The Public Hearings was opened with the presentation of the results of the review of the current situation in Tajikistan with regards to the domestic violence and analysis of the draft law worked out by Coalition “From Equality De-Jure to Equality De-Facto”. Comments and suggestions proposed by OSI expert to the given Law were presented as well. The presentation raised some very significant points, and that the impact of domestic violence on women, children and on Tajik society in general.
Concerns were raised over the number of domestic violence cases, its rapid increase and in many cases accepting it as a part of mentality and culture by people. Concerns were also expressed about the support to women who were victims of domestic violence, who often left with no choice but to return to their violators.
National Public hearings participants discussed the importance of the adoption of the law on Domestic Violence; necessity of well-defined goals and objectives of the given law; the role of the governmental and non –governmental institutions regulating this law as well as its title. It was proposed to name the law as “Domestic Violence Law of the Republic of Tajikistan” but also there were proposals to name it as the “Law on Regulation and Prophylactics and supporting the victims of Violence”. As soon as all terms were discussed and determined, the participants went through discussion of the law by chapters.
Participants raised the number misinterpretations, wrong wordings that need to be paraphrased, added and even deleted in the law. It was noted that many of the concepts have ambiguous wording, they contradict with each other and require clarification. Also there are no laid down mechanisms of coordination between governmental agencies and community organizations. It is necessary regulate the relations between the institutions that must act in cases of violence. The law does not provide for non-governmental organizations opportunities in order to prevent domestic violence and provide specific, quickly, and effectively resources to protect victims of domestic violence. Nothing is said about mass media role and advertising among the population, while this source could be one the biggest channels in introducing the given law.
At the outcomes of the meeting, the participants agreed to submit to the Parliament and Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, a proposal with generalized suggestions and recommendations for revision on the draft law on Domestic Violence of the Republic of Tajikistan in accordance with suggestions and recommendations raised during the National Public Hearings. UN Women office will further facilitate the process and render all needed assistance.
In the meantime, a roundtable, formally titled “Access to Justice for Victims of Violence” took place on the same day in Khujand. Initiated by the branch of the Human Rights Center public association in Khujand under support of the Swiss Cooperation Office and Helvetas, the meeting discussed issues related to the necessity of adopting the law on domestic violence and adding a separate article to the country’s Penal Code that would criminalize domestic violence.
The findings of a survey conducted by the Human Rights Center in 2011 in the framework of the Access to Justice and Judicial Reform (AJJR) Project were presented at the meeting.
