Human rights quiz offers prospect of a "Happy New Year" to inmates of women's prison in Tajikistan
A human rights event in Nurek women's prison was organized by the OSCE with the co-operation of both prison and city authorities, 25 December 2003. (OSCE/Riccardo Lepri) Photo details
DUSHANBE, 29 December 2003 - A women's prison in Tajikistan was the unusual setting for a human rights quiz organized recently by the OSCE's Centre in Dushanbe and its Kulyab field office, in co-operation with the prison administration and municipal authorities of Nurek, a city south of the capital.
Inmates, who were first provided with information material on human rights, selected three teams to represent the three wings of the prison, which currently holds some 450 women. Each of the six-woman teams then answered human rights questions prepared by Kulyab office staff, who evaluated the results together with the Centre's Human Dimension Officer.
The answers demonstrated a high level of education among the inmates, and the event ended with the winning team being awarded a colour TV set by the Mayor of Nurek, Sharifhon Samyev, with the other teams each receiving a black-and-white set.
The choice of prizes was based on the consideration that previously there was only one TV for all the inmates, who suffer from a lack of information on the outside world as well as the chance of cultural development. Besides providing some psychological support, the TV sets will serve as an information source.
In addition to the quiz, which was held on 25 December, the inmates also held an exhibition of children's toys produced in the prison. The handicrafts were appraised by the Mayor and staff from the OSCE and the prison. The toys were later delivered to Kulyab's residential home for physically and mentally handicapped children.
Earlier initiatives that have been taken by the OSCE office, such as holding a cinema week and organizing the delivery of newspapers, have met with both the enthusiasm of inmates and the approval of the prison authorities.
As one of the inmates said to a member of the OSCE's Kulyab field office: "For a short time, we can feel as if we were outside these walls."
Inmates, who were first provided with information material on human rights, selected three teams to represent the three wings of the prison, which currently holds some 450 women. Each of the six-woman teams then answered human rights questions prepared by Kulyab office staff, who evaluated the results together with the Centre's Human Dimension Officer.
The answers demonstrated a high level of education among the inmates, and the event ended with the winning team being awarded a colour TV set by the Mayor of Nurek, Sharifhon Samyev, with the other teams each receiving a black-and-white set.
The choice of prizes was based on the consideration that previously there was only one TV for all the inmates, who suffer from a lack of information on the outside world as well as the chance of cultural development. Besides providing some psychological support, the TV sets will serve as an information source.
In addition to the quiz, which was held on 25 December, the inmates also held an exhibition of children's toys produced in the prison. The handicrafts were appraised by the Mayor and staff from the OSCE and the prison. The toys were later delivered to Kulyab's residential home for physically and mentally handicapped children.
Earlier initiatives that have been taken by the OSCE office, such as holding a cinema week and organizing the delivery of newspapers, have met with both the enthusiasm of inmates and the approval of the prison authorities.
As one of the inmates said to a member of the OSCE's Kulyab field office: "For a short time, we can feel as if we were outside these walls."