The seminar titled “International and national mechanisms of protection of women’s rights” is aimed at raising awareness of government officials on international and national documents on protection of women’s rights, including the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the recommendations of CEDAW Committee to Uzbekistan.

The CEDAW Convention adopted in 1979 by the UN General Assembly, is an international document on the rights of women. Uzbekistan was the first Central Asian country to ratify the convention in 1995 and has reported twice to the CEDAW Committee on its implementation. It is expected that the Government of Uzbekistan will submit its next report to CEDAW Committee in August 2008.

The CEDAW Committee recommended that the Convention and the Committee’s general recommendations be made integral part of legal education and trainings of government officials at all levels.

The ASSC trains public sector managers to assume managerial positions both within public administration institutions, such as khokimiyats, government offices, Ministries, public and economic organizations, as well as other institutions of public management. The students include middle level managers and young entrepreneurs aspiring for a career in the public sector.

About 25 students of the ASSC participated in the seminar, which took place at the conference hall of UNDP Country Office in Uzbekistan. The participants got familiarized with issues of gender equality, stereotypes, prejudices and discrimination, international human rights documents and others.

The seminar was organized jointly by UNDP projects “Improving Public Sector Management Skills through Building Training and Research Capacity of the State Academy for State and Public Construction under the President of Uzbekistan” and Legislative and Institutional Capacity Development for Women’s Empowerment in Uzbekistan”, implemented in cooperation with the ASSC and Women’s Committee of Uzbekistan respectively.

Muattara Rahimova, manager of “Improving Public Sector Management Skills through Building Training and Research Capacity of the ASSC” project, said: “Such events are important for our students. They learn about international agreements on protection of human rights and women’s rights, in particular. This way we contribute to the implementation of recommendations of CEDAW Committee and raise gender awareness of government officials.”