August 2, 2021

Grantee: Bonuvoni Pyanj
Project: Raising awareness of domestic violence within communities in Pyanj province

Implementation of Tajikistan’s State Programme for the Prevention of Domestic Violence for 2014-23 depends on cooperation between the Committee for Women and the Family; the state structures for education, healthcare and internal affairs; the Commission for Children’s Rights, and public organisations. The CSO Bonuvoni Pyanj, in cooperation with the district branch of the Committee for Women and the Family, held meetings and consultations in six towns and ten villages over a period of four months as part of the project “Possibilities for society to protect victims of domestic violence”.  

Most women do not know that victims of domestic violence are protected by the law. Over the course of our meetings participants were given a lot of information about the Law on Prevention of Domestic Violence. In addition to making women more aware of the legal aspects of domestic violence, we told them about ways in which women can be protected from domestic violence, and distributed information material. Now, many social activists are taking steps to react more quickly to cases of domestic violence. During the training sessions, 60 social activists, and representatives of CSOs built up their competence to do this. Two hundred and eighty women and girls who had experienced domestic violence were identified and given psychological and legal assistance. The CSO gave refuge to ten victims and helped them to obtain documents from the authorities to protect them from being pursued by their abusers. 

The Law on Prevention of Domestic Violence in Tajikistan provides for the following legal mechanisms: 

• compulsory removal of offenders to a police station 
• issue of protection orders  
• administrative arrest 
• accommodation of victims in a place of safety 

Domestic violence is illegal. Victims have the right to medical, psychological, legal and social assistance. To support women and girls who are victims of domestic violence and unemployed, the CSO has opened a centre for professional education and a sewing workshop for disabled girls in the heart of our district. They sew children’s, women’s, and men’s clothing and school uniforms. Over the course of the project the district police conducted 180 public information meetings. The local Committee for Women and the Family works closely with the police, healthcare authorities and municipal and village councils to prevent domestic violence. 

As part of the project, 300 vulnerable families which faced domestic violence were given information on how to prevent domestic violence, and what to do when it occurred. It was crucial that 30 representatives of official structures at different levels took part in the project. These are people who have the competence to take steps against domestic violence. It was also important that our remote border area was supported by an influential international organisation, The BEARR Trust. This was the first time such a well-known and influential organisation paid attention to our district. 

Contact:

Rustam Bakhridinov
Director of Bonuvoni Pyanj
kptj.brs@gmail.com

Translated by BEARR trustee, Janet Gunn

June 2021