Workshop “Gender aspects in water resources management in the Republic of Tajikistan”

20 October 2007, Khodjent, Tajikistan

Workshop “Gender aspects in water resources management in the Republic of Tajikistan” took place on 20 October 2007 in Khodjent, Tajikistan. The workshop brought together key specialists from the Ministry of Reclamation and Water Resources of Tajikistan, TajikNIIGiM, ОО “Chashmai Khayot”, Sogd Province Water Administration, CECI Tajikistan, Association “Andargon”, SPA SANIIRI and SIC ICWC.

The major objective of the workshop was to consider problems related to gender aspects in water resources management in the Republic of Tajikistan.

D. Bokikhodjarova made a welcoming speech to the workshop participants.

In her presentation, G.V. Stulina told about the goals and objectives of the workshop and GWANET, showed women's role and rights in rural areas, and how labor should be divided.

Kh. Islomov underlined that in order to take some burden from women living and working in rural areas, the Ministry of Reclamation and Water Resources of Tajikistan has developed a strategy and program for clean drinking water supply to the population in the republic. This program should reduce the morbidity among women and children, improve the access to drinking water for population in mountainous and hard-to-reach areas. In 2007 the President of the Republic of Tajikistan called Central Asian countries for sharing Lake Sarez for drinking water supply purposes.

B. Rakhimova noted that proposals on gender equality on dekhkan farms, in land use and equal rights of men and women have been submitted to the government, based on which a Law on State Guarantees for Equality of Men and Women in Equal Opportunities for Their Implementation” has been adopted.

“In this period the heaviest burden is on women living in rural areas, and we should study the problem of gender equality in detail and note that many women have proved to be more active than men. It is necessary to relieve women from hard work,” said Sh. Mukhamedjanov.

The participants noted that in Sogd province of Tajikistan there are many woman irrigators, men don't go to low-wage jobs. Actions should be taken to solve the problem.

N. Khasanova presented a brief review on gender issues in the Republic of Tajikistan.

In conclusion, the participants of the workshop decided to study the gender problem in the context of northern and southern provinces and districts of the country in detail and analyze.

Problems	Ways to solve	Actions
Lack of woman specialists in water	Governmental quotas for entrance of girls to higher education institutions (hydrologic faculty)	Assistance of ministries, agencies and public organizations for entrance to higher education institutions
Quality of drinking and irrigation water	Program for clean drinking water supply in Tajikistan	Information sheets on existence of the program, raising public awareness
Water supply	Program for clean drinking water supply in Tajikistan	Information sheets on existence of the program, raising public awareness
Woman irrigators	Study of women employment	Awareness of women of gender issues in districts and provinces of the republic
Debts of dekhkan farms to the government	Extension services	Establishment of groups of consultants and solving of problems at local level