DUSHANBE, December 11, 2012, Asia-Plus -- The OSCE Office in Tajikistan, together with partners in government, civil society, local authorities and international organizations, on December 10 concluded a week of events throughout the country marking the 64th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of   Human Rights.

According to the OSCE Office, authorities and civil society in Khujand, Gharm, Qurghon Teppa, Kulob and Shahritous, as well as in Khorog in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO), engaged in local-level dialogue, supported by the OSCE, on human rights issues relevant to their communities.

In Khujand, over 200 free legal consultations were provided in six towns, including in three village markets.

During a three-hour radio program broadcast in Sughd province, lawyers answered questions from callers about family law, migration, property rights and other matters.

In Shahritous, near the border with Afghanistan, students, parents, teachers and school officials came together for a human rights quiz that capped off a civic education program supported by the OSCE Office.

In Gharm, more that 600 people filled the community centre for a day-long education course on human rights that included role-playing and a public sporting event designed to highlight women’s empowerment: a girls’ volleyball game.

In Dushanbe, 150 senior residents and day visitors at the territorial centre for the elderly participated in a session on property rights and legal protection.

In Kulob and Dushanbe, secondary-school teachers were trained in human rights education, one of the first steps towards implementing the new National Strategy on Human Rights Education, developed with OSCE support and adopted by the government on December 3.

“Although it is 10 December on the calendar, we have to help ensure that every day is Human Rights Day,” said Ambassador Ivar Vikki, the Head of the OSCE Office in Tajikistan. “Together with our partners in the government and civil society, we work to promote and protect human dignity and rights, including freedom of media, expression and association, to prevent torture and domestic violence, to promote participation in public life and to strengthen access to justice.  This partnership is characterized by openness, mutual respect and a commitment to positive co-operative, including on often-difficult issues, and we will continue doing our utmost to make this partnership as effective as possible for the individuals and communities in the country.”