Experts of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Commend Tajikistan on the New Equality Act, Ask About Female Refugees from Afghanistan and Gender-Based Violence
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women today considered the seventh periodic report of Tajikistan, with Committee Experts commending the State for enacting the new Equality and Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Act, and asking about the treatment of female refugees from Afghanistan, and how Tajikistan was addressing the issue of gender-based violence.
A Committee Expert commended Tajikistan for enacting the new Equality and Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Act. The Act set forth rules for the adoption of temporary special measures to support vulnerable groups to ensure their full participation in all areas of life.
Rangita De Silva De Alwis, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur for the report of Tajikistan, congratulated Tajikistan for being the first country to open its borders and welcome women and children fleeing the Taliban in 2021. However, the Committee was concerned about the deportation of female Afghan refugees. Would the policies of deportation be revised? Another Expert said concerns had been raised about the detention of Afghan women seeking safety in Tajikistan. Could the State party provide information on this issue? What measures were being taken to address these concerns and ensure the protection of Afghan refugees?
A Committee Expert welcomed the legal and policy initiatives which aimed to prevent and respond to gender-based violence in Tajikistan. How many cases of domestic violence had been brought to the courts and how many convictions had taken place? What were the penalties for perpetrators? What was the current procedure for a victim to file a complaint? Was there an established mechanism in place to protect women and children against perpetrators? What were the main obstacles to passing the draft law on domestic violence?
The delegation said over the past two years, there had only been five deportations of women from Afghanistan. These were women who broke the law or who did not have the valid documents for staying in Tajikistan. The State’s policy was dedicated to protecting the rights of refugees from Afghanistan and it had established good conditions, particularly for women and girls. Tajikistan was one of the first countries to raise the issue of protecting women and girls in Afghanistan, and this position was unchanged. The five women from Afghanistan were deported before the Taliban came to power, and that figure represented the total number of Afghan women deported over five years.
The delegation said a new draft law had been created which included an article on domestic violence, providing for a penalty of up to 10 years in prison. Over the past five years, domestic violence had led to more than 2,500 criminal cases. During the survey from 2017, it was found that 23 per cent of the more than 6,000 women interviewed had experienced physical violence of some kind. Most of the complaints related to violence carried out in the family home. During the spotlight initiative, a team was established in conjunction with the United Nations Populations Fund to identify structures to record violence against women and children. An inter-departmental group had been established to combat domestic violence, and shelters with beds for victims had been set up.
Muzaffar Ashuriyon, Minister of Justice of Tajikistan and head of the delegation, presenting the report, said Tajikistan’s legislation completely prohibited all forms of discrimination, including against women. In August 2023, a strategy for the protection of human rights for the period up to 2038 was adopted, which provided measures for implementing policies to promote gender equality, empower women, eliminate gender discrimination in society and the family, and increase women's participation in political life and their representation in State bodies. Women's representation in the Tajik Parliament had increased from three per cent to 27 per cent over the past 25 years. A national strategy for enhancing the role of women in Tajikistan for the period 2021-2030 was adopted. Presidential grants were allocated annually to support and develop women's entrepreneurship, with an annual amount of 2.5 million somoni for 80 entrepreneurs. Tajikistan stood ready to provide more detailed information on all issues and looked forward to the Committee’s recommendations.
In concluding remarks, Mr. Ashuriyon expressed gratitude to the Committee for the constructive dialogue and the assessment of Tajikistan’s positive changes and the challenges which remained. The State had a draft plan of measures for 2024, and as part of this, the provisions of the Convention would be widely disseminated, including the Committee’s recommendations.
Ana Peláez Narváez, Committee Chairperson, thanked the delegation for the constructive dialogue with the Committee which helped them to better understand the situation of women and girls in Tajikistan.
The delegation of Tajikistan was comprised of representatives from the Ministry of Justice; the Ministry of Labour, Migration and Employment; the Ministry of Interior; the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of the Population; the Executive Office of the President; the Committee on Women and Family Affairs; and the Permanent Mission of Tajikistan to the United Nations Office at Geneva.
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women’s eighty-seventh session is being held from 29 January to 16 February. All documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage. Meeting summary releases can be found here. The webcast of the Committee’s public meetings can be accessed via the UN Web TV webpage.
The Committee will next meet in public at 10 a.m. on Thursday, 1 February to consider the eighth periodic report of Italy (CEDAW/C/ITA/8).
Report
The Committee has before it the seventh periodic report of Tajikistan (CEDAW/C/TJK/7).
Presentation of Report
MUZAFFAR ASHURIYON, Minister of Justice of Tajikistan and head of the delegation, said article 17 of Tajikistan’s Constitution stipulated that the State guaranteed the rights and freedoms of everyone, regardless of nationality, race, sex, language, religion, political beliefs, education, social or property status. The Government paid special attention to women's rights and gave priority to improving legislation on gender equality and promoting women's rights. In December 2023, the President instructed the responsible bodies to take measures to further bolster the participation of women in various spheres of life, including in the civil service, education, healthcare, and agriculture sectors, and to take steps towards financial and technical incentives for women entrepreneurs. The year 2024 was declared the "Year of Legal Education", and events would be carried out which aimed at improving the legal literacy of the population, including women and girls.
Tajikistan’s legislation completely prohibited all forms of discrimination, including against women. In August 2023, a strategy for the protection of human rights for the period up to 2038 was adopted, which provided measures for implementing policies to promote gender equality, empower women, eliminate gender discrimination in society and the family, and increase women's participation in political life and their representation in State bodies. The 2022 law on equality and the elimination of all forms of discrimination was also adopted, and a permanent working group was established to improve legislation to strengthen gender policy and protect women's rights. Key activities had been carried out in the country to prevent violence against women and girls, including the review of key legislation and development plans related to sexual and gender-based violence, and the development of policies in five key sectors. A checklist had been prepared for doctors treating women victims of violence in accordance with the Istanbul Protocol. A communication strategy aimed at changing gender stereotypes and negative social norms was approved, which would be implemented by all ministries.
In 2023, the Department for Government Protection of the Right to Equality and Freedom from Discrimination was created within the Office of the Ombudsman. The Human Rights Ombudsman had also adopted a procedure for receiving complaints from women and girls who had been subjected to sexual and gender-based violence. Over the past 15 years, the country had taken effective measures to combat trafficking in human beings. In January 2019, the Criminal Code was amended to expand the range of acts recognised under the crime of trafficking and to bring Tajikistan’s concept of trafficking in line with international standards. The national plan for combatting trafficking in human beings for 2022-2024 was approved, and in 2020, the Government established a State institution which provided rehabilitation assistance to victims of human trafficking and victims of domestic violence, among others.
Women's representation in the Tajik Parliament had increased from three per cent to 27 per cent over the past 25 years. Two of the nine committees of the Majlisi Namoyandagon were headed by women. A national strategy for enhancing the role of women in Tajikistan for the period 2021-2030 was adopted. In April 2022, the Government adopted the State programme for the selection and training of executives among the ranks of talented women and girls for 2023-2030, to increase the number of female civil servants. The country's legislation prohibited discrimination on the basis of sex in education. In 2020, the national strategy for the development of education for the period up to 2030 was adopted, with the goal of creating an effective education system. Of the 41,232 Tajik students currently studying in foreign countries, more than 11,000 were girls.
A State programme was developed for the promotion of employment for 2023-2025, which sought to employ women, youth and persons with disabilities, and increase their competitiveness in the labour market. The programme had provided more than 88,000 women with permanent jobs and supported around 46,000 women with vocational training. Work was underway to create a comprehensive system to support women's entrepreneurship, including financial and service support. Presidential grants were allocated annually to support and develop women's entrepreneurship, with an annual amount of 2.5 million somoni for 80 entrepreneurs. In November 2023, a State programme was adopted to support the development of women's entrepreneurship in the country, including exempting the production of silk, satins and other hand-weaving products from tax. In 2022, over 600,000 women and girls were issued loans worth more than 3 billion somoni, which was 2.4 times more than in 2018.
To ensure equality between women and men and equal rights in marriage and family relations, the subject "family education" was introduced in State educational establishments. Extensive awareness-raising activities were being carried out by government agencies on the negative consequences of early marriage for women and girls, and on the importance of official registration of marriages and the prevention of bigamy and polygamy. Tajikistan stood ready to provide more detailed information on all issues and looked forward to the Committee’s recommendations.
Questions by Committee Experts
RANGITA DE SILVA DE ALWIS, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur for the report of Tajikistan, asked how the judiciary, including the Constitutional Court, applied the Convention? How did the courts use the Convention in constitutional jurisprudence? What were the mechanisms to ensure the independence of the judiciary? How was the judiciary trained on the Convention? The Labour Code still banned women from over 150 professions which were considered hazardous. Would the bans on employment for women be removed? How would the State ensure access to counsel and fair trial for women journalists and human rights defenders? How was the State party upholding the rights of all human rights defenders and non-governmental organizations? Recently, border tension between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan had sparked protests. How were women represented in peacebuilding and conflict negotiation? Tajikistan was congratulated for being the first country to open its borders and welcome women and children fleeing the Taliban in 2021. However, the Committee was concerned about the deportation of female Afghan refugees. Would the policies of deportation be revised?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said a new draft law had been created which included an article on domestic violence, providing for a penalty of up to 10 years in prison. Tajikistan had lived through a civil war and had experience in resolving conflicts peacefully. In 2005, Tajik women were nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. In 2019, a women’s peace corps was established for women peacekeepers. These women worked throughout the country and were featured on television and social media. Outreach had been conducted to reduce women’s vulnerability to terrorism and propaganda, and to promote women’s participation in the civil service. In Tajik society, women were identified as a driving force in establishing peace, when necessary.
A communications strategy had been adopted to prevent domestic violence, including social clips, brochures and other materials. About 70 per cent of the population lived in rural areas, which was why indirect awareness raising was needed. In February 2022, a workshop was held with parliamentarians and judges on gender legislation in Tajikistan to take into account leading practice in this area. The judges training centre trained judges on preventing domestic violence and providing support to victims. In October 2022, training sessions were held on gender in jurisprudence and court proceedings. In October 2023, a roundtable was held on gender-based approaches for the Office of the Ombudsman. A draft law had been prepared to amend the Labour Code of Tajikistan to expand the definition of discrimination in order to include sexual harassment. All citizens had an equal right to labour and any denial of work on the grounds of sex, race, religion, and other factors were banned. Three working groups had been established to eradicate gender stereotypes.
Legislation in Tajikistan reflected international standards. From 2019 to 2023, 800 women had been victims of domestic violence. During this time, 516 criminal cases were considered in mobile court hearings. Over the past two years, there had only been five deportations of women from Afghanistan. These were women who broke the law or who did not have the valid documents for staying in Tajikistan. The State’s policy was dedicated to protecting the rights of refugees from Afghanistan and it had established good conditions, particularly for women and girls. Tajikistan was one of the first countries to raise the issue of protecting women and girls in Afghanistan, and this position was unchanged. All the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan, including the right to education, needed to be respected.
The legal guarantees for the protection of female human rights defenders, journalists and activists were determined by constitutional law. According to the law on the protection of participants in legal proceedings, safety measures were carried out to protect those participating in the legal process.
Questions by Committee Experts
RANGITA DE SILVA DE ALWIS, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur for the report of Tajikistan, acknowledged the recent removal of over 100 prohibited categories from the Labour Code. However, there should be clear plans for the harmonisation of the anti-discrimination labour law and the existing labour law, and the removal of 195 categories banned for women.
A Committee Expert asked what was the percentage of the national budget allocated for the Commission of Human Rights? Did the legislative system allow for the review of laws in compliance with the Convention? How did the State party assess the impact of awareness raising campaigns? What were the long-time effects of changing attitudes towards gender equality and women empowerment?
Another Expert commended Tajikistan for enacting the new Equality and Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Act. The Act set forth rules for the adoption of temporary special measures to support vulnerable groups, to ensure their full participation in all areas of life. How was this new Act implemented within the State party? How were temporary special measures customised to address vulnerable groups of women? How were the measures customised to address women with HIV and elderly women? Did the Act have an action plan to identify and respond to gender gaps? Would temporary special measures be adopted to accelerate equality between women and men in all sectors? What were the State party’s concerns regarding the employment of temporary special measures?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said Tajikistan would work to reduce the list of banned jobs for women. There had been a significant reduction in the list over the past few years, and further reduction would continue. A State institution had been established to provide legal aid. Financial assistance was provided to increase female representation in the civil service. As part of the spotlight initiative, a special school had been established, with male and female pupils, women with HIV and students with disabilities. As a result of monitoring the State programme, a new five-year programme had been developed to prevent domestic violence.
The Committee on Women provided Government proposals on gender equality and supported women and the family. Together with other entities, the Committee worked to coordinate inter-departmental programmes for women and girls, and sought to identify innovative approaches for solving problems for women in the family. Anti-social and immoral behaviour within the family was a key focus. Training was provided to experts on the selection and placement of capable women in leadership positions. The Ombudsman’s Office was created in 2009 and its capacity was increasing. In 2023, two sections were created, one to protect equality, and the other to provide financial services and uphold the rights of entrepreneurship. Each year, there was around a 15 per cent increase in funding for the Ombudsman’s Office. From 2019 to 2023, the Human Rights Ombudsman received complaints from 993 women on various issues, including housing rights and violence in the family. The five women from Afghanistan were deported before the Taliban came to power, and that figure represented the total number of Afghan women deported over five years.
The Ministry of Health had 19 offices which provided aid to victims of violence. Women infected with HIV were provided with care, and there were centres for them in over 600 towns. Temporary special measures were utilised to assist disadvantaged people. Temporary special measures needed to be taken to support certain social groups in disadvantaged situations.
Questions by a Committee Expert
A Committee Expert asked how temporary special measures were customised for different groups of vulnerable women? How was awareness raising conducted with civil society in regard to temporary special measures?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said positive measures were special legislative measures aimed at protecting people in disadvantaged circumstances. Positive measures should be implemented up until de-facto equality was achieved. This was contained in the Act on Equality. There was a legal aid centre which provided assistance to vulnerable groups. A programme was in place to protect the rights of labour migrants and their wives who were left behind. In 2023 alone, over 1,000 women benefitted from this. In companies with more than 20 people, there was a mandatory quota for people with disabilities. A law was currently under consideration to increase the involvement of persons with disabilities in entrepreneurship. People in difficult life circumstances, including those with disabilities, received full medical services free of charge.
The Committee for Women had worked with the Tajikistan television channel to generate motivating programmes for women and society, promoting the importance of ensuring equal opportunities. In 2023, there were more than 14,000 women who were employed through the quota system, and 7,000 women who received interest-free loans. Over 56,000 women underwent a free vocational training course and over 1,000 unemployed women received benefits.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert welcomed the legal and policy initiatives which aimed to prevent and respond to gender-based violence in Tajikistan. It was hoped these would bring positive results. How many cases of domestic violence had been brought to the court and how many convictions had taken place? What were the penalties for perpetrators? What was the current procedure for a victim to file a complaint? Was there an established mechanism in place to protect women and children against perpetrators? What was the procedure followed to issue protective orders and evict the perpetrator from the family house? What were the main obstacles to passing the draft law on domestic violence? Did it encompass all forms of violence, including marital rape? Changing patriarchal stereotypes was crucial; was there a strategy planned around this?
A Committee Expert asked what was the transnational trafficking role of Tajikistan? How did the Government support victims of trafficking? How many shelters were available, and what efforts had been made to open new centres which provided financial, social, and legal support? What programmes had been developed to protect women migrant workers from exploitation? Was the trafficking hotline free of charge?
Responses by the Delegation
Over the past five years, domestic violence had led to more than 2,500 criminal cases. The people who committed these crimes were generally close relatives or partners. Every five years, the national statistics agency carried out a medical demographic survey, with the latest one carried out in 2023, although the data had not yet been consolidated. During the previous survey from 2017, it was found that 23 per cent of the more than 6,000 women interviewed had experienced physical violence of some kind. Over 80 per cent said it was their partner who was the perpetrator, or a former partner. Most of the complaints related to violence carried out in the family home. During the spotlight initiative, a team was established in conjunction with the United Nations Populations Fund to identify structures to record violence against women and children. Training had been carried out with experts on how to use the system. An inter-departmental group had been established to combat domestic violence, and shelters with beds for victims had been set up.
There was a centre to counter trafficking in persons, which had more than 30 employees. More than 40 million somoni had been allocated to implement the action plan to combat trafficking in persons. Over the last five years, law enforcement officers had identified more than 400 cases of trafficking in persons. A centre had been established on organ transplants. Last year, 344 organ transplants were carried out and there were specialised cabinets with lawyers who examined all documents before the transplant. Last year, a communication had been received from Türkiye regarding organ transplants and all questions had been answered by Tajikistan.
Many Tajik migrants were abroad in the Russian Federation, and there was a hotline that all migrants could use, including women. The hotline was available free of charge and was provided in Tajik and Russian. A special division had been established which held prevention events for prostitution throughout the country. The division had met with women involved in prostitution and gave them medical screenings to test for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. If found to be positive, they were referred to specialised medical care.
Questions by Committee Experts
RANGITA DE SILVA DE ALWIS, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur for the report of Tajikistan, said since COVID-19, the phenomenon of doxing and revenge porn had escalated alarmingly. Would the State party consider legislation in this area? Would Tajikistan consider a strict definition of rape consistent with the Convention?
A Committee Expert said there was an issue of trafficking in children which appeared to be quite regional. Data indicated that Tajikistan was a transit country for children’s organs, especially foreign children from conflict areas, and it was important to fight this. Would it be possible for Tajikistan to ratify the Hague Convention?
Another Expert appreciated that there had been an increase in female representation in Tajikistan, from three per cent in 1995 to 24 per cent in the lower house and 26 per cent in the upper house by 2020. In 2017, Tajikistan established the Alliance of Women Parliamentarians, consisting of 13 women parliamentarians, a significant step towards promoting gender equality in politics. What measures had been taken to ensure women’s participation in public and political life? How were temporary special measures used to achieve the goal of 30 per cent representation? What measures had been taken to ensure civil society organizations were protected against reprisals? What measures had been taken to ensure women’s representation in diplomatic services? What obstacles had been identified when it came to achieving women’s representation in senior positions in the diplomatic corps?
A Committee Expert asked if Tajikistan planned to ratify the 1954 and 1951 conventions on statelessness? How would the State party ensure birth registration for all children? Concerns had been raised around the detention of Afghan women seeking safety in Tajikistan. Could the State party provide information on this issue? What measures were being taken to address these concerns and ensure the protection of Afghan refugees?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the new Criminal Code included a definition of rape and new wording had been developed in the Code, including the commission of a crime on the grounds of ethnic and social hatred. The share of women working in the civil service was more than 24 per cent and there were 86 female judges within the judiciary. Regarding Afghan women, according to the International Organization of Migration’s recommendations, they received free services; 215 Afghan refugees were covered by this and were employed through remote occupation systems. A number of applications for citizenship had recently been adopted, with 302 granted nationality, including over 200 women. In 2014, a pilot project was launched to provide assistance to those who were at risk of statelessness, and to provide those who were stateless with identity documents. The Amnesty Act, which ran up to 2022, meant many people received residents permits. It was possible that Tajikistan would accede to the two conventions on statelessness in the not-so-distant future.
Twenty-one civil society organizations worked with the Government to provide support to 400 victims of trafficking, including psychological, financial and reintegration support. Social services were provided free of charge to victims of domestic violence. Ten cities and districts had centres for the provision of such services, and support was provided through Government structures. Children were registered at birth and had the right to a name and citizenship. If one or both parents did not have any identification and they were stateless persons or refugees, the civil registry office did not refuse to register the birth of the child. Parents could provide a marriage act or an equivalent instead, and the civil registry office could help parents obtain these documents if they did not have them.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert said the high-level delegation in Geneva reflected how seriously Tajikistan took the Convention and the Committee. Tajikistan had made great efforts in the strategy on education. This policy had been given a long-term vision. However, priority given to girls in higher education did not translate into figures, and school dropout figures were very high at around 30 per cent after the ninth grade. How did the State plan to build on past efforts and take them further? How could remote education be developed to bridge geographic discrepancies? The efforts made to bridge the gaps in services for young children with disabilities should be commended. How would investments in infrastructure be bolstered? How did the State strike the balance between the obligation of religious education, and freedom of belief?
Another Expert said the Committee was concerned that the gender pay gap was high. What protection mechanisms were in place for women in the informal sector, particularly for ensuring fair wages and safe working conditions? What was being done to promote women’s employment in sectors typically dominated by men? What steps were being taken to improve social protection for women, including maternity benefits and pensions? Would the State consider introducing paid paternity leave for fathers? What support measures were envisaged to stimulate the movement of women entrepreneurs from the informal to the formal sector?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said there had been a 10 per cent increase in girls studying in vocational institutions last year. In 2020, a national strategy was adopted which set up extra education opportunities for adolescents and girls, aiming to reach girls over the age of 18 and provide them with the conditions to study. Recently, the Ministry of Education and Science had sought to promote favourable conditions for adults who did not attend school. A government body had been established for general education. There had been a growth in secondary and tertiary education for women and girls. Persons with disabilities were given free of charge assistance. The years 2020 to 2040 had been declared to be the two decades of learning by the President. There was a focus on training experts in science, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects. Forty-three per cent of science students were girls and 41.8 per cent of the labour force was comprised of women.
A range of government programmes had been launched to promote employment, including a separate section on women’s employment. Several measures would improve women’s opportunities for permanent employment and assist women entrepreneurs. Under this programme, women’s take-up of quota positions had increased by five per cent. Social services were provided to thousands of women, and this had been increased under the programme. The total of loans granted to women entrepreneurs was due to increase to over five million somoni.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert appreciated the positive actions taken by the State party to improve the health of women and children. A health protection strategy up to 2030 had been adopted. What measures had been taken to implement the programme which covered the first 1,000 days of a child’s life? Did the programme also cover neo-natal defects? Breast cancer accounted for more than 23 per cent of the new cancer cases in women. Were there any free breast cancer and cervical cancer screening services supported by the State party? How could women in remote areas gain access to safe and affordable family planning services? How did women and girls receive relevant material on HIV/AIDS?
Another Expert commended the State party for the Presidential entrepreneurship grants, among other measures. How did the State party track gender programmes? Were there plans for dedicated women’s funds to bridge gaps and equip women for the new digital age? How were grants administered to boost financial opportunities for women? What were plans to promote sporting and recreational activities for the women of Tajikistan?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said a number of programmes had been developed for neo-natal care. Family planning measures were in place and contraception was provided. Indicators for detecting HIV/AIDS had been improved; 300,000 women had been screened for HIV/AIDS in 2023, and it was possible to determine from day one whether a child was positive or not. If the child was positive, they were provided with medical and social support. Due to modern treatments, the maternal mortality rates had decreased from 96 deaths per 100,000 births, to 24 deaths per 100,000 births. The State was striving to ensure universal access to medical services for mothers and infants.
There was a 48 per cent rise in the number of credit cards allocated to women in 2023. Supporting women entrepreneurs was a priority. There was a Government Decree which included elements for the development of women’s entrepreneurship. A programme was being implemented to assist with the training of around 50,000 women in entrepreneurship. Seventy per cent of the population lived in rural areas, and a programme had been introduced to reduce the level of informal employment. Through the programme, training had been provided to 10,000 women and many courses were offered to women in craftmanship, and they were provided with loans and credit.
The programme on women entrepreneurs offered business mortgages for small and medium enterprises. There was a dangerous trend in recruiting children and teenagers to terrorist religious groups. To counter this, the Government was acquainting young people and children with all religions, and teaching them that there were no terrorist callings in any religions, which was why religions were taught in schools.
Questions by Committee Experts
RANGITA DE SILVA DE ALWIS, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur for the report of Tajikistan, asked how the rights of widows and elderly women in rural areas were ensured? There were concerns of custodial violence against women in detention centres; how were law enforcement officers held accountable for abuse? How was the July 2022 law on equality and discrimination being applied to former inmates? Tajikistan with its 93 per cent mountainous territory was severely affected by climate change. Could women play a leadership role as scientists and decision makers in the complex area of climate crisis?
A Committee Expert asked how many cases of discrimination based on sex had been prosecuted in the past two years? Tajikistan had one of the highest rates of early marriage in Central Asia. What measures had been taken to set the age of marriage at 18 and to adequately punish all those involved in child and forced marriages? What measures were being taken to prevent polygamy in the country? What Government plans and programmes were in place to protect women and girls from early and forced marriage and polygamy? What measures had been taken to prohibit the so-called “virginity testing” for future brides?
RANGITA DE SILVA DE ALWIS, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur for the report of Tajikistan, noted that a female boxer was being entered for Tajikistan in the Olympics. How were rural women involved in sports, including popular and traditional sports?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said there were more than 100 sports organizations and more than 1,000 sports unions for men and women in Tajikistan. From 2022 to 2023, 6,000 women and girls took part in international sporting events. In 1991, the poverty rate was 83 per cent, and by 2023, poverty levels had decreased to 21 per cent. Everyone testing for HIV provided their consent in written form. In 2023, 1.14 million people were examined, and work was being done to prevent the transition from mother to infant. The Committee on Women had organised several projects to support rural women. There were more than 300 start-ups organised and 390 women were helped to develop business schools. Private funding had been provided to dairy and other food industries, and assistance in the form of loans was provided to female entrepreneurs. An article in the Criminal Code prohibited polygamy. An individual could be punished if found guilty of keeping a household with two different women.
Concluding Remarks
MUZAFFAR ASHURIYON, Minister of Justice of Tajikistan and head of the delegation, expressed gratitude to the Committee for the constructive dialogue and the assessment of Tajikistan’s positive changes and the challenges which remained. The State had a draft plan of measures for 2024, and as part of this, the provisions of the Convention would be widely disseminated, including the Committee’s recommendations. A mechanism had already been established to implement these recommendations.
ANA PELÁEZ NARVÁEZ, Committee Chairperson, thanked the delegation for the constructive dialogue with the Committee which helped them to better understand the situation of women and girls in Tajikistan. The State party was commended on its efforts and encouraged to take on all the recommendations provided by the Committee.
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