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This two-year initiative on enhancing women’s access to justice in the Region by identifying the barriers that hamper the access at national, and thus also at international level,  consists of a series of events at international, regional and national levels.

Event at 56th session of CSW “Tradition as a barrier to rural women’s access to justice”

“Tradition as a barrier to rural women’s access to justice” was a title of the event organized  by KARAT Coalition and its partner organizations from Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan during the 56th Session of CSW in New York in February 2012. The panel debate allowed the audience to get a picture of the impact that traditional practices and values have on the life of rural women and particularly on the reality of their access to justice.

The panelists shared their views on the reasons for the backlash on women’s rights in the Region. They discussed women’s rights violations, such as non consensual marriages, bride kidnapping and domestic violence, that are not only common but also unrecognized due to their deep immersion in traditions so vivid and influential in rural areas. The specific problems of women – victims of human trafficking – were also addressed. The panelists explored various barriers that prevent women from using the legal mechanisms to claim their rights and agreed that most of them are linked to women’s vulnerable economic and social position resulting from conservative and patriarchal approach towards gender roles. Women who challenge this situation are likely to lose support of their family and community, which can deprive them of livelihood, housing and custody of children and result in social isolation. In this context it was interesting to hear about the barriers experienced by women from Eastern European country – Poland, trying to claim their right to a lawful abortion.

See the event’s leaflet HERE

56th session of CSW. KARAT's event

Events at the regional level 2010 – 2011:

  • Central Asia women fall victims to tradition

This regional event was organised by KARAT in a form of a public event in the popular Warsaw venue „Krytyka Polityczna” (Political Critique) on 1st of December 2011. The representatives of NGOs from Azerbaijan, Kirgizstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan shared the stories about acts of violence against women such as bride kidnapping and women trafficking. Screening of a film from Azerbaijan addressing selective abortion of female foetuses and Kyrgyzstani film focusing on bride kidnapping followed. The event was a success and was attended by approximately 50 persons.

The event leaflet in Polish is available HERE

 

  • The strategic meeting of the project’s partners in November 2011

The third strategic meeting of the project’s partners  took place on 29-30 November 2011 in Warsaw, Poland. The objectives of the meeting were: sharing the findings and conclusions of the research on access to justice in the project countries, elaborating a set of recommendations for joint advocacy at the international level,  defining the strategy for this advocacy, and setting rules for the further cooperation. Five members of International KARAT Board joined as the observers on the second day of the meeting and had an opportunity to receive first-hand information about the project.

The report from the November strategic meeting is available HERE

  • The strategic meeting of the project’s partners in May 2011

The second strategic meeting of the project partners took place on 22 May 2011 in Warsaw, Poland. The participants gave an update on the project related activities, discussed the strategy and timetable for the further project activities, had an in-depth discussion (based on reflections from the previous training) on the partners activities on women’s access to justice in respective countries within project’s framework and set the rules for the cooperation within the project (timeframe, mode of communication, guidelines for reporting).

  • The training and strategic development: Optional Protocol to CEDAW and Women’s Access to Justice.

The training and strategic development meeting took place on 18-21 May 2011 in Warsaw, Poland. It was organized in cooperation with IWRAW Asia Pacific. It was attended by 16 women’s rights advocates and aimed at increasing participants’ understanding of the OP CEDAW and to contribute to improving women’s access to justice through promoting the procedures available under the treaty as well as through developing and agreeing on the strategy aimed at identifying the barriers (especially those on the national level) hampering their use, and proposing the possible solutions to eliminate them.

The training was joined by several participants from Poland involved in work on women’s human rights. The training was based on the input from experts: prof. EleonoraZielińska (UN Working group on the issue of discrimination against women in law and in practice), Ann Campbell (IWRAW Asia Pacific), Eleanor Solo (UN Women), Jacqueline Hunt (Equality Now), Aleksandra Solik and Magdalena Pocheć, (KARAT).

 

  • Training of Trainers on CEDAW

The training of trainers on application of the Convention on Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women was held in Warsaw, Poland, on 17-23 November 2010. The event was organized jointly by KARAT Coalition and International Women’s Rights Action Watch Asia-Pacific and was addressed to female trainers from Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The 7-day-program strengthened the ability of individuals and organisations to apply principles of the CEDAW Convention in the national, sub-regional and regional context. The participants improved their understanding of CEDAW as well as of the structural and institutional aspects of discrimination and inequality.

  • Regional consultation on the implementation of CEDAW Concluding Observations in Europe and Central Asia

On 1-3 July 2010, European consultation on the implementation of CEDAW Concluding Observations (COs) organized by IWRAW Asia Pacific in cooperation with KARAT and WIDE took place in Warsaw, Poland. During this 3-day strategic meeting women’s rights advocates from EU member states, CEE countries and Central Asia shared strategies on how to use Concluding Observations to keep the governments accountable for complying with the obligation to fully implement CEDAW Convention at national level. The meeting was attended by 32 women from 17 countries, including KARAT’s members and project partners. Previous member of the CEDAW Committee – Shanthi Dairiam from Malaysia – attended the Regional Consultations sharing her expertise and experience.

 

  • 1st Strategic Meeting of Project Partners

The first meeting of the 3-year KARAT’s project focusing on CEDAW and its mechanisms’ promotion took place between 29th and 30th of April 2010 in Warsaw, Poland. The meeting was a first opportunity for all project partners to meet and discuss in depth the project strategy, objectives and actions to be taken at regional level and in the project countries: Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The project aims at addressing the women’s rights through advocating and lobbying for the implementation of CEDAW Committee’s Concluding Observations and improving women’s access to justice through building capacity to use the procedures provided by the Optional Protocol to CEDAW.

Events at the national level 2010:

Azerbaijan

  • Round Table for regional NGOs on CEDAW implementation in the country and on CEDAW Committee Concluding Observations.

On 4th of October 2010 Gender Association “Symmetry” organized a “Round Table for regional NGOs on CEDAW implementation  in the country and on CEDAW Committee Concluding Observations”. The meeting’s participants – NGOs’ representatives from 16 regions in Azerbaijan – learnt about the state’s obligations under the CEDAW Convention (namely those mentioned in the Concluding Observations of CEDAW Committe), the tools for CEDAW implementation, advocacy and lobbying, assessed the current policies in the context of major concerns in the field of women’s rights and developed the potential strategies.

  • Round Table for NGOs and trainers on reproductive health and rights on the CEDAW implementation in the country and CEDAW Committee Concluding Observations.

The next event organized by Gender Association “Symmetry” took place on the 9th of October 2010 and was attended by  NGOs representatives and trainers on reproductive rights and health. The event aimed at raising awareness on the implementation of CEDAW in the area of reproductive health and rights as well as distributing the relevant information on the Concluding Observations of the CEDAW Committee. The participants assessed the status of the draft law on Reproductive Health and Rights and discussed the role of NGOs in the process.

 

 Kyrgyzstan

  • Training “Violence Against Women”

The training “Violence Against Women”  was organized  by the Forum of Women’s NGOs of Kyrgyzstan between 26th and 28th of May 2010. The training aimed at: promoting CEDAW as a tool for social transformation, presenting information about OP CEDAW and the procedures available under this mechanism and improving  women’s access to justice. The participants were women’s leaders and women’s activists.

  • Training  “Gender and politics”

The next training took place between 16th and 18th of August 2010. It focused on improving the knowledge of the candidates for parliament about the problem of  violence against women in Kyrgyzstan and the international law protecting women and their interests.  The training provided the detailed information on OP CEDAW and advocated for improving women’s access to justice. The target groups were women’s leaders, female candidates in the parliamentary elections and local deputies.

  • Training “Gender and politics”

Between16th and18th of October 2010 the Forum of women’s NGOs of Kyrgyzstan conducted training under the same title  but with different content. This training was targeted at the women’s leaders and women activists. It aimed at improving their understanding of law from the feminist perspective by demonstrating the interrelation between women’s rights, human rights and international law as well as the link between CEDAW and advancement of women’s status.

  • Workshop “Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women”

On the 17th of May 2010 Forum of Women’s NGO’s of Kyrgyzstan in partnership with NGO “DIA” from Osh oblast carried out the workshop in Osh province “Convention on elimination of all forms of discrimination against women” targeted at the women’s leaders and women’s activists. Workshop aimed at introducing the CEDAW Convention and the OP CEDAW, improving the understanding the concepts of equality and non-discrimination and building the capacity at local level to use the procedures provided under the Optional Protocol to the CEDAW Convention.

  • Workshop “International commitment for protecting women: CEDAW”

This workshop took place on the 16th of July 2010 and aimed at improving the knowledge of the participants on the CEDAW Convention and international law in the context of the national legislation on women’s rights.

  • Workshop “CEDAW and OP CEDAW for local women’s rights in Osh province”

The next workshop took place on 20th of July 2010. The target groups were the women’s groups and women activists. It aimed at improving the knowledge of women’s NGOs in Osh region about CEDAW, OP CEDAW and the state’s obligations under the treaties, and empower them to use the convention to protect women’s rights.

Tajikistan

  • Round Table “Results of the Implementation of the CEDAW Committee Concluding Observations to Tajikistan for the years 2007 – 2010”

A national round table “Results of the Implementation of the CEDAW Committee Concluding Observations to Tajikistan for the years 2007-2010 was organized in May 2011 by Public Organization “Panorama”.  Fifty persons took part in the event: members of the government, human rights ombudsman, representatives of the general prosecutors office, NGOs and international organizations, mass media, and law enforcement bodies. It also attracted the attention of mass media with an article “The Law Will Ask for Broken Nose and Rib”, published in the  newspaper “Vechernii Dushanbe, that referred to the Convention and pointed to the urgent need for adopting of  Law on the prevention of domestic violence.  The event also resulted in setting a plan for the preparations of the alternative report.

Apart from the event a brochure including the text of CEDAW Convention, its Optional Protocol and CEDAW Committee Concluding observations was published by the project partner.

 

  • Round Table on National Action Plan for 2011-2015 for strengthening women’s role in the Republic of Tajikistan for the years 2011-2020

The event, organized by the Public Foundation “Panorama”, Coalition of Women’s NGOs “From the “de-juro” Equality Towards the “de-facto” Equality” and Committee on Women and Family Affairs under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, took place on the 27th of October 2010. In the event particpated the Ombudsmen, representatives of the office of the President of Tajikistan, governmental institutions (Ministries, Committees), public and international organizations, and mass media. The discussion focused on the draft of the National Action Plan for 2011-2015 on execution of “National Strategy on activization of women’s role in the Republic of Tajikistan for the years 2011-2020, as a mechanism of realization of national strategies and international obligations in the field of promoting gender equality”. One of the main topics was the evaluation of the implementation of CEDAW Concluding Observations by the Tajik government. The round table created a space for representatives of NGOs united in the Coalition to express their views and comments on the National Plan. Broad coverage of the event in mass media ( including transmission in the news and a program at prime time in First national TV Channel and a separate 20-minute TV program devoted to the Round Table) contributed to publicize the problems raise during the Round Table.

Uzbekistan

  • Training “Building NGO capacity on CEDAW application”

In April 2011 Istiqbolli Avlod organised a two-day training related to CEDAW convention, titled “Building NGO capacity on CEDAW application”, addressed to lawyers, social workers and leaders of the partner organizations from 8 regions of Uzbekistan engaged in the issues of women who suffered from human trafficking and domestic violence. It was not only aimed at thorough study and analysis of CEDAW and its accompanying documents but also at making future action plans on further promotion and implementation of CEDAW provisions at the local level.

With support of the governmental Women’s Committee brochures on CEDAW and OP CEDAW were produced and disseminated at the training.

 

  • The Capacity Building Training of Trainers on CEDAW Concluding Observations for Uzbekistan

This training was organized by the NGO “Istiqbolli Avlod” and took place on the 30th of July 2010. The training aimed at introducing the NGO partners to the Concluding Observations of the CEDAW Committee for Uzbekistan.  All participants committed to organize the local seminars on the CEDAW Concluding Observations with special focus on raising awareness on CEDAW in the context of trafficking in women problem. The participants of the event were the partner organizations from 8 regions of Uzbekistan.

  • Trainings on Concluding Observations of the CEDAW Committee

The local branches of “Istiqbolli Avlod” carried out 9 trainings on Concluding Observations of the CEDAW Committee in 8 regions of Uzbekistan between August and November 2010. The trainings targeted at the women’s NGOs, Women’s Committee representatives (governmental Gender Equality institution), advisers on women’s issues in communities, advisers on religious issues in communities, leaders of the club “Women and Law”, law enforcement bodies, mass media, deputies of political parties, representatives of commissions set up by the Enacts of the Cabinet of Ministers and teachers. The trainings provided in-depth knowledge of the CEDAW Convention and the Optional Protocol and developed the joint action plans on implementing the CEDAW Committee Concluding Observation.

  • Training in Tashkent for the lawyers and social workers engaged in the issues of women who suffered from human trafficking and domestic violence

The CEDAW Convention provided the basis for the training organized in April 2011 in Tashkent for the lawyers and social workers engaged in the issues of women who suffered from human trafficking and domestic violence. These two areas of women’s rights violations are among the main concerns addressed by the CEDAW Committee in its Concluding Observations to Uzbekistan as a State Party to the Convention. The training in Tashkent was a good opportunity to promote the National Action Plan on the Implementation of the CEDAW Committee Concluding Observations adopted by Uzbek Government in 2010. It was organized by the organisation Istiqbolli Avlod within the initiative coordinated by KARAT Coalition and aimed at improving the implementation of CEDAW in the Region.

The WIDE Annual Conference “Migration in the context of globalization: Women’s human rights at risk?”, 3-5 June 2010, Bucharest, Romania

The WIDE Annual Conference “Migration in the context of globalization: Women’s human rights at risk?”, co-organised by KARAT Coalition, was attended by the project coordinator Aleksandra Solik and three representatives of the partner organizations: Kamila Dadashova (Azerbaijan), Chinara Kartanbayeva (Kyrgyzstan), Liliya Khamzaeva (Uzbekistan).
Durign the conference KARAT, in cooperation with its project partners, organized a workshop “CEDAW and migrant women rights” which highlighted the role of CEDAW as a tool for women migrants’ rights. Special attention was paid to promoting the CEDAW General Recommendation 26 “Women migrant workers”. The case studies presented by K. Dadashova, Ch. Kartanbaeva and L. Khamzayeva served as starting points for discussions on different issues. The report on the workshop is included in the conference report (p. 48) and available at the WIDE website.  The participation in the Conference allowed the project partners to bring CEDAW issue to the borad international audience and to make the regional perspective present at the event. Apart from providing the opportunity to establish new contacts, it was also a good occasion to strengthen the partnership and test the cooperation methods in new circumstances.

The following presentations from the conference are avalaible here:

“Access to social services for internal migrants in Kyrgyzstan” by Chinara Kartanbaeva, Forum of Womens NGOS of Kyrgyzstan

Presentation about the rights of women in the context of trafficking of women by Liliya Khamzayeva, Istiqbolli Avlod, Uzbekistan