OSCE Senior Gender Adviser concludes three-day visit to Uzbekistan

OSCE Senior Adviser on Gender Issues, Lara Scarpitta concluded her visit to Uzbekistan, following three days of intensive discussions and field visits organized with the support of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan.

During her visit Scarpitta launched the OSCE regional event on “Strategies and actions to support gender-based violence survivors in Central Asia”, organized within the framework of the WIN project, which aims to strengthen co-operation among Women Resource Centres and civil society organizations. She also met the committed staff of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan.

“The Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan is doing impressive work to mainstream gender across all three OSCE dimensions and all its staff members – both women and men – are meaningfully engaged in this process,” said Ambassador Clemens Koja, Acting OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan.

The Senior Gender Adviser met with the UN Resident Co-ordinator Consuelo Vidal Bruce and Ambassador of the European Union to the Republic of Uzbekistan Charlotte Adriaen. The talks focused on concrete areas of co-operation in supporting the fight against gender-based violence, advancing women’s empowerment and the needs of Afghan women in the region.

Strengthening accountability, criminalization of domestic and sexual violence and punishing perpetrators, to ensure protection against gender-based violence were the focus of discussions with Deputy Chairperson of the Supreme Court Khalilo Turakhujaev and the Deputy Prosecutor General Svetlana Artikova. Scarpitta also met with Colonel Umida Abdullaeva, Head of the Department for Women’s and Social Affairs of the Crime Prevention Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan.  In addition, Senior Gender Adviser had a meeting with Nozimakhon Davletova, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Public Foundation for Support and Development of National Mass Media of Uzbekistan. They discussed the importance of continuing efforts to eradicate harmful stereotypes in society and create opportunities for women to achieve their economic independence.

“I welcome the effort of the authorities of Uzbekistan in advancing gender equality and addressing violence against women and girls, including through the recent criminalization of domestic violence. The OSCE and the Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, in close co-operation with civil society and our international partners, stands ready to continue supporting efforts for meaningful participation of women in peace and security matters, advance women’s economic empowerment and prevent and respond to all forms of gender-based violence,” Scarpitta said.

While in Tashkent, she also held discussions with women-led civil society organizations and visited the Monocenter “Ishga Marhamat” and the Republican Center for the Rehabilitation and Adaptation of Women.