TAJIKSTAN

The most recent NAP for 2019-2022  was submitted to the Executive Office for the approval of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, but the document has not been made public. The following information is taken from the next most recent NAP, running from 2014 to 2018.

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Objectives/Aims of the 2014-2018 NAP:

The NAP focuses on all women’s rights and includes a section dedicated to WPS. The section affirms the Government’s support for UNSCR 1325 and lists a number of strategic objectives targeted at women in the security and peace-building space:

1. Increase women’s participation in conflict resolution at the decision-making level  and protect women in areas of armed conflict or under foreign occupation.

2. Reduce “excessive” military spending and to monitor or limit the availability of weapons.

3. Advocate for non-violent forms of conflict resolution and to reduce human rights violations in conflict.

4. Promote the contribution of women to the promotion of a culture of peace.

5. Protect, assist, and train refugee and internally displaced women.

6. Assist women in colonies and non-self-governing territories.

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Commentary:

Tajikistan’s National Action Plan 2014-18 is interesting in that it focuses on all aspects of women’s rights and is primarily a document about economic development, health and education with the inclusion of a section on UNSCR and women in conflict. Whilst it is accepted that all these issues are interrelated, to conflate them with WPS is to minimise the relative importance of each one and runs the risk of generalising WPS as a ‘women’s issue,’ rather than  recognising it as a security issue for implementation by security services. In reality, WPS requires both. The Plan includes unique language about colonies and occupied territories, as well as calling for a reduction in ‘excessive’ military spending. These points all lack specificity and it is difficult to see a clear path towards implementation. Finally, the language about women and conflict resolution, while important, leaves open the possibility that the Plan does not look to include women in security forces, a problematic oversight that perpetuates notions of women as being naturally peaceful.

These comments are made based on the general National Action Plan and may have been addressed in the 2019-2022 National Action Plan which it is understood is dedicated to the implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution on Women, Peace and Security. The National Action Plan recognises the lessons learned from the previous document.

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Civil Society’s engagement in development of the NAP:

References to civil society is extremely limited in the National Action Plan 2014-2018, especially in the section related to realisation of the WPS agenda. The London School of Economics WPS Centre reports that there was almost no consultation with civil society groups during the drafting process which  it can be argued is evidenced throughout the document as civil society is hardly mentioned. The other sections of the document, particularly the health and education sections, are more detailed about civil society inclusion than the WPS section.

At the end of 2018, in order to prepare an effective National Action Plan focusing on  WPS with the support of UN Women, a three-day training was held with the assistance of an international expert on international documents in the field of Women, Peace and Security. Representatives of government agencies responsible for the implementation of the plan and representatives of gender NGOs took part in the trainings. Based on the knowledge gained at the training session, the participants with the assistance of the international coach drafted the National Action Plan of Tajikistan for 2019−2022 to implement the UN Security Council resolution on Women, Peace and Security. Unfortunately, the document has not been made public so any commentary is not possible at this time.

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UN Peacekeeping Statistics:

According to UN statistical data on 31 May 2023 Tajikistan contributed 1 police personnel.

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Women’s role in peacekeeping:

UN statistical data on 31 May 2023 disaggregated by sex shows Tajikistan contributed one male police personnel and no women police personnel or other personnel..

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References:

https://www.wpsnaps.org/nap/tajik-national-action-plan/

https://www.wpsnaps.org/app/uploads/2019/09/Tajikistan-review-of-the-BPfA-2014.pdf

United Nations Peacekeeping. (2023). Troop and police contributors | United Nations Peacekeeping ‌

Contribution of Uniformed Personnel to UN by Country, Mission, and Personnel Type. (May 2023) is available at: 05-Missions Detailed By Country

Breakdown by Breakdown by gender of  contribution to missions (dated March 2023) is at: operational effect and women peacekeepers (un.org)‍