DUSHANBE, September 13, 2012, Asia-Plus — The challenge of re-integrating wives abandoned by labor migrants into economic and social life in Tajikistan was the focus of a conference held in Dushanbe by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and UN Women on September 12 and 13, 2012.
Press release issued by the OSCE says that in 2010 alone, more than 700,000 men emigrated from Tajikistan in search of work. The conference brought together some 60 participants from national and local governments, civil society and international organizations to discuss how to improve the situation of the women the migrants left behind.
During the event, ODIHR presented its publication Assessment of the Social and Economic Inclusion of Women from Migrant Households in Tajikistan, which provides statistical data on and a synopsis of the current challenges women from four geographical regions in Tajikistan are facing.
The report contains recommendations to national and local governments on how policy and legislative frameworks for the provision of support services to these women can be further strengthened.
“Finding a systemic solution to the specific challenges women from migrant households face will facilitate their participation in social and economic life,” said Nathalie Tagwerker, the Deputy Head of ODIHR’s Democratization Department. “This will help address some of the consequences of the considerable labor emigration from Tajikistan.”
Participants at the conference discussed how the report’s findings could serve as the basis for an action plan to be developed by the local authorities to promote women’s access to public services and socio-economic opportunities through legislation and policymaking, to build the capacity of institutions to assist women from migrant households, and to raise awareness of the challenges they face.
The conference is part of ODIHR’s continued activities to assist participating States, upon request, in protecting the rights of migrants and migrant families.
