UN and OSCE Centre open conference regarding the establishment of a national human rights institution in Tajikistan
DUSHANBE, 22 February 2006 - The United Nations Tajikistan Office of Peace-Building and the OSCE Centre in Dushanbe opened today a two-day conference on the establishment of an independent national human rights institution in Tajikistan.
Some 80 participants attended the opening. UN human rights experts including from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, ombudsman of other OSCE countries (including former Russian Ombudsman Oleg Mironov and former Georgian Public Defender Nana Devdariani), the Chair of the National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia Suren Tsendorj and representatives of other national human rights institutions, as well as NGOs discussed the advantages of setting up such an institution in Tajikistan and illustrated best practices of other countries.
"I am delighted to see that independent human rights representatives from OSCE and other countries have come to Tajikistan to share their experiences. A Tajik national human rights institution can become an effective mechanism to remedy weaknesses in the justice system and alleviate human suffering," said Andrey Shugurov, Deputy Head of the OSCE Centre.
"At present, ordinary citizens cannot properly address their pressing human rights concerns outside the formal justice system. Establishing an independent and impartial human rights institution may result in regained public trust in the legal and judicial bodies."
Welcoming the process of establishing a national human rights institution in Tajikistan, Orest Nowosad Head of the Unit for National Institutions on behalf of Louise Arbour, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said that "the establishment of a national human rights institution requires patience, tenacity, conviction and clear dedication to the Paris Principles. If done properly, it will give birth to a credible institution, one that can be seen as an effective complement to state organs, giving independent expert advice, including on States` international commitments."
The conference will help lay the groundwork and identify laws and other measures necessary to set up an independent Tajik national human rights institution, in line with international human rights standards. All materials presented at the conference will be published in a special book and distributed to government bodies and NGOs.
Many countries have set up national human rights institutions as part of their OSCE commitments and efforts to strengthen national human rights protection mechanisms. The UN General Assembly's Resolution 48/134 of 1993 annex (also referred to as the 'Paris Principles'), lists the creation of an independent national human rights institution as one of the main mechanisms for the protection of human rights in UN member states. The functions of such institutions include monitoring human rights in the national context, investigating and documenting rights violations, handling individual complaints, as well as providing advisory services including the introduction of education on human rights in school curricula.
For further information please contact:
Lilia Zaharieva
Human Rights Officer
United Nations Tajikistan
Office of Peace-Building
734025 Dushanbe
Tekhron 7
Tel.: (992 372) 210110, 210147
E-mail: zaharieva@un.org