Preventing and Addressing Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Places of Deprivation of Liberty
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Organized by
The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan are organizing a training event for staff of the National Center for Human Rights of Uzbekistan and the Department of Penal Correction under the country’s Ministry of Internal Affairs on preventing and addressing sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in places of deprivation of liberty to raise awareness, provide information and encourage action on this issue.
The training, to be held in Tashkent from 20 to 21 September 2023, focuses on good practices and guidelines on preventing and addressing SGBV in places of deprivation of liberty. It is based on ODIHR’s publication Preventing Sexual and Gender-based Violence in Places of Deprivation of Liberty, the first comprehensive international policy guidance related to the prevention of SGBV in the OSCE region and beyond.
The Uzbek translation of the guidance will be presented at a separate event in Tashkent on 19 September, organized in close collaboration with the office of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, the National Human Rights Centre and the Department of Penal Correction. The event will involve representatives of national authorities involved in the management and oversight of places of deprivation of liberty, including representatives of NHRI and NPMs, relevant civil society organizations and the diplomatic community in Tashkent.
Participation in the events is by invitation only.
Background
Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in places of deprivation of liberty is an extreme form of discrimination and a serious human rights violation, which continues to be under-reported, under-researched and largely neglected. This is not a country-specific phenomenon. Acts of SGBV threaten the health, dignity, security and autonomy of victims but remain largely ignored.
SGBV in places of deprivation of liberty is a widespread reality and remains a taboo for detainees and state authorities alike. It is often accepted as “collateral damage” of detention, enabled by acceptance of violence in closed facilities, patterns of negligence, inadequate safeguards and often a result of the power imbalance between detainees and persons deprived of their liberty. Victims are usually reluctant to report SGBV for fear of further retribution and stigma.