DUSHANBE, February 6, 2014, Asia-Plus — The European Union has started funding regional project entitled: “Action for Freedom from Torture in Kazakhstan and Tajikistan” under the “European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights” program (EIDHR), for a total amount of EUR 1,156,690.
According to the Delegation of the European Union to Tajikistan, The overall objective of the action is to contribute to the eradication of torture and other forms of ill-treatment in Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. The action brings together civil society organizations from Central Asia and the EU who share the same goal: protection of human rights and prevention of torture. The project partners are: the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights – Poland (leading partner of the project); Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law; Public Foundation Nota Bene(Tajikistan) and the International Partnership for Human Rights (Belgium). In the implementation of the project activities will also take part coalitions of NGOs against torture from Kazakhstan and Tajikistan.
The 30 months action envisages different types of activities, such as: capacity-building, coordination and networking among NGOs active in the field of combating torture; legal support to victims of torture in Kazakhstan and Tajikistan; national and international advocacy to monitor fulfillment of international obligations related to freedom from torture as well as awareness-raising about the problem of torture in Kazakh and Tajik civil society.
Given the comprehensive scope of the action and the broad range of actors taking part in its implementation, systemic results are expected, such as: increased level and efficiency of investigations of torture cases; increased number of torture survivors receiving effective medical, psychological and social rehabilitation and legal remedy; restoration of victims” rights to legal redress; increased institutional, investigative and reporting capacities of NGOs etc.
