OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe helps train Women’s Resource Centres staff in providing support to domestic violence victims

The OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe concluded a five-day training course on "Providing Psychological Support to Victims of Domestic Violence" on 19 March 2021 in Dushanbe. Some 19 representatives from Women’s Resource Centres and Tajikistan’s Committee on Women and Family Affairs from Sughd, Khatlon, Rasht and Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast regions participated in the course.

They learned the best psychological approaches in helping survivors of domestic violence  and had the opportunity to analyse domestic violence situations using various psychological methods and techniques. They acquired new interpersonal skills and practiced applying these skills in hands-on exercises and role-plays.

“The training helped me to understand how to provide psychological consultation to  victims of domestic violence and help them cope with stress and overcome psychological trauma,” said Zulfiya Erkaeva, representative of Tajikistan’s Committee on Women and Family Affairs in the Istaravshan District. She added that the Committee will continue to work closely with the Women’s Resource Centre in the District to prevent violence against women and girls and provide necessary support to the survivors of domestic violence.

“I liked the training course because its methodology takes into account Tajikistan’s current law, local traditions and customs, which is very important while providing psychological support to the survivors of domestic violence,” noted Gulchehra Sadulloeva, Psychologist in the Women Resource Centre in the Ayni district.

The OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe continues to support the Government of Tajikistan in implementing the Law on Prevention of Domestic Violence. The Office provides a comprehensive support to victims of domestic violence in the regions through a network of 14 OSCE-established Women’s Resource Centres in Tajikistan.

The current activity is being implemented within the Women’s Resource Centres project of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe funded by Norway, the United States, Finland, the European Union, Andorra and Germany.