EU finances new projects to back democracy in Tajikistan
By Aynur Jafarova
The European Union (EU) has started financing five new projects in Tajikistan with a total worth of about 1.4 million.
The main goal of these projects is to support human rights and democracy in the country under the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights program (EIDHR), the EU Delegation to Tajikistan said on February 5.
One of them-two-year "Migrant Workers and Their Families: Empowered Institutions - Protected Rights" project aims at promoting and protecting human rights of Tajik migrant workers and members of their families.
Another three-year "Empowering Media and Civil Society Activists to Support Democratic Reforms in Tajikistan" project will encourage closer cooperation between leading human rights activists and independent media, improve the capacity of Tajik media to conduct investigative journalism projects and analytical reporting.
The third project titled "SECRET: Social-Economic and Cultural Rights of Prisoners and Ex-prisoners in Tajikistan" will be implemented over a period of 24 months. It aims at strengthening social, economic and cultural rights for female prisoners and ex-prisoners of both genders, by increasing their involvement in learning and production activities within the prison and providing legal and psychological consultations, personal development trainings and professional orientation consultations for social re-integration.
Another two-year project entitled "Building bridges: Promoting the Role and Capacity of Civil Society to Close the Gap between Society and Democratization Processes in Tajikistan" will promote civil society positions on key policy issues vis-à-vis international institutions and national government representatives.
The purpose of the last two-year project titled "Rapid Response to Protection Threats and Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Stateless Persons in Tajikistan" is to ensure a rapid response to the emergency and immediate legal needs of refugees and asylum seekers in Tajikistan by providing legal advice and representation.
Tajikistan gives great importance to cooperation with the EU. Relations with the EU are the important priority in the foreign policy of the country.
Bilateral relations between Tajikistan and the EU have been governed by a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) since 2010.
Financial assistance is provided by the EU's Development Cooperation Instrument (DCI) and focuses on rural development and poverty reduction, agriculture and land reform, promotion of good governance and economic reforms.
The EU and Tajikistan also cooperate in the framework of a regional approach, which includes all five Central Asian countries--the EU and Central Asia strategy for a new partnership (2007).
Tajikistan also participates in several ongoing regional and thematic programs.