Women, peace and security in focus of OSCE workshop in Uzbekistan

TASHKENT, 30 April 2013 – Uzbekistan law enforcement representatives met in Tashkent today for  an OSCE-supported workshop to discuss rights of women and their participation in peace negotiations and in post-conflict reconstruction.

The workshop is organized by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan jointly with the Police Academy of Uzbekistan. It brings together 26 representatives from the Police Academy, Interior Ministry, and police officers from different regions of Uzbekistan.

Together with experts from the German Centre for International Peace Operations, they will discuss the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women and the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security. Special attention will be paid to how provisions of these documents affect policing, and why integrating a gender perspective in the work of the police is important.

“Advocating a gender-sensitive approach in the work of police officers, in particular in community policing, and ensuring protection of women are an important aspect of the OSCE activities,” said Christoph Opfermann, representative of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan. “This event is another step in this direction in our work in Uzbekistan.”