Tajik Parliament Approves Law Against Domestic Violence

DUSHANBE — Tajikistan’s parliament has passed the country’s first law specifically targeting domestic violence.

Lawmakers on December 19 approved the law, which aims to give greater protections to women’s rights.

It sets up administrative measures to deal with domestic violence, including up to 15 days’ imprisonment and fines for offenders.

The law includes a statement that the elderly should play an active role in preventing domestic violence among young families.

The advice of elders carries significant weight in traditional Tajik society.

According to official statistics, more than 200 women took their own lives in 2010 and a majority of the cases were related to domestic violence.

via Tajik Parliament Approves Law Against Domestic Violence.

Advancing Legal Protection for Women in Tajikistan | IREX – Civil Society, Education and Media Development

Mufara Hamidova provides legal assistance to women in Tajikistan on issues ranging from domestic violence to early marriage. As a manager at the League of Women Lawyers of Tajikistan, she addresses domestic issues through litigation and mediation and also uses media and trainings to inform community groups about the legal status of young girls getting married and the legal and psychological consequences of early marriage. For more on early marriage in Tajikistan, click here.

As a 2011 LEAD fellow, she is studying at the University of Missouri-Kansas City this year and is accompanied by her husband and three-year-old son. Recently Mufara answered IREX’s questions about her legal work assisting women in Tajikistan and how she juggles a demanding legal career, family responsibilities, and coursework for a graduate degree in the US.

Continue reading Advancing Legal Protection for Women in Tajikistan | IREX – Civil Society, Education and Media Development