The second Steering Committee meeting of the European Union (EU) funded project, Strong Civil Society Organizations and Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships for Active and Prosperous Youth in Tajikistan (ProYouth), was held at the Committee for Youth and Sports Affairs under the Government of Tajikistan in Dushanbe on March 9.

The EU Delegation to Tajikistan says that during the meeting, representatives of the project team reported on the carried out activities in the framework of the project.  An overview and the results of the discussions reportedly held with regional focus groups and youth contact groups held at the district level, and an overview of trainings and seminars conducted by the public organization, Office for Initiatives Development (PO MIR), for representatives of civil society organizations, young leaders and socially active residents of 8 districts (Panj, Shahritous, Nurek City, Bokhtar City, Devashtich, Spetamen, Asht and Isfara) were presented to the participants of the second steering committee meeting.  During the meeting, the work plan and the time frame for the implementation of further activities of the project were discussed and approved.

Officially launched on  October 6, 2021, the ProYouth project is carried out in partnership with the Committee for Youth and Sports Affairs and the Committee for Women and Family Affairs under the Government of Tajikistan with the participation of PO MIR and the Union of Professional Consultants of Tajikistan.

The project aims at capacity building of youth as well as civil society organizations (CSOs) that working with youth to improve their economic and social skills.

Commenting on the results of the carried out activities in the framework of the project, members of the steering committee stressed that the collaboration between Hilfswerk International in Tajikistan, CSOs and the government institutions in the framework of the ProYouth project consolidates and synchronizes efforts of all interested stakeholders directed at the common goals, i.e facilitating development of youth in rural communities and providing them with better opportunities to improve lives.

The main focus of this project is on strengthening the capacity of local civil society actors through workshops on selected topics, improving knowledge and experience exchange among youth CSOs on the use of digital tools and innovative approaches, as well as through more effective multi-stakeholder partnerships between decision makers and CSOs.

The target area of the project covers 24 jamoats of Khatlon and Sughd provinces (districts: Asht, Isfara, Spitamen, Devashtich, Bokhtar City, Nurek City, Panj, Shahritous).

The meeting of the steering committee was organized by the project team led by the international Austrian organization Hilfswerk International within the framework of the ProYouth project, funded by the European Union Support for Civil Society Organizations Program and the Austrian Development Agency, together with the Committee for Youth and Sports Affairs and the Committee for Women and Family Affairs under the Government of Tajikistan.