Contributed by: Nigora Khaitova, Tajikistan National VAW Monitor

International conference on Cooperation of Women's Crisis Centers and Police Personnel in Germany: Ways of Implementation in Central Asia was organized by the Tajik public association “Jahon” and Friedrich Ebert Foundation on February 27-28 in Tajikistan.

The conference was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, NGOs and Crisis Centers of Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Germany, as well as representatives of mass media of the Republic of Tajikistan.

Conference participants presented and discussed the following reports:

• Legal basis and practice to protect women from domestic violence,
• Causes of self-immolation among women,
• Legislative initiatives aimed at decreasing domestic violence against women,
• Social Partnership as an effective means to help women-victims (based on the experience of the Crisis Centers),
• Cooperation between police and women’s shelters,
• Forms and methods of cooperation between public organizations and law enforcement authorities in Tajikistan,
• Development of gender policy in Tajikistan over the years of independence, and
• The necessity of adopting a law on domestic violence in Tajikistan.