OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan trains judges on countering gender-based violence

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan organized a training course for judges from 22 to 24 October 2020 on best practices and challenges in the field of countering gender-based violence, and State and judicial responses to combating domestic violence and human trafficking amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The events was co-organized with the Supreme Court of Uzbekistan and the Supreme School of Judges under the High Judicial Council.

Ikram Muslimov, Deputy Chairperson of the Supreme Court, and John MacGregor, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, opened the event.

“The OSCE is pleased to be able to create an opportunity for sharing of best practices to combat gender-based or domestic violence,” said MacGregor. “This three-day event helps improve implementation of Uzbekistan’s 2019 Law on ‘Protection of Women from Harassment and Violence’ and related OSCE commitments.”

Experts from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) presented findings from their report “OSCE Human Dimension Commitments and State Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic” and the “Recommendations for Judges Addressing Emerging Human Trafficking Trends and Consequences of the COVID-19 Pandemic”.

Lead international experts, judges and barristers from the United Kingdom, Moldova and Uzbekistan shared their experiences at the national level on countering gender-based violence and human trafficking, and the tools existing at the national level to protect victims.

Dr. Surayo Rakhmonova, Head of the Department of Criminal Law of the Supreme School of Judges under the High Judicial Council of Uzbekistan, discussed the current protection mechanisms for female victims of domestic violence in the country.

The event participants, who were judges from the Supreme Court and auditors to the Supreme School of Judges, were also tasked to prepare and solve fictitious cases related to gender-based violence, with support and feedback provided from the international and national experts.

The event was organized under the OSCE Project Co-ordinator’s project “Crime prevention in the family”.