Youth and Education: Gender Aspect

The conference was jointly organized by the Gender Research Center of the Open Society Institute Assistance Foundation-Tajikistan and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Center in Dushanbe. Sixty-two students and young people—ranging in age from 16-25 and coming from Tajikistan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan—attended the conference.

Gender specialists from the following organizations were invited to the conference: NGO Gender and Development, Association of Women Scientists, Association of Women with University Degree, NGO Tradition and Modernity, Informational Educational Center Manizha, Olim, League of Women-Lawyers of Tajikistan, Legal Clinic Enlightenment, Public Fund Panorama, Institute of Philosophy, and Law of the Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan.

The aim of the conference was to involve young people in discussions about gender problems in their societies, to make them familiar with the development of gender research in scientific and higher education institutions, and to exchange information between students and specialists working in gender studies.

Presentations

The conference consisted of seven sessions on the following topics: politics and economy, gender policy and mass media, gender issues in the family, problems of education of young people, gender and poverty, culture and religion, and problems of gender violence. Presentations addressed real gender problems in Central Asian countries.

In her presentation about the role of women leaders in society, “Gender and Leadership,” Nargis Nosirova (Khujand, Tajikistan) noted that a wide national campaign on the political education of women would be necessary to raise awareness of the general public on gender and political and social issues.

Anna Drelikh (Almaty, Kazakhstan) presented her “Analysis of Gender Sensitivity of Mass Media,” in which she analyzed public stereotypes related to the role of women and men in society and possible ways to overcome those stereotypes.

In his report on “Rights of Women to Property,” Zikrullo Nasrulloev (Kurgan-Tube, Tajikistan) raised the issue of improving the level of women’s legal literacy. He noted that many problems originate from the fact that women are not aware of their basic rights in these legal issues.

Karen Manukyan (Gumri, Armenia) analyzed gender education in Armenia through the example of Gumrin University, underlining the importance of information exchange between students of various countries.

Ayzadi Tynyeva (Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan) gave a presentation about the vulnerable situation of rural women in Kyrgyzstan.

In the “Influence of Culture and Traditions on Education, Bakhrom Beknazarov (Kulyab, Tajikistan) condemned certain religious activists' distorted interpretation of the Koran.

Bibisaida Umarova (Dushanbe, Tajikistan) discussed the “The Problems of Polygamy,” a widespread phenomenon in the country.

Vera Ismailova (Dushanbe, Tajikistan) asked: "What is Violence and How do we Prevent it?" She suggested that many phrases and adverbs in different languages reflect attitudes that imply that women are “second-rate, inferior objects.”

Khamrabaeva Nargis (Tajikistan) presented “Education and Gender Stereotypes,” in which her analysis of textbooks showed that certain elements of discrimination against women are hidden in the education system itself.

Prior to the conference, a competition was announced for the best reports related to politics and economy; culture and religion; problems of poverty; equal access to education; gender politics and media; gender issues in the family; and problems of violence and health. One hundred and ten reports were received. Authors of the best reports had a chance to present their research at the conference.

Recommendations

Participants developed the following recommendations during each session:

Session on Politics and Economy
1. Establishment of state machineries, such as National Committee on Gender Policy, under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan and establishment of specific commissions under both Chambers of Parliament for the promotion of gender equality in the society;
2. Development of women’s entrepreneurship on the basis of expansion of micro-finance and micro-credit policy;
3. Conducting educational programs on essential principles of business management for young people, especially in rural areas;
4. Establishment of equal electoral rights for men and women, especially material guarantees for women (e.g. establishment of a public assistance fund for women-candidates);
5. Conducting trainings on women’s participation in politics through leadership institutions.

Session on Gender Politics and Mass Media
1. Organizing and conducting specific training seminars, master classes, round tables, conferences, internet-conferences and press clubs for journalists and editors;
2. Conducting joint researches and analyses of press publications with university teachers of the journalism’s department, researchers, journalists and students;
3. Preparation and publication of a gender glossary for the representatives of Mass Media;
4. Production of films on gender problems of the society.

Session on Gender Issues in the Family
1. The state, jointly with public organizations, taking appropriate measures on the elimination of discrimination against women in marital and family life;
2. Making changes in the Constitution of Tajikistan regarding compulsory complete secondary education free of charge for all citizens of Tajikistan;
3. Making appropriate changes in the Family Code concerning the marriageable age: this should be fixed at the age of 18;
4. Organizing committees at the local hukumats (authorities) to control and monitor the implementation of the state gender program.

Session on the Problems of Youth Education
1. Introduction of compulsory secondary education (11 years) in the secondary schools of Tajikistan;
2. Using innovative teaching methods, incorporating gender aspects in the textbooks for secondary schools and higher educational institutions;
3. Introduction of gender education into schools' curricula as a separate subject;
4. Getting girls from remote rural areas to study in secondary schools and higher educational institutions;
5. Conducting educational programs on gender methodology for teachers of higher educational institutions and secondary schools; working jointly with religious institutions.

Session on Gender and Poverty
1. Supporting beginners in business through educational programs and micro-financing);
2. Raising awareness of young people on the Strategy of Poverty Reduction, involving young people in the implementation of this document;
3. Supporting projects aimed at reduction of poverty and creation of job opportunities;
4. Raising the level of awareness among young people on laws and regulations related to migration problems;
5. Development of projects for youth unions and involvement of young people in the process of building civil society.

Session on Culture and Religion
1. Publishing literature on the rights of men and women in the Koran and disseminating it among the population;
2. Training specialists in universities to introduce special courses using literary heritage of ancient thinkers.

Session on the Problems of Gender Violence
1. Establishing crisis-rehabilitation centers aimed at providing legal, social and psychological aid to women victims of violence;
2. Conducting training seminars for employees of law enforcement bodies and divisional inspectors of militia on the problems of gender violence;
3. Reflecting the problems of gender violence, particularly in rural and mountainous areas (via radio) in the media; publishing informational literature;
4. Lobbying and adopting of the Law on Social-Legal Protection from Violence in the Family in Tajikistan.