Preventing and Addressing Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Places of Deprivation of Liberty
When
Where
Organized by
The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in co-operation with the Ministry of Justice of Tajikistan is organizing a training event on addressing and preventing sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in places of deprivation of liberty for officers of penitentiary/correctional institutions from across the country. The event will take place in Dushanbe from 24 to 25 October 2023. The training covers international human rights standards, key concepts related to gender and the national and international legal framework on women’s rights, as well as an introduction to SGBV, including practical aspects of preventing SGBV.
The training is based on ODIHR’s publication Preventing Sexual and Gender-based Violence in Places of Deprivation of Liberty, the first comprehensive international policy guidance on the topic in the OSCE region and beyond.
Participation in the event 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 people deprived of their liberty. Victims are usually reluctant to report SGBV for fear of further retribution and stigma.