DUSHANBE, April 5, Asia-Plus - Presentation of bill on protection of women against violence in the family has been held in Dushanbe today. 

The bill has been projected by the government of Tajikistan in cooperation with the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) CO in Tajikistan.  

Olga Grebennikova, public relations officer, UNIFEM CO in Tajikistan, said that the meeting participants includes representatives from President’s Executive Office, Committee for Family and Women’s Affairs, League of Female Lawyers, NGOs dealing with gender problems, the World Bank, UNICEF CO, Global HIV/AIDS, UNDP CO and media.  

The meeting has discussed ways to protect women’s rights and prevent violence within the home and in the community, she said.    

“Family violence is a topical problem not only for Tajikistan but also for the whole world, Grebennikova said, noting that the European Union announced 2007 a Year of Combating Domestic Violence.  

UNIFEM is the women''s fund at the United Nations. It provides financial and technical assistance to innovative programs and strategies to foster women''s empowerment and gender equality. Placing the advancement of women''s human rights at the center of all of its efforts, UNIFEM focuses its activities on four strategic areas: 1) reducing feminized poverty, 2) ending violence against women, 3) reversing the spread of HIV/AIDS among women and girls, and 4) achieving gender equality in democratic governance in times of peace as well as war.