About 20 representatives of the regional branches of the Women’s Committee of Uzbekistan, Hokimiyat and Makhalla committees participated at the seminar entitled "Gender Awareness and CEDAW", which took place on 15-16 May.

The event was organized within the joint project of UNDP and the Women’s Committee of Uzbekistan "Legislative and Institutional Capacity Development for Women’s Empowerment in Uzbekistan". The project is directed at supporting and building the capacity of the government, civil society and mass media in reducing the gender gaps via raising awareness of and implementing the recommendations of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW Committee) to Uzbekistan.

During the training course participants was involved in presentations, case studies and discussions directed on promotion of the ideas of the CEDAW, including gender equality, elimination of discrimination and stereotypes, as well as violence against women.

Khilola Badriddinova, Education and training specialist of the project "Legislative and Institutional Capacity Development for Women’s Empowerment in Uzbekistan", said: "The representatives of Women’s Committee, Khokimiyats and Mahalla committees work with people in all regions and it is important to enhance their knowledge on international and national mechanisms on protection of women’s rights. We hope that the participants will contribute to improvement of women’s rights protection in places."

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. The country will present its next report in August 2008.