OSCE supports Tajikistan’s young politicians on study trip to rural regions

Ahead of Tajikistan’s presidential election campaign, the start of which will be announced at a special joint session of Parliament on 30 August, the OSCE Office in Tajikistan brought young politicians from Dushanbe, representing the ruling coalition and opposition parties, together with local authorities and young activists at meetings on 15 August 2013 in Kurgan-Tyube, the administrative centre of Khatlon region.

The aim of the study trip was to discuss and learn about the importance of co-operation among political parties and civil society in shaping youth policy. The meetings provided an opportunity for ruling and opposition parties to explore core issues of common concern, including how to expand the participation of young people in political life.

The young politicians from Tajikistan’s capital talked about the concerns of young people in rural areas and small towns with 15 students from the Office’s civic education programme who hail from Shaartuz, Kabodiyan and Nosiri Khusrav regions near the border with Afghanistan. The discussion concluded unanimously that developing the leadership potential of young people throughout the country should be a priority of all state structures and political parties.

Taught by local teachers and community leaders, the Office’s extracurricular civic education programme fosters community engagement and complements the educational curriculum and teacher training guidelines, developed as part of Tajikistan’s State Programme on Human Rights Education, 2013-2020.

“The Office encourages political parties at headquarters level to build on the demonstrated promise of community-level party engagement with young people and support youth sections within formal party structures”, said Frederick Runsten, Legal and Electoral Reform Officer.