Gradual elimination of violence against children in closed institutions of Tajikistan

A press conference on the launch of the project named "Gradual elimination of violence against children in closed institutions of Tajikistan", supported by the European Union, will take place on December 5, 2013. The project is carried out in three countries (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan). In Tajikistan the project will be implemented by the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Republic of Tajikistan, the public organization "Center for the Rights of the Child" and the Representation of Penal Reform International in Central Asia (PRI).

Protecting children from torture and ill-treatment is of particular importance. Impunity for torture against children leads to the fact that children who are not granted protection, find violence, and not the legal mechanisms, as the only reliable way to solve problems and get results in life. Violence against children often stays unnoticed, it is not registered and not investigated. Research on violence held by UN in 2006 proved that children in guardianship institutions and prisons are at greater risk than almost all the other kids. As the joint monitoring of children's rights by the Office of the Commissioner and the "Center for the Rights of the Child" NGO indicates, the prevalence of violence against children in closed institutions in Tajikistan is very high.

As inform NoTorture.Tj Gulchekhra Rahmanova, Legal Project Manager of NGO “Child Rights Centre, the main objective of the project is to promote a significant reduction of cases of violence against children in closed institutions in Tajikistan. Facilitating the implementation of the recommendations of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, the project will seek, first and foremost, to end the use of solitary confinement of children in closed institutions and prevent joint confinement of children and adults any time and in any public institutions.

The project envisages implementation of international standards for the protection of children's rights into national legislation, legal support for children in difficult circumstances, education programmes for the children of closed institutions, the development of psychological rehabilitation programme for children affected by violence, and a number of other activities.

Press conference venue: Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Republic of Tajikistan, Dushanbe, Jalol Ikrami st. 7.

Date and time of event: December 5, 2013. 10:00 am.

For additional information please contact Gulchekhra Rakhmanova, 918 300751, 221 81 25, E-mail: g.rakhmanova.crp@gmail.com