The Republic of Tajikistan recently drafted a law on state guarantees of equal rights for men and women and equal opportunity in the exercise of such rights. The law is comprised of five chapters that guarantee equal opportunities for women and men in the implementation of election law, in the sphere of state service and in the social economic sphere. The law also lays out enforcement mechanisms that allow the state to ensure compliance with the law’s provisions. Enforcement mechanisms in the draft law include: The development of a united state gender policy, the direction and supervision of executive organs and hukumats in the selection and appointment of women to higher government posts, the supervision of compliance with the law by the general prosecutor, the creation of rights for trade unions to participate in decisions regarding gender equality, and the authority of juridical entities to assess violations of the law.
The law was passed by Parliament and signed by the president in February. It became effective on 1 March 2005 upon publication. Draft versions of the law are available in English and in Russian.