Democratization the need for gender equality and

Democratization of public liferequires the introduction of new approaches developed by the world community,namely gender modernization of power, the development and implementation ofgender-sensitive policies in all areas of society and the state, as well asbroad advocacy of the advantages of such approaches.

Harmonization of genderrelations is an important prerequisite and direction of modern democraticreforms. The future of democracy in particular depends on the extent to whichthe problem of gender equality will be solved in society.Women’s participation indecision making at all levels of government is essential for addressing variousdevelopmental challenges that societies face. Women’s leadership andparticipation are guided by a number of international commitments to women’srepresentation, including the 1979 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms ofDiscrimination against Women; the Beijing Platform for Action and theSustainable Development Goals (SDG) until 2030. Inclusion in decision makingis part of the general issue of gender equality that is prominently highlightedin the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Sustainable Development Goal 5,Gender Equality, encourages states to intensify work on ending all forms ofdiscrimination against women and to seek ways of empowering women and girls intheir societies. Women’s representation in thedecision making matters because: women’s leadership is fundamental for genderequality and sustainable development, it is a human right and a requirement ofdemocracy, it is critical to realizing all SDGs and SDG 5 in particular, womenare still under-represented at all levels of decision making worldwide anddecision making is not yet sufficiently informed by women’s actual needs andpriorities.Background of the Study The need in doing this research is determined by theproblems caused by socioeconomic and political transformations in the Republicof Tajikistan.

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In particular: insufficient awareness of the need for genderequality and the implementation of gender policy, the existence of traditionalstereotypes about the role and place of women in society; imperfection of thelegislative framework; formal equality of men and women; insufficientinteraction of state institutions and non-governmental organizations dealingwith the protection of women’s rights and legitimate interests; obstaclesremain for women to realize their rights in the sphere of labor, economy,culture, politics, etc.The theoretical and practical position of the workreveals the features of the development and effective socio-politicaladaptation of the female community in modern Tajik society. The main provisionsof the dissertation work further study the problems of political adaptation ofwomen in the transition economy, identify the main directions for establishinggender equality as one of the priorities of state policy, as well as enhancethe political activation of women in Tajikistan. Significance ofthe Study With the acquisition of independence, Tajikistan beganthe process of building a legal, democratic, secular state with a marketeconomy and reforming the entire legislative base. During these years,Tajikistan, as a subject of international law, has joined many internationallegal acts in the field of human rights, including the Convention on theElimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), ratified onJune 26, 1993. Becoming a member of the COLDM, the state takes concretemeasures to implement its norms in national legislation.The transition period in the economic, social andpolitical life of our society led to the elimination of the state’s monopoly onensuring gender equality, and women found themselves in an open environmentwith completely different conditions with regard to equality in a space rich inopportunities, but also without dangers. The transitional process deprivedwomen of part of their previous achievements in employment and social security.

Tender policy is a combination of concrete measuresand actions in achieving personal, social, cultural, political and economicequality of men and women, equality and expansion from the possibilities oflife choices. An integral part of the gender policy is the identification andelimination of legal, economic, political, cultural and other barriers thatimpede the achievement of equality. Therefore, the achievement of de factoequality of men and women is a long-term process, during which the social,cultural, political and economic norms of society must undergo substantialchangesAppreciating the place and role of women in thepolitical life of the society, the President of the Republic of Tajikistanstresses: “A society that cares about a woman mother secures its future. Astate that does not care about a woman who is a continuer of life has no future”.Therefore, the analysis and development of acute problems of the place and roleof women in political life acquires an actual theoretical and practicalsignificance. Research Questions 1.       What is current local government policysituation regarding the women’s representation in local government inTajikistan?2.

      Howwomen’s representation in local government is in practice? Research Framework Methodology. In this research both qualitative and quantitativemethodologies were used. Literature review.

A systematic literature search was carried out usinga range of databases / search engines (the main ones being Google, GoogleScholar, Science Direct and etc.) using variations of the terms with a focus toidentify relevant scientific evidence published between 2000 and 2017. Furthermaterial was identified by searching related organization websites andcross-referencing cited reports.

Conference extracts were also examined toidentify additional evidence. Archival documents, as well as statistical data of theMinistry of Labor of the Republic of Tajikistan, the Ministry of Culture andEducation of the Republic of Tajikistan, the Ministry of Justice of theRepublic of Tajikistan, which covered information on the dynamics of growth anddevelopment of women’s organizations, educational and cultural level, annualreports of subordinated institutions and ministries themselves were reviewed. Titles and abstracts were reviewed for relevance.Potentially relevant studies were assessed to identify which ones includedrelevant evidence appertaining to the projects goals. Key data was extractedfrom these studies, evaluated and summarized in this paper. Study Limitations Although this research was carefully prepared, I amstill aware of its limitations and shortcomings.First of all, the research was conducted within theframework of small number of available data. It would be better if there wasmore reliable data regarding the topic.

Second, the lack of researches in the sphere of localgovernment and especially women’s presentation in this field was a bigchallenge in the making of the paper.Third, since we were running short of time, it wasdifficult to search more reliable data, conduct independent survey and readmore books relating to the local government. Future StudyRecommendations For the future researcher it is recommended to spendmore time in examining in-depth of the reliable data, to search for priorresearch studies on the topic in other languages apart from English, Tajik andRussian languages, and to conduct independent survey and interview as manypeople as possible to gain more data to analyze.CURRENT LOCAL GOVERNMENT POLICY SITUATION REGARDINGTHE ISSUELocal government institutions derive their legal basisfrom the Constitution, the Law on Local Public Administration and the Law onLocal Self-government in Villages and Towns.According to legislation, local governments have areal financial base.

The Constitution grants local governments the right todevelop and implement their own budgets and to establish local fees, taxes andduties. In addition, the Law on Local Public Administration allocates incometax to local budgets, to be utilized for the social needs of the territory inkeeping with the Law on Social Insurance.The Law on Local Public Administration defines thegoverning principles and functions of local self-government in Tajikistan.According to this law, local self-governments are institutions of legislative andexecutive authority elected by the citizens of a given administrativeterritory. These institutions freely and independently govern the community,serving the needs of the local population in accordance with the Constitutionand legislation. The main principles of local self-governance include:• coordination of local and national interests;• direct citizen participation in local councilelections, referenda and public hearings;• the accountability of local self-governmentinstitutions and their employees to the local population;Tajikistan is one of the first among the CIS countriesto ratify international conventions on the elimination of all forms ofdiscrimination against women, and on the political rights of women.The Republic of Tajikistan has ratified and/orrecognized the main international treaties on human rights and the standardsrelating to public participation are regulated through several laws at thenational level. The adoption of these normative legal acts can be regarded asan attempt to create and regulate a democratic and secular state based on ruleof law and a strong civil society where citizens can directly and indirectlyparticipate in decision making processes.

The rights of women to take part in the conduct ofpublic affairs are enshrined in the “Law on Public Service”, constitutionallaws on “Elections to the Majlisi Oli (the Supreme Assembly) of the Republic ofTajikistan” and on the “Elections to local Majlises of People’s Deputies”,which provide for women equal access to public service for men andparticipation in the electoral process.The problems of the progression of women areconstantly in the focus of President E. Rahmon and the government. An importantrole is played by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan ofDecember 13, 1999 “On measures to enhance the role of women insociety”.The Government adopted normative legal acts on theestablishment of gender equality:• “The National Action Plan of the Republic ofTajikistan on Enhancing the Status and Role of Women for 1998-2005″ wasapproved, which includes such areas as health, education and training,combating poverty, protecting women’s rights, preventing violence against women,women and the environment;• Rakhmonov E.S. The role of women in society.”Irfon”, – D.

, 1997, -C.27. for the preparation and promotion ofwomen to leading positions in all political and economic structures;• The State Program “Main Directions of the StatePolicy for the Achievement of Equal Rights and Opportunities for Men and Womenin the Republic of Tatarstan for 2001-2010” was approved.

The state policy on ensuring equal rights andopportunities can not be successful without the equal participation of men andwomen in its formation and implementation. All these programs are aimedprimarily at raising the social status of women, their direct participation inpolitical decision-making, and their social and moral support.First of all, they provide for strengthening thelegislative and regulatory framework for resolving the problems of women,changing the situation in the labor market, providing for the possibility ofmore effective use of all labor resources, incl. and women, increasing theircompetitiveness, creating equal opportunities for the realization of labor potential;provision of state support to public, non-governmental initiatives, independentwomen’s movement.The Government of Tajikistan condemns discriminationagainst women and pursues a targeted policy of eliminating discriminationagainst women in all its manifestations.The Republic of Tajikistan adopted a new Constitutionin a nationwide referendum in November 1994, with subsequent amendments andadditions in 1999 and 2003. The Constitution of the country regulates theguaranteed protection of human rights and the equality of women and men.Legislation of Tajikistan is based on the principle ofequality between a man and a woman.

From a legal point of view, there are allguarantees of non-discrimination against women: equality guaranteed by theConstitution of the country.Today the woman needs deep knowledge in the field oflaw. First of all, all the women of the Republic of Tajikistan should beinformed about the Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention of all forms ofdiscrimination against women, the Convention on the Political Rights of Womenand all international Acts: on marriage, family, children, youth. This legalenlightenment of a woman will undoubtedly activate her life position and willhave a beneficial effect on the upbringing of the younger generation. She willbe able to protect her children, and maybe save her from social and economiccataclysms.

Along with this, a strict system of guarantees for theprotection of the rights and interests of women must be created, taking intoaccount its current crisis situation.This system should take into account and reflect thephysiological characteristics of the female body, its genital functions,provide legal regulation of the labor process and family responsibilities ofwomen, guarantees of employment of women, especially single, large children,pregnant women with underage children. It is necessary to provide additionalbenefits to female workers; expand the scope of women’s employment; widelyencourage women’s work, enterprise and resourcefulness, the ability to find away out of any difficult situations and life hardships and family troubles.

To promote women’s own interests, the media’s positionon these issues is important, as their impact on public opinion andconsciousness is difficult to overestimate. The media in Tajikistan tend tominimize coverage of events and activities of organizations that reflect theinterests of women. They do not sufficiently inform the population about therights and real situation of women in society, about state measures to improveit.The importance of international cooperation for thedevelopment of the modern women’s movement is great. Women’s movement limitedthe lack of material resources – domestic business is not inclined to givemoney for its development, because it does not see authoritative, both publicand political power on it, on one hand, and on the other, the legislative basedoes not promote the development of charity in the country.At the same time, despite all the difficulties, thewomen’s movement in Tajikistan lives and functions no worse than any othersocial or social movement in the country. It relies on such strengths as a higheducational level of women and a preserved value orientation for workingoutside the home, which does not allow the woman to be brought to her kneesthrough the ideology of “natural destiny”.

It should be noted that the entry of women into powerwill not happen by itself. In our opinion, effective work is needed.Moreover, Government of the Republic of Tajikistan Inaccordance with Article 16 of the Constitutional Law of the Republic ofTajikistan “On the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan”, theGovernment of the Republic of Tajikistan decides:1)      Approvethe National Strategy for Activating the Role of Women in the Republic ofTajikistan for 2011-2020.

2)      Todetermine the Committee for Women and Family Affairs under the Government ofthe Republic of Tajikistan as the coordinator for the implementation of theNational Strategy for Activating the Role of Women in the Republic ofTajikistan for 2011-2020.3)      Ministriesand departments, executive bodies of state power of the Gorno-BadakhshanAutonomous Oblast, oblasts, the city of Dushanbe, cities and districts, tofinance this Strategy from the funds provided for in the State Budget for2011-2020.The development of the Strategy took into account theinternational criteria and norms defined in the Millennium Development Goals,the UN Declaration on Human Rights, the Elimination of All Forms ofDiscrimination against Women, the Elimination of Violence against Women, theConvention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, theBeijing Platform etc. The basis of the Strategy is the Constitution of theRepublic of Tajikistan, the Law of the Republic of Tajikistan “On StateGuarantees of Equality of Men and Women and Equal Opportunities for TheirImplementation” the Decree of the Government of the Republic of Tajikistanon the State Program of the Republic of Tajikistan “Ordering the Familyand Rights”, “The main directions of the state policy on ensuringequal rights and opportunities for women and men in the Republic of Tajikistanfor 2001-2010 “dated 8 August 2001, No. 391,” Education, selectionand placement of leading cadres of the Republic of Tajikistan from the numberof la capable women and girls for 2007-2016 years “of 1 November 2006, No.496 and other relevant regulatory legal acts.

The main purpose of the Strategy is to createprerequisites and necessary conditions for the fullest realization of thenatural abilities of women in all spheres of social life with a view toensuring sustainable development of society. Its importance increases with theimprovement of the political system of society and the development ofdemocratic institutions, institutions of civil society.WOMEN’S REPRESENTATION IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN PRACTICEFor the period of 2015, women comprise 17.5% of thedeputies of the Parliament of the Republic of Tajikistan (Majlisi Oli andMajlisi Namoyandagon), 11.6% of the deputies of the regional Majlises ofpeople’s deputies, 23% of the chairmen of local Majlises of People’s Deputies.Two of the nine committees of the Majlisi Namoyandagon of the Majlisi Oli ofthe Republic of Tajikistan are headed by women.Women are more represented in local government andadministration: 9% of heads of cities and districts, 34% of deputy chairmen ofcities and districts, 43% of chairmen of jamoats are women.

17 women wereelected to the Majlisi Oli of the Republic of Tajikistan (Chamber of theParliament of the country), of which 1 is the Deputy Chairman of the MajlisiOli of the Republic of Tajikistan, 2 are chairmen of committees, 404 women areelected to local majlises of people’s deputies of regions, cities and districts.Tajikistan’s legal provisions specify the number ofseats that municipal council have – the councils have to have between 15 and 40seats, depending primarily on the population size and number of settlements inthe municipality (each village in entitled to, at least, one deputy seat). Eventhe smallest size municipal councils thus provide a theoretical possibility fora number of women to be represented on the council. Local deputies are electedin single-member electoral districts whose boundaries are drawn on the basis ofthe decisions of jamoats (municipalities).The data for the analysis of the actual situation withwomen’s inclusion in local councils that is provided in this paper comes fromthe last round of local elections that took place on 1st March 2015. The dataincludes observations on the total number of deputies and the number of femaledeputies for 427 rural and township municipalities (jamoats) that were in placeat the time of elections.These observations are a part of a larger data set ofJamoat Basic Indicators (JAMBI), which includes data on a number of demographicand socio-economic characteristics of municipalities.

The source of most of theJAMBI (Jamoat Basic Indicators) data is administrative statistics collected onthe local and district levels.The study uses a number of simple measures such as thepercentage share of female deputies in local councils, and social and economicindicators of jamoat development to identify basic patterns in women’srepresentation and to explore potential factors shaping the levels of thisrepresentation. Data for variables and indicators cited in the brief comes theJAMBI data set, unless otherwise specified. Summary statistics on the totalnumber of deputies and number of female deputies elected in the last round oflocal elections in March 2015 are provided in Table 1.As the table indicates, there were 10, 337 localdeputies elected in 427 jamoats (municipalities) in the last round of localelections. The largest number of deputies were elected in Khatlon, and thesmallest number were elected in the least populous region of the country,Gorno-Badakhshan.

A total of 1, 572 persons out of all deputies, or about 15.2%of the total deputy corps, were women.Map 1 provides details on municipal boundaries and thevalue of female deputy share for individual jamoats. It allows visualexamination of differences in women representation across different levels ofadministrative territorial division.

Some jamoats, due to their smallgeographic area, do not appear on the map.CONCLUSIONFor many centuries the main purpose of the beautifulhalf of humanity was the continuation of the family. The woman actedexclusively as the guardian of the home, whereas all kinds of contact with theoutside world were assumed by the man. This, naturally, gave him the right toconsider a woman much lower in her status, rule, and treat her accordingly. Butin our time of technological progress, scientific discoveries and feminism, thesituation has radically changed. A woman in a modern society has a completelydifferent status and vocation, she has other values ??and needs that make itnecessary to reconsider views on the female role in today’s world.

Women’s participation is a cross-cutting issue andincreasing women’s engagement in decision making can greatly contribute toprogress in achieving the wide range of goals envisioned by nationaldevelopment strategies and the global Agenda for Sustainable Development. It isdifficult to resist highlighting the potential that increasing women’srepresentation in Tajikistan might hold for addressing issues thattraditionally receive less attention than, for example, energy generation orconnectivity infrastructure in discussions of the national development agenda.It is very likely that an increased presence of women representatives in decisionmaking for a could provide a motivation for addressing issues of socialprotection for vulnerable groups, intensifying efforts to combat demotion andexclusion, and achieving noticeable improvements in the delivery of basissocial services.Regarding the participation of women at thedecision-making level, there are many problems, but the most important thingtoday is to outline noticeable shifts for the active participation of women in thepolitical life of the society. Today, women are active participants in theformation of civil society, participate in the activities of political parties,non-governmental organizations. It is noticeable that women participate inpolitical processes, including in elections.Addressing women, President of the country E. Rahmonsaid: “In our understanding, you are a mirror of Tajikistan, the degree ofits wisdom and upbringing, moral stability, progressive development, a mirrorof the past, present and future of the nation and state.

” 1For Tajiks from ancient times, the woman embodied thesymbol of good, fertility and keeper of the hearth. Today, her status insociety is even more exalted. She is an active creator of a new society.During the Civil War in the Republic, our women actedas active promoters of peace and harmony in Tajikistan. Through their activeparticipation in the peace process, women have proved that they are an activecreative force of society.

In the conditions of independence of reforming thesocial and economic sphere, democratization of society, the solution of thewomen’s issue required a new approach.Important factors in the involvement of women inpublic life are comprehensive state support, as well as the activeparticipation of public institutions. Only through joint efforts is it possibleto resolve this issue.