AKIPRESS.COM - Promoting practical referral mechanisms for the protection of domestic violence survivors was the focus of a workshop for 25 officials and members of civil society that took place in Kurgan-Tyube, the administrative center of Khatlon region, Tajikistan on October 25.

Participants from the Women Resource Centers, state bodies and civil society organizations dealing with countering domestic violence, discussed good practices and shared experiences on inter-agency cooperation in providing support to domestic violence survivors. They also reviewed the challenges to and perspectives of such cooperation in Khatlon region.

“Civil society plays a crucial role at the grass-roots level in identifying and protecting domestic violence survivors,” said Ashurova Ziyoda, the Director of Women’s Resource Center in Jaihun district. “Since Khatlon is the biggest region in the country and the organizations of this area are located far from each other, today’s meeting provides a unique platform for them to share experiences and strengthen the local referral networks to protect gender-based violence survivors.”

Viorelia Rusu, Gender and Anti-Trafficking Officer at the OSCE Office in Tajikistan, said: “Strengthening the capacity of civil society and local authorities involved in promoting gender equality with a specific focus on building effective multi-agency and victim-centered approaches in protecting domestic violence survivors, is one of our priorities for this and the next year.”

The workshop was organized by the OSCE Office in Tajikistan in cooperation with Prevention of Domestic Violence Project run by German development consulting firm GOPA’s Branch in Tajikistan, through its regional network of NGOs from Khatlon region.