1.1. A new bill passed by Tajikistan’s Lower House of the Parliament on 19 December, 2012 is bringing hope to such women with its provisions of protection for survivors. The draft law was passed after more than 10 years of struggle and advocacy work by civil society, NGOs, the women’s movement, the UN and other international organizations.
1.2. “This law will help to regulate family relations and most importantly, it concretely defines the measures to prevent domestic violence,” says Nasrullo Makhmudov, a Member of Parliament who is one of the authors of the new bill. “It protects the rights of the family and defines the ways of providing legal, medical and psychological assistance to victims of domestic violence while introducing administrative measures for punishment of perpetrators.”
1.3. Parliament has passed the country's first law specifically for domestic violence. - 15 days of prison and fines.
1.4. Switzerland’s project on preventing domestic violence in Tajikistan has shown significant achievements in raising awareness of domestic violence, and in spreading the understanding that it is unacceptable.
2. Statistics
2.1. More than 80% of Tajik women have been victims of domestic violence at some point, but very few of them have reported their abuse to the police.
2.2. 47% reported experiencing sexual violence by their husbands.
2.3. The type of violence most frequently reported is psychological (56.5% in 2005) and the next most frequent is physical (22.3% in 2005.)
2.4. 200 women committed suicide in 2010. Most of them are related to domestic violence.
2.5. 5,600 marriages have broken down in Tajikistan over the first eleven months of this year(2012), 1,200 cases more than in the same period last year.
2.6. By 2012, the number of recorded cases of domestic violence had increased to 1712, probably because of the increased awareness among victims that there were people they could turn to.
3. Documentaries
3.1. 50000 people killed and 1 million Tajiks homeless in one year. (Islam Reborn)
3.2. Tajik people depend on World Food Programme. (Islam reborn)
3.3. During 5 months of 1996, everyday working, only get 500 rubles. (not enough to buy 1 bag of flour) (Islam reborn)
3.4. Governments don't make salary for the people as a priority, they focus too much on maintaining their power. (Islam reborn)
3.5. Men keep going abroad to find money. Women are left to work in the fields. (Tajikistan's missing men)
3.6. Men would easily divorce their wives through phone if they can't find money, (Tajikistan's missing men)
3.7. Bibi: and other women live in the village. survive by making food out of cow's milk. money from Bibi's sons who work abroad. (on women's shoulders)
4. Specific examples
4.1. “I was punched by my husband several times — that made me decide to leave him, t was a difficult time for me, I just wanted to run away from my husband. But I was thinking of my children. Finally I couldn’t endure the constant humiliation any more. So I decided to take my children and we left the house.
4.2. Zamira got married at 18 in a traditional Islamic marriage. The marriage lasted for five years, and in all those years Zamira was never allowed to leave her husband’s house. “It was like in prison,” Zamira said. She told Amnesty International that when she asked his permission to go out or when they had a quarrel, her husband would beat her. One day her husband divorced her according to Islamic tradition and she was thrown out of the house by his parents.
4.3. Risolat, a 17-year-old girl from a small town, was raped by her “boyfriend”, who threatened to kill her if she told anyone about it. He forced her to have sex continuously for a period of four months. He also beat her. A year later she went to the police and wanted to file a complaint, but she was mocked by the officers, and sent away.
4.4. he reached over and wrapped both of his big hands around the 14-year-old’s throat so tightly that Amina could feel herself go lightheaded and then begin to pass out. “This is to show you who is boss,”
4.5. equal before the law: a woman attempted a suicide because she cannot divorce her husband. Husband keeps abusing her habitually.
4.6. equal before the law: a woman is beaten up by her husband to the point of being blind in on eye. Her mother in law also beats her up They abuse her for no reason.
5. Background Info and what's happening
5.1. Tajikistan gained its independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
5.2. Remains a problem because people think that they are personal issues and they won't open up to public.
5.3. Civil War: Uncontrolled fighting occurred in the streets, and the level of violence against women increased.
5.4. Tajikistan is still suffering the after effects of the conflict, and remains the poorest of the former Soviet Central Asian republics: an estimated 46 % of its people live below the poverty line.
5.5. Their economic position has become weaker since independence, as unemployment has risen, and, in the competition for jobs, women face discrimination.
5.6. domestic violence is an everyday occurrence which is tolerated, sometimes even accepted as normal.
5.7. In Tajikistan, women are making increasing contributions to the economy and family budgets. But at the same time, women are becoming overburdened with unpaid household labour and detached from social life, and fewer and fewer girls are attending school.
