United Nations Human Rights Council
Universal Periodic Review: Tajikistan
Executive Summary
The prevalence in Tajik society of conservative strains of Islam, combined with traditional practices predicated on the subservience of women and a lack of government action, has led to overwhelming structural discrimination against women. This is manifest in violence in the home and restrictions on women’s rights in the street. Tajikistan has made legislative progress in its bids to improve the status of women in the country, but remains in violation of sections of CEDAW and the ICCPR, to which it is a party. For example, Tajikistan is the subject of reports of widespread domestic violence, as well as traditional patriarchal practices such as forced marriages. [i] The country also places tight controls on religious practice in general.
Drawing on ICAAD’s research, this submission highlights issues of structural discrimination that impact women and, to a lesser extent, religious minorities. The research examines Tajikistan’s compliance with its international human rights obligations, as well as its implementation of domestic legislation, covering: women and religious practice, violence against women and domestic violence generally, and the status of the country’s small religious minorities.
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