DUSHANBE, March 20, 2010, Asia-Plus — As continuation of its long standing tradition the Swiss Cooperation Office in Tajikistan has recently issued a new calendar “Tajikistan 2010-2011”, which has become one of its ‘trade mark.’
According to the Swiss Cooperation Office in Tajikistan, traditionally each year the calendar presents a different topic through the variety of photographs. For 2010 the focus has been given to gender equality, which in Tajikistan has always been an issue. Since the Soviet times there has been a strong mixture of gender equality in the public sphere with domination of traditional Tajik values, where women played a central role in the family sphere. Nevertheless, being in the center of family life never meant for women to have equal rights with their male family members. They are generally confined to the maternal and reproductive role and remain under the authority of their husband, father or brother, who possesses the major decision-making authority.
Today, lots of efforts are being taken both by the government and international community in order to promote gender equality. For the Swiss development program in particular gender is a cross-cutting theme for all five core domains, namely health, public services, water, economy and infrastructure, as an additional dimension to development operations, with the aim of enhancing program effectiveness and relevance. Switzerland promotes increased gender-equal representation in all institutions and the gender-equal participation at all levels of decision-making in its program. It supports a variety of activities in the field of gender equality and gender mainstreaming in addressing gender specific issues. This time Switzerland, through its Art and Culture program is supporting an exhibition ‘Modalities’ where a number of Tajik artists will demonstrate their perception of gender equality through contemporary art techniques. The project is expected to enable developing synergies between art and social issues and promote the newly emerging Tajik contemporary art.
Behind this event there has been a lot of research work. The project supported a training delivered by Alla Kuvatova, who developed a training program for artists to have a comprehensive understanding of the issue and speed-up the process of preparation for the exhibition. The exhibition ‘Modalities’ is aimed at encouraging artists and art students to develop and reflect more on this issue in their art works, and provoke a new wave of discussions on gender issues as well as draw due attention of decision-makers to the issue.
The project exhibition ‘Modalities’ is joined by UNIFEM in order to highlight importance of mobilization of all development actors around UNiTE-SAY NO campaigns, which will show case actions to end violence against women.
The exhibition ‘Modalities’ will open on March 30, 2010 at 3:00 pm on the 2nd floor of the Central Department Store (TSUM), and will last for the next two weeks. Admission is free.
