Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 23 September 2009, the Women’s Committee and a UNDP project “Legislative and Institutional Capacity Development for Women’s Empowerment in Uzbekistan” held a seminar on “Legal guarantees of women’s rights protection from discriminative customs, forced and early marriages” in the city of Nukus, Karakalpakstan, for legal clinic students, members of the Kelajak Ovozi youth organization and employees of institutions of professional development of teachers.

The main goal of the event was to determine violence including domestic abuse. The seminar was aimed at explaining the types of violence, peculiarities of crimes, committed in families.

Participants received information on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and legislation of Uzbekistan.

In Uzbekistan, various opportunities have been created for women, however, there are certain issues of concern regarding women’s rights. The seminar’s agenda included theoretical and practical sessions on equality of women and men, definition of domestic violence, negative side of traditional lifestyle, e.g. early and/or forced marriages, implementation of international treaties and national legislation on women’s rights protection. During the training, participants obtained skills and knowledge on settling family problems through various interactive techniques.

The UNDP project “Legislative and Institutional Capacity Development for Women’s Empowerment in Uzbekistan” has been implemented in collaboration with the Women’s Committee of Uzbekistan. The project is aimed at supporting and building the capacity of government, civil society and mass media in reducing the gender gaps via raising awareness on and implementing the recommendations of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW Committee) given to Uzbekistan in August 2006.

The CEDAW Convention adopted in 1979 by the UN General Assembly is an international document on the rights of women. Uzbekistan was one of the first Central Asian countries to ratify the convention in 1995. It has reported four times to the CEDAW Committee on its implementation.