OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe holds train-the-trainer course on mentoring for political parties

A two-day train-the-trainer course on mentorship as a tool for empowerment of women and girls concluded at the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe on 13 October 2017.

Some 20 participants attended the course, including male and female politicians and representatives from the youth wings of the political parties.

Participants highlighted their own experiences in mentoring, the challenges and  benefits associated with  mentorship, mentoring action plans and their monitoring and evaluation and also discussed possibilities for women to be mentors to men (and vice-versa) in a patriarchal society. The training course included a separate session on how mentors and mentorship can promote gender budgeting (the practice of applying gender mainstreaming to budgetary decisions) amongst the political parties.

“Working with policymakers in Tajikistan and also with young women and men is a great platform for ensuring that equal opportunities will be given to women and girls not only on the level of legislation but with the support of the population as well,” said Vesna Ivanovikj-Castarede, the Gender and Anti-Trafficking Officer at the OSCE Programme Office.

“Mentorship helped me to understand how I can support the advancement of women through working with youth, and as a member of the ‘MenEngage network’ in Tajikistan I believe that such initiatives are very important for our country,” said Shamsiddin Jalolov, Deputy Head of Economic Reforms Party of Tajikistan.