DUSHANBE June 30, 2013, Asia-Plus – On June 27, the OSCE Senior Adviser on Gender Issues, Miroslava Beham, concluded a four-day visit to Tajikistan, where she discussed with representatives of government and civil society measures to implement the new law on preventing domestic violence and to encourage a greater role for women in public and political life.
“It is encouraging to see that the Government is taking the issues pertaining to violence in the family seriously and passing a law to this effect. Now the difficult task comes to translate the law into practice and set up structures to ensure that it is implemented in a way that makes a difference to the lives of women in Tajikistan.”
According to the OSCE Office in Tajikistan, Beham met with the First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Major-General Nurullo Oripov and the Ministry’s expert group on gender aspects of police reform. She also visited a special police unit in Qurghon Teppa, established and trained as a joint initiative of the Ministry and the OSCE Office in Tajikistan, to work with victims of domestic violence.
With the deputy chairperson of the State Committee on Women and Family Affairs, Beham discussed progress to date in implementing Tajikistan’s National Strategy on Enhancing the Role of Women in Tajikistan 2011-2020. She also made a presentation at the Foreign Ministry on the role of UNSCR 1325 on Women, Peace and Security in the diplomatic service.
The Senior Adviser supports the work of the OSCE Office in Tajikistan in its efforts to assist the Tajik authorities with the development and implementation of gender equality policy, ensuring the inclusion of gender considerations in police reform and border management as well as providing legal and psychosocial counseling through the 12 Women’s Resource Centers established with OSCE assistance.
“I am pleased by the constructive discussions I have had here and I reiterate the OSCE’s readiness to assist the authorities in their efforts to promote gender equality and to ensure that safety, security and opportunity is attainable for all citizens in Tajikistan,” Beham said.
