mapping of DRR for UN Women, Taj_MU-28 Nov

Summary of Desk Review, SWOT analysis,
Mapping of Existing Program and
Initiatives with Focus on Addressing
Gender Perspective of DRR
SUBMITTED BY
Nizamuddin Al-Hussainy
Consultant, UN Women
SUBMITTED TO
UN Women-Tajikistan
27 November 2014

Abstract
Based on the primary & secondary data/information collected, a compilation of initiatives and
interventionsundertaken/tobe undertaken hasbeenpresentedhere on “Disaster Risk Reduction “
in Tajikistan by the Government, UN organizations, INGOs, NNGOs, development partners . The
overall goal of the ‘Mapping ‘intervention is to identify related gender perspectives (status, gaps,
lessons, best practices, and priorities) and to contribute to effective DRR in Tajikistan through the
systematic inclusion of holistic and streamlined DRR policy into development strategies. On the
other hand, the critical need to address gender perspectives in development and disasters is well
established as climate change and natural disasters, disproportionately affecting poor women,
particularlyrural womenandhasbeenacknowledgedgloballyat the highest levels. Existing gender
basedimbalancesandinequalitiesinTajikistanbothvulnerabilities and capacities embedded in the
social and economiccontextof development.Genderaspectscut across all segments of society and
have implicationsforeveryactionand move towards resilience building. Our aim is to increase the
numberof women indecisionmakingpositions/bodiesdealingwithDRRissues&genderinclusionin
developmentanddisasterriskreduction(DRR) programmingtherefore theseare not a choice but an
imperative.

Contents
CHAPTER I: PROBLEMSTATEMENT: DISASTERS EXACERBATE EXISTING GENDER INEQUITIES............. 1
CHAPTER II: UN WOMEN-TAJIKISTAN’S EFFORTS TO PREVENT AND RESPOND DISASTERS................. 4
Priority issue for UN Women:Gender equality and gender mainstreaming in DRR.................. 5
CHAPTER III:REVIEW OFNATIONALDISASTERPREPAREDNESSANDRESPONSEPOLICYANDREACT OF
TAJIKISTAN...................................................................................................................................8
REACT..........................................................................................................................................8
CHAPTER IV:DRR INITIATIVESOFUN WOMEN, TAJIKISTAN ANDOUTCOMEOF CENTRAL ASIA AND
SOUTH CAUCASUS REGIONAL CONSULTATIONS OF GENDER EXPERTS ........................................... 15
CHAPTER V: BEST PRACTICE AND LESSON LEARNED IN DRR AND GENDER ISSUES IN TAJIKISTAN .... 24
CHAPTER VI: SWOT MATRIX ........................................................................................................ 31
CHAPTER VII: MAPPING OF ORGANIZATIONS WORKING ON DRR & GENDER EQUALITY................... 40
1. UN Women......................................................................................................................... 40
3. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Tajikistan.............................................. 50
4. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)..................................................... 56
5. United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in the Republic of Tajikistan................................... 60
6. United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) ..................................................................... 61
7. World Health Organization Country Office in Tajikistan ......................................................... 63
11. Aga Khan Foundation Tajikistan........................................................................................ 73
Organization Profile.................................................................................................................... 73
13. Branch of Operation Mercy in the RT................................................................................ 81
14. Caritas Internationalism Tajikistan.................................................................................... 87
15. CESVI - COOPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT...................................................................... 88
17. Deutsche Welthungerhilfe e.V.......................................................................................... 93
(Formerly known as German Agro Action)............................................................................. 93
20. Focus Humanitarian Assistance in Tajikistan...................................................................... 95
22. Habitat for Humanity Tajikistan........................................................................................ 98
26. Mercy Corps in Tajikistan ................................................................................................. 99
23. International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Tajikistan.....................106
18. Asian Development Bank (ADB).......................................................................................110
19. European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.......................................................111
19. European Union .............................................................................................................113
Organization Profile...................................................................................................................113

24. International Fund for Agricultural Development..............................................................119
25. Japan International CooperationAgency..........................................................................121
27. Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe ......................................................124
28. OXFAMin the Republic of Tajikistan ................................................................................127
29. The World Bank Group....................................................................................................133
Organisation Profile...................................................................................................................133
Annexure - A: Disaster Risk Reduction: Some issues and challenges in DRR ..................................139
Economic loss & Costeffectiveness of DRR.............................................................................139
Development concept and approach......................................................................................139
Partnerships and inter-organizational co-ordination...........................................................140
Communities and their organizations.................................................................................141
Governance.......................................................................................................................141
Accountability and rights...................................................................................................142
Policy and investment........................................................................................................142
Annexure B: Gender aspects of disasters risk..............................................................................152
Key problems related with gender inequality in Tajikistan:.......................................................153
Gender inequality in access to the resources...........................................................................153
Youth risk factor:...................................................................................................................154
Problems of gender-based violence ........................................................................................154
Annexure C: FieldVisitPlan and Schedule...................................................................................155

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CHAPTER I: PROBLEM STATEMENT: DISASTERS EXACERBATE EXISTING
GENDER INEQUITIES
Tajikistan is a country not only poor among CIS countries but also prone to natural disasters. Each
year, the country experiences about 50,000 landslides (Debris flow), 5,000 tremors and
earthquakes,flushfloods, wind damage, epidemics, and hundreds of avalanches. The livelihoods
rural populations are exposed to extreme seasonality and natural shocks such as droughts and
floods, earthquake: impacts of environmental degradation.
Urban populationsare alsoexposedtorisksfromenvironmental hazardsfrompoorsolidwaste and
chemical contamination of land and water. 54.8 million tons of waste from past uranium mining
operations is still located in unsecured sites in Northern Tajikistan, a number of them close to
Khujand, the country’s second largest city.
Climate change anddisasterriskreductionislargelymissingfromdevelopmentplanningorfunding.
Gaps in DRR institutional capacity; lack of endurance mechanisms, adaptation measures not
integrated.
Women, youth and children, migrants, people with disability, ethnic minorities and refugees,
statelesspersons:vulnerableandexcluded fromsocial protectionschemesthat grant access to SRH
services, and may also fear repatriation when showing up public health facilities( HIV, TB, other
diseases).
Though due to frequent occurrence of natural disasters in Tajikistan, the Government has
established a well developed structure for disaster risk management (DRM). However, the
prevalence of emergencyresponse overriskreductionandrecurrentdisastersprompted the policy
makers to revisit the entire approach to DRM& DRR.
Environmental degradationandlabormigration toforeigncountries increased inequality between
female and male. Due to migration of male workers to foreign countries, women are carrying out
agricultural activities (traditionally use to be carried out by male) and taking care of children.
Migrationisone of the reasonsof the absolute women’spredominance amongstthose employedin
agriculture of Tajikistan.Thismakeswomenmore vulnerabletoenvironmental degradation. At the
same time,limitedlivelihoodopportunities, the need in running household activities and care for

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familymemberslimittheirmobilityandincrease vulnerabilitytosuddennatural disasters. Drought,
drop intemperature make themworkeven harder. Girls stop attending schools so as to help their
mothers in the fulfillment of these tasks. This creates endless circle of deprivations, poverty and
inequality and undermines the social capital, needed for the effective opposition to the
environmental degradation (M-vector, 2012)
UN Women,Tajikistan demonstrates willingness and readiness to re-assess existing policies and
practices.Thisinitiativewill assist the Government, other UN agencies, INGOs, NGOs CSOs, CBOs
in establishing high-level policy dialogue that will increase enabling environment for inclusive
gender sensitive DRR policies in national development strategies and planning, establish better
Partnerships and inter-organizational co-ordination and put forward gender issues in post-2015
frameworkfordisasterriskreduction(HFA2).Hopefully,thispositionpaper will support discussion
at the Sendai Dialogue of 2015–a special event co-organized by the World Bank and the
Governmentof Japanas part of the Annual Meetingsprogram.Thiseventwill engage delegates on
the importance of mainstreaming DRR, drawing upon the lessons from the disasters of Tajikistan.
The critical need to address gender perspectives in development and disasters is well established
and has been acknowledgedbyUNat the highestlevels.The Commission on the Status of Women,
inits resolution, the needsand vulnerabilities of women, men, girls and boys affected by crisis are
distinctandoftendifferent. Addressing these needs with effective, quality programming requires
incorporationof genderequalityconsiderationsacrossall phasesof humanitarian action – including
preparedness,assessment,analysis,planningandimplementation.Thisincorporation is essential to
complywithinternational legalandnormative frameworks that protect the equal rights of women,
girls,boysandmen,as well as those that define humanitarian rights and responsibilities, based on
the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence.
Normative Frameworks Relating to UN Women’s work on Humanitarian Action:
 General Assembly A/RES/64/289 - July 2010 System Wide Coherence (establishment of
UN Women).
 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (1979)
 Beijing Platform for Action (1995)
 UN Security Council Resolution: 1325, 1820, 1888, 1889, 1960, 2106 and 2122
 Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster Response (2004 and 2010)
 ECOSOC Resolutions E/RES/2012/3 and E/RES/2013/6 - Strengthening the Coordination

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of Emergency Humanitarian Assistance of the United Nations (2012 and 2013)
 Commission on the Status of Women Resolution 56/2 and its 2014 follow up – Gender
Equality and Women’s Empowerment (2012 and 2014).
International StrategyforDisasterReduction(2013)highlightsexistinggenderbased imbalances and
inequalitiesin societiesand bothvulnerabilitiesandcapacitiesembeddedinthe social andeconomic
context of development1
.
Genderaspectscut across all segments of society and have implications for every action and move
towards resilience building. Gender inclusion in development and disaster risk reduction (DRR)
programmingtherefore isnotachoice but an imperativeof UNWomen.Review of implementation
experiencesof the HyogoFramework for Action (HFA) highlight gender inclusiveness as one of the
leastprogressedaspects of its implementation. That’s why, UN Commission on Status of Women,
in March 2014 on the issue “Gender equality and the empowerment of women in natural
disasters” urges Governments and, where appropriate, United Nations entities, civil society,
including non-governmental organizations and the private sector, and other stakeholders2
.
On the other hand, the disaster risk reduction measures in Tajikistan are formulated within the
National Disaster Risk Management Strategy (NDRMS) for 2010-2015. In December 2013 UNDP
commissionedananalysisof the national strategyaswell aslegislationondisasterrisk management
incompliance withstandardsandrequirementsforintegration of disaster risk reduction norms and
commitments into the national policy framework. The findings of the analysis demonstrated that
objectivesandtasksof the national policyin general correspond with the Hyogo Framework Action
Plan’spriorities.However,issuessuchasgendermainstreaming,cultural diversityand participation
of volunteersandlocal populationsinthe national disasterriskreduction efforts are not addressed.
The national legislation in the area of disaster risk management has very weak linkages with the
national legislation on environment protection and management and climate change. In 2015 the
Governmentintendstorevise itsNDRMS to integrate DRR related priorities more prominently into
the Post-2015 national development framework. Based on the above, UN Women-Tajikistan
decidedto supportthe country’s efforts to prevent and respond to disasters, the Rapid Emergency
Assessment and Coordination Team (REACT) with this study outcome.
1
GA Resolution67/209-2014
2
For details please see: UNCommission on Status of Women, in March 2014 on the issue “Gender equality and
the empowerment of women in natural disasters”

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CHAPTER II: UN WOMEN-TAJIKISTAN’S EFFORTS TO PREVENT AND RESPOND
DISASTERS
To support the Tajikistan’s efforts to prevent and respond to disasters, the Rapid Emergency
Assessment and Coordination Team (REACT), intended to serve as the coordinating structure for
international disasterresponse, which wasestablished in 2001 facilitated by UN OCHA in Tajikistan.
One of the key tasks of REACT is to provide disaster-related assistance in accordance with the
Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response and other appropriate
standards and good practices, to the best of their means.
UN Women is a member of REACT has the technical capacity to support REACT to ensure gender-
responsive disaster risk reduction efforts, guided by the UN Women SP for 2014-2017 and the
Humanitarian Strategy. In sum, UN Women intends to contribute to decreasing rural women’s
vulnerabilityandsupporttheir better preparedness for disasters and other potential crises though
improving access to quality services. In this regard, UN Women Tajikistan plans to support REACT
and national partnersinTajikistantoidentifyandintegrate gender-related priorities and needs into
the national disasterriskreductionandmanagement policiesandhumanitarianresponse measures.
In orderto readdressthe existingDRMpolicy where the emergency response prevails over the risk
reductioncomponent,the Government endorsed the National Disaster Risk Management Strategy
for 2010-2015 and established the National Platform for DRR in 2012.
However,more effortsandguidance are needed to change the existing “mindset” of DRMwhich is
predominantly focusedonresponse andrecovery,aswell astoenable the National Platform and its
Secretariat to become an effective and inclusive coordination and policy making mechanism.
The main objective of this initiatives is to provide information base for a better knowledge
management and coordination in the disaster risk reduction and the gender perspective among
governmental, civil society and international stakeholders in Tajikistan through mapping of DRR
initiatives / institutions:
 Relevant governmental institutions
 International stakeholder (bi and multilateral donors, international NGO’s)
 UN sister organizations Initiatives and programs ongoing
 Local NGO’s, and networks

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The mapping for every institution / initiative includes the following information:
 Legal status
 Mandate of the institution/organization
 Ongoing projects, gaps, weaknesses, strengths and work basic info.
 Future interventions.
Priority issue for UN Women: Gender equality and gender mainstreaming in DRR
It was estimated that during 1997-2007 Tajikistan experienced over 200 landslides, mud flows,
earthquakes and other hazardous events are resulting in over 866 deaths and annual losses
averagingUS$28 millionperyear.Mountain-dwellingcommunities find little space away from rock-
fall or avalanche zones. Even communities in the broader valleys of the country are subject to
floodingcomingfromthe mountainsandhillsof Tajikistanorneighboringcountries.Allcommunities
inthe countryare alsosubjecttoearthquakes.Further,the physicalinfrastructure (e.g.roads,power
lines, water systems) needed to sustain livelihoods in Tajikistan is under constant threat from
hazards,particularlyflooding,landslides,mudflows,earthquakes and avalanches. The consequence
is that the cost of establishing and maintaining this infrastructure is high, as are the repair or
replacement costs when the infrastructure is destroyed or damaged.
Duringany disasterlike flashfloodsandlandslides women shoulder heaviest workloads within the
household (due to a massive labour migration of the male population abroad), have additional
burdensinaccessingalternativefuelandwater,tryingtoprovide adequate sanitation, looking after
their children and sick and elderly family members. In addition, they are the first to become
unemployed when vital service industries such as bakeries and other plants are closed due to the
lack of electricity.
The government reported that in 2012 Tajikistan experienced over 306 natural disasters that took
the livesof 26 people,leftthousandsof housesinneedof majorrepairsorcomplete reconstruction,
killedlivestock,anddamagedinfrastructurethatisvital formanyisolatedvillages.Onaverage,about
150 small- andmedium-scaledisastersoccurannuallyin Tajikistan, affecting at least 10,000 people.
In additiontoa seriesof natural disasters, over 2 million people are estimated by WFP to be at risk
of food insecurity. Most of Tajikistan’s territory then was classified as being in the grip of an acute
foodand livelihoodscrisis.InJuly2013, 52 natural disasterswere reportedinTajikistanoverthe first

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six monthsof the year. In April-May 2014 5 districts of Khatlon province and some districts in other
provinces were affected by a mudslide. According to the assessment by the Committee on
EmergencySituationsinjust 5 districts, an estimated more than 5,000 people were affected by the
disasters, which resulted in deaths of 17 people (15 in Kulyab zone and 2 in Khuroson district). UN
agencies– membersof REACT – are providingimmediate aidtoaffectedpopulations. However, the
followingimmediate(relief)needswere pointedout: food assistance and livelihoods support; non-
food items (cooking utensils, bedding/clothes); support in debris removal; water, sanitation and
hygiene; and psychosocial support to affected populations.
The disaster risk reduction measures in Tajikistan are formulated within the National Disaster Risk
Management Strategy (NDRMS) for 2010-2015. In December 2013 UNDP commissioned an analysis
of the national strategy as well as legislation on disaster risk management in compliance with
standardsand requirementsforintegrationof disaster risk reduction norms and commitments into
the national policyframework.The findingsof the analysisdemonstratedthatobjectivesandtasksof
the national policy in general correspond with the Hyogo Framework Action Plan’s priorities.
However, issues such as gender mainstreaming, cultural diversity and participation of volunteers
and local populations in the national disaster risk reduction efforts are not addressed properly.
The national legislation in the area of disaster risk management has very weak linkages with the
national legislation on environment protection and management and climate change. In 2015 the
Governmentintendstorevise itsNDRMS to integrate DRR related priorities more prominently into
the Post-2015 national development framework. The country is exposed to natural hazards of all
possible sorts, such as, earthquake, floods, river bank erosion, cyclones, droughts, water logging,
arsenic contamination, salinity intrusion, tornadoes, heat waves, cold waves, earthquakes,
epidemicsetc. The occurrence of these natural eventsare oftencoupled with and multiplied by the
highbase vulnerabilitiesof the individuals, households and communities resulting in disasters that
further drive the country towards greater environmental degradation, hunger, poverty, social
deprivation and political conflicts, and thereby impeding the socio-economic development of the
country.
Currently a lot of initiatives/actors are active in the field of disaster risk reduction and natural
resourcesmanagementinTajikistan; however there is lack of an overview. A lot of work is done in
parallel;knowledge managementinthe sector is yet to be improved. Therefore for coordination of
the DisasterRiskReduction(DRR) Platformthe UNWomen,Tajikistan undertaken this mapping of

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initiatives inthe fieldof DisasterRiskReduction/genderrelated works in order to identify who is
doing what and how at the DRR and gender issues.
The overall goal of the ‘Mapping‘intervention istoidentifyrelatedgenderperspectives(status,gaps
and priorities) and to contribute to effective DRR in Tajikistan through the systematic inclusion of
holistic and streamlined DRR policy into development strategies.
Objective
The following objectives will be reached by the mapping exercise:
 Conduct a desk review of national disaster preparedness and response policy documents
and REACT documents, assessments and studies as well as preliminary findings of the
gender assessment commissioned by UN Women in Tajikistan to define existing gaps and
needs on integrating gender into national disaster risk reduction efforts in Tajikistan;
 Basedon findingsof the deskreview,undertake amappingof existingDRR programmes and
initiatives with a focus on identifying related gender perspectives (status, gaps and
priorities).
“Mostof the previous interventions were mainly focused on building capacities of the national DRM
actors(primarily Committeefor Emergency Situation (CoES) on effective risk management, including
different aspects of DRM cycle – from disaster prevention and preparedness to response and
rehabilitation,withintegration of risk assessmentand early warning capacity building components).
Moreover, assistance in revision of legal provisions in the field of emergency management was
provided, in order to ensure informational basis for improvement and harmonization of legislation.
As a new project,thepresentintervention will focuson supporting thepolicy dialogue on inclusion of
DRR into national reforms and overall development strategies and Planning3
.”
3
SDC-Tajikistan, 2014

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CHAPTER III: REVIEWOF NATIONAL DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE
POLICY AND REACT OF TAJIKISTAN
The UN Women’s employed consultant had separate meetings/interviews with the Committee of
Emergency Situations(CoES),otherrelevantnational organizations,as well as several UN Agencies,
Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs/NNGOs) and some donors present in Tajikistan.
There is vast experience in responding to a variety of disasters in Tajikistan. “MoES / COES and its
local offices are composed of dedicated personnel. MoES and COES are involved in a wide range of
disaster management initiatives with international organizations. The basic legislation is in place.
Majorelementsand structuresof disastermanagementand response exist. However, many of these
elementsare disjointed,and do not form a single streamlined system as desired by the Government.
There is a need for a unified contingency planning, effective coordination between different
ministries, appropriate equipment, up to date and systematic training, and public education and
awareness programmes4
.
REACT
In order to strengthen joint efforts in disaster management in Tajikistan, the Tajikistan Disaster
Management Partnership – Rapid Emergency Assessment and Coordination Team (REACT) was set
up in 2000. The objectives of REACT are to improve the coordination and information sharing
amongstall actors in the fieldof disastermanagement,aswell astostrengthenthe MoES leadership
in disaster management activities. Under the leadership of the MoES, REACT is to coordinate
disasterresponse aswell asall disasterriskreductionactivities.REACTsupportsthe implementation
of the HyogoFrameworkforActionpriority5, whichdealswithstrengtheningdisasterpreparedness
for effective response. REACT in Dushanbe has around 65 partners representing different
Government authorities, international organizations (including UN Women) and NGOs. These are
dividedintosectoral groupswhichfacilitatecontingencyplanningandresponseinthe following five
areas/clusters: (1) Food aid, (2) Non-food items including shelter, (3) Health, (4) Water and
sanitationand(5) Education. UN agenciesandotherpartnersleadthe sectoral groups. There are an
additional six workinggroupstofacilitate coordination of implementation of Hyogo Framework for
Action.A RapidResponse CoordinationTeam is also taking the lead in coordination of response to-
and assessment of- disasters. There are also regional REACT groups functioning in Rasht Valley,
4
Disaster Response Preparedness - OCHA, 2006

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ZeravshanValleyandinKulyab.These regionalREACTgroupsconductjoint assessments and muster
their local resources in emergencies. It is worth mentioning that, the Tajikistan Disaster
Management Partnership – Rapid Emergency Assessment and Coordination Team (REACT) is an
extremely useful mechanism to improve the coordination and information sharing amongst all
actors in the field of disaster management, as well as to strengthen the leadership of MoES in
disastermanagementactivities.RegionalREACTpartnershipsanditsthematicclustergroupsare also
highly valuable. It should be noted that the current state of preparedness is limited to cope with
medium to large-scale disasters. In the majority of provinces and at the local level, the response
capacity is good in terms of logistics, contingency stocks, communication, rapid response teams,
collecting sex-disaggregated data for incorporation of gender issues and financial resources5
.
REACT: HOW IT WORKS
International humanitarian assistance to small and medium-scale emergencies in Tajikistan is
providedthroughthe Rapid Emergency Assessment and Coordination Team - REACT. The structure
iscomposedof the Governmentof Tajikistan(representedbyCoES),donors,the United Nations and
otherinternational organizations,aswell as local and international NGOs involved in disaster early
warning,mitigation,preparedness, response and recovery. REACT is co-chaired by the Chairman of
CoES and the UN Resident Coordinator, with the UNDP Disaster Risk Management Program
providing secretariat services.
The REACT Steering Committee, established in late 2009, is supposed to provide guidance to the
day-to-day work of REACT and serves as an inter-cluster coordination mechanism in peace time.
However, currently the REACT Steering Committee is not functioning according to its Terms of
Reference and standard operating procedures. As a result of the development of the current IACP
update, renewed efforts will be undertaken to revive this structure.
REACT operatesthroughclustersandregionally-basedREACTs,currentlylocatedinKhorog,Khujand,
Kulyab,Kurgan-Tube,Penjikent,andRasht.Five clusters,ledbythe followingagencies,are reporting
to REACT in ‘peace time,’ i.e. when there is no emergency which warrants the nomination of a
HumanitarianCoordinator:Education(Save the Children), Food Security, including nutrition (WFP),
Health(WHO),Shelter/NFI(IFRC),andWASH(UNICEF).These clustersare supposedtomeetregularly
and coordinate preparedness and response activities in their respective sectors.
5
Meeting with COES, 2014

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A large-scale emergencyrequiringthe assistanceof the widerinternational communitywouldtrigger
the appointment of a Humanitarian Coordinator and the active involvement of UN OCHA in
coordinatingthe emergency response. Under the leadership of the Humanitarian Coordinator, the
international humanitarian community in Tajikistan would create a Humanitarian Country Team
(HCT), which would comprise the heads of the UN resident member agencies with a humanitarian
mandate and representatives of the local and international NGO community and the cluster
approach would be activated.
In 2011 the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan had approved the National Disaster Risk
ManagementStrategy for 2010-2015 developedbythe Committee onEmergencySituationandCivil
Defense togetherwiththe relevantministries,agenciesandinternational organizations.The Strategy
consists of five main components based on implementing activities in line with the Hyogo
FrameworkforActionand includes main development directions of the country aimed at reducing
disasterriskandat the same time serves as a guidelines for donors and international organizations
implementingDRRprojectsinTajikistan. But the disasterRiskmanagementstrategyisgender blind
and onlyone place ishas mentionedabout‘gender’issue. Alsoin2010 governmentof Tajikistan has
establishedamulti-componentNational RiskMonitoringandWarning System (under the Minister
of Economic Development and Trade) that allows for analyzing the existing situation in various
branches of the country’s economy and forecasts possible situations including disasters and DRR.
One of the important steps in implementing the National DRM Strategy was the establishment in
2012 in Tajikistan of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Platform. The Platform consolidates
leading Ministries and agencies as well as representative of the international organizations and
donors acting as observers. Since its establishment in 2012 the National Disaster Risk Reduction
Platform of the Republic of Tajikistan had conducted several meetings where main priorities for
implementingthe National Disaster Risk Management Strategy to 2015 were identified. A Standing
Expert Group was established under the National Platform that is involved in monitoring of the
implementationof the National DisasterRiskReductionStrategy,facilitatingthe National Platformin
formulating and introducing a systemic mechanism for disaster risk reduction into development
processincludingassessmentof risks,preparedness,response andrehabilitations. The Government
of Tajikistan has focused on development taking into account integration of DRR issues into
developmentprojectsandprogramsinline withthe country’s commitment to implement activities
indicated in the Hyogo Framework for Action.

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The first component of the Strategy involves identification of the structure and adjusting the
activitiesof the UnifiedNational Systemof the Republicof Tajikistanfor Prevention and Liquidation
of Disasters,andimprovementof the legislationframeworkinthe areaof disasterriskmanagement.
The second component of the strategy is about disaster risk assessments and mapping of areas
prone to floods, draughts, avalanches, mudflows, landslides, as well as seismic-prone areas. This
informationisthenusedforputtingtogetherthe Atlasof DisasterRisksinthe Republic of Tajikistan.
The third component of the strategy includes disaster risk reduction in construction norms and
regulations(SNiP) anddevelopmentof proposalsfor typical insurance schemes in case of disasters.
The fourth component is the development of Disaster Preparedness and Response Plans on the
national,provincial and district levels, establishment of province-level Centers for Crisis Situation
Management that work 24/7, establishment of early warning systems in river basins and water
reservoirs.
The fifthcomponentis the developmentof the national programforraisingpublicawareness in the
issuesof disasterpreparedness, mitigation and response. These aspects must be resolved by 2015
withinthe frameworkof the National DisasterRiskReductionPlatformthroughthe jointeffortof the
Committee on Emergency Situations and Civil Defense, relevant ministries and agencies, private
sector, donors and international organizations.
Due to the seismic and geographical conditions not only Tajikistan but the Central Asia region in
general remainsahigh-riskareaforsome natural andman-made disasters. Disastermaypotentially
impact rates of development of regional economy by destroying vitally important infrastructure,
leaving people without shelters and livelihoods. Besides, the need for humanitarian aid and
liquidationof consequencesof disastersrequires allocations of significant financial resources that
couldhave beenspentforpovertyreduction and socio-economic development of the country. For
instance,from1997 to 2013, 3170 disasteroccurredthat resultedinlossesto Tajikistan for the total
amount of USD 381 million, i.e. on average USD23, 9 million per year. For the same period 1003
people perished as a result of disasters. The overwhelming majority of disasters occurring in the
Republicof Tajikistan are associatedwithintensification of hydro-meteorological processes such as
mudslides and landslides, floods, avalanches, soil erosions, etc.
Water is life, but, at the same time, water is a threat to life. Global changes, including climate
change, population growth and rapid urbanization, are significantly increasing the risks of water
relateddisasters. Recent mega-disasters related to water, such as floods in Pakistan and Thailand,

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tsunami in Japan and flooding in the Far East of the Russian Federation and Northern provinces of
China showed that problems of water-related disasters are not local any more, they have global
nature. In this regard cooperation and collaboration between countries is the only rational way
forward.
Future generations of these countries should live in a safer and more sustainable world. In this
context the DRR means the development for building a safer and more sustainable world.
Therefore, integration of the DRR and climate change adaption into the new HFA-2 program is of
fundamental importance for creating a sustainable future. Unfortunately, currently, due to the
financial constraints, DRRactivitiesandpreparednessof population of possible disasters are not on
the properlevel. The situationisresolvedthroughimplementation of small disaster risk reduction
projectsonthe level of districtsandsettlementstogetherwithinternational organizations. Starting
from 2003 with the support of the European Commission Humanitarian Aid Office and within the
DIPECHO program various projects aimed at DRR on community level are being implemented. The
projects are implemented by international organizations in collaboration with the Committee on
Emergency Situations and Civil Defense, and its central and provincial units. Funding of bigger
projectsinthe areas of economicdevelopment,climatechange impact,anddisasterriskreductionis
provided by the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction
and Development.
Republicof Tajikistanforthe new Disaster Risk Reduction Program after 2015 (HFA-2) recommends
the following measures6
:
 Strengthening global and regional collaboration among National Platforms;
 Establishing of a single source of reserves of the Global Platform for funding DRR
projects;
 Using latest ICT achievements for DRR;
 Strengtheningresilience tonegativeenvironmental impacts, climate change, and water
related disasters;
 Conductingaregulardialogue forthe issuesof combatingwater-relateddisasterson the
global level;
 Introducingcertain aspects of disaster risk reduction into development planning on all
levels;
6
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 Integration of activities related to climate changes, river floods and DRR, especially on
the regional level.
A numberof acts have beenadoptedinTajikistanaimedatexpandingthe role and raising the status
of womenandensuringequal rightsandopportunitiesformenandwomen. Gender issues have not
been adequately addressed in the principal government strategies due to socio-cultural norms
practiced in Tajikistan. However institutional gender policy mechanisms are limited. As a result,
women are excluded from public life for a number of reasons and excuses and little is done to
involve them in decision-making processes.
The policiesthatare in place have little impactonchangingthe social relationshipbetweenmen and
womenbecause there is a poor understanding of the need to address gender issues on the part of
public employees at all levels of government. An ineffective statistical base and data collection
system are limiting opportunities to advance the cause of gender equality.
The genderequalitypriorities contain nothing new, as these priorities have already been outlined
elsewhere.Butthose adoptedbythe state asa compulsorycomponentof programsandactionplans
are not always buttressed by the necessary public funding. In addition, social partnership
mechanisms have not been properly developed to allow for cooperation among the state, civil
society and businesses in the implementation of gender policy.
Equal rights under the law do not guarantee actual equality between men and women. They have
unequal accesstoresources,opportunities and control over resources (property, land, credits, and
so forth). Inadequate access to land and to control/ownership over land as a primary production
assetmakesrural womenmuchtoo dependenton the menintheirfamilies,itreduces the potential
for women to contribute to agricultural growth and it makes them more vulnerable to poverty.
Genderinequalityisalsoseenin the development of human potential and unequal access for men
and women to basic social benefits, including education and health care among others. Women’s
opportunities to protect their own interests are extremely limited both at the level of society as a
whole and at the local community and household level.
Economicactivity among women remains lower than among men as a result of socio-demographic
factors. Women are beginning to take on the previously unaccustomed role of breadwinner or co-
breadwinnerwithincreasingfrequency,however,the seriouspolitical andeconomicproblemsledto
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social services and the lower standard of living. This was due above all to a lack of meaningful and
integrated reforms in the social sector, limited ability on the part of the state to finance social
sectorsand a decline in their personnel potential and material and technical base. In recent years,
despite aqualitative improvement in the country’s financial status and an increase in the absolute
amountof budgetspendingonthe social sector,rapidpopulation growth has made it impossible to
achieve significant progress in social sectors. Complicated regulations and difficult administrative
barriers are hindering the development of the private sector, which could help meet some of the
demandforsocial servicesandboostthe government’sabilitytoprovide guaranteedsocial services7
.
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CHAPTER IV: DRR INITIATIVES OF UN WOMEN, TAJIKISTAN AND OUTCOME
OF CENTRAL ASIA AND SOUTH CAUCASUS REGIONAL CONSULTATIONS OF
GENDER EXPERTS
In this regard, UN Women and UNFPA as co- organizers of Stakeholder Group Meeting on Gender
and Women’sIssuesinDisasterRiskReductionwithinaframe of the UNISDR’sregional consultations
for Central Asia and South Caucasus in Almaty, Kazakhstan on 1-2 April 2014 had intended to
contribute tothe consultationsbyhighlightinganeedtoensure efficientgendermainstreaming into
DRR agendaformulationandreaffirmingavital role of women and the need for their full and equal
participationandleadershipinall areasof sustainable developmentandDRR and the needto unlock
the potential of women as drivers of sustainable development.
The Central Asia and South Caucasus member states which are very diverse in many aspects –
population,size,economic development and disaster risk – have developed an ambitious regional
DRR framework in response to their experiences with past major disasters in these countries. The
recommendationsonDisasterRiskResponsesetthe foundationforregional cooperation in all areas
of Gender & DRR which needs detailed work programs and these efforts seeks to increase both
regional andnational capacitiesforgenderinclusion in DRR. These recommendation based on both
the strengths and challenges of these countries approach to capacity building. The Stakeholder
group ‘Gender and Women’s issues in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) within frame of the UNISDR’s
regional consultation met to provide concerted focus and coherent guidance on this theme.
1. The Stakeholdergroup will work collectively:
 To ensure thatwomen’sleadershiproleandperspectivesongenderequalityinDRRand
resilience buildingare comprehensivelyrepresentedandincludedinthe formulationof
the HFA2;
 To support related actions in HFA2 implementation by providing guidance,
strengthening capacities and monitoring progress against agreed deliverables.
2. Main barriers and challengesto implementthe recommendedactionsidentifiedbythe
stakeholdersare:
 Lack of strongfocus ongenderas stimulusforprogressin DDR

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 Weakgendermainstreaminginnational policies, strategiesandplansforDDRand
management
 Limitedparticipationof womenandtheirrepresentationatall levelsof decisionmaking
processes
 Lack of gendersensitive indicators
Gender sensitive indicators used in risk and vulnerability studies have the function of identifying
genderrelateddifferencesandinequalitieswithinagivenpopulation.These indicators compare the
situationof malestothat of females,anddepictthe relative advantage/disadvantage of one gender
incomparison to the other. Gender sensitive indicators measured over time can also demonstrate
variable changes in outcomes for each sex/gender, as well as changes in gender relations and
progressinreducinggenderinequalities.Theseindicatorsprovideauseful tool forensuringthatsex-
disaggregatedquantitativedataare generatedduringprimarydatacollectionexercisesandallow for
gender analysis to be incorporated into the overall risk management and vulnerability analysis.
Some of the central concerns for promoting gender sensitive disaster risk reduction measures are:
Ensure gender sensitive economic decision-making, land ownership and use, natural resource
management, and human and social development in order to increase the capacity of women and
men to live more safely in hazard prone environments.
The Third World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) which will be held in March 2015 in
Sendai, Japan is very important and crucial intergovernmental event which intends to further
contribute to stronger states’ commitments with clear and practical measures for implementing
sustainable development from gender and human rights perspectives.
As the Conference is expected to endorse an action- oriented outcome document incorporating
modalitiesof cooperationfor implementation of a post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction
(HFA2), it is crucial to ensure that a gender perspective is taken into account in the drafting of the
outcome and actions on DRR promote gender equality and women’s leadership in DRR actions.
Main barriers and challenges to implement the recommended actions as identified by the Almaty
gender experts are as follows:
 The lack of strongfocuson genderasa stimulusforprogressinDRR

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 Poorunderstandingof the socio-economicgendervulnerabilities
 Lack of genderstatisticsandgender-disaggregateddatadonot allow havingaclearpicture.
It isinitial andcrucial to understandclearlythe overallrisksandthe riskformenand women
separately
 Genderhas receivedalarminglylittle prominence inthe core HFA documentsandnational
reportingbythe countries
 Differentiatednature of risksandvulnerabilityformenandwomen,boysandgirls
 Poorunderstandingof the importance of gendereducationforchildrenandadolescents
 Weakgendermainstreaminginnational policies,strategiesandplansforDRRand
management:
 Lack of evidence (gender-responsivevulnerabilityandcapacityassessments,gender
analysis) usedinnational developmentpolicies,planningandprograms onDRR
 Needs(includinghealth,especially,sexualandreproductivehealth,education,social
protection,etc.) of women,adolescents/youthandpeople withdisabilities notadequately
and comprehensivelyaddressedinDRRstrategies
 Weaklinkagesof national genderequalitypolicyframeworkwithDRRstrategies
 Lack of baseline informationonwomen’sandmen’sparticipationinDRRat local and
national level
 Limitedgenderspecificdataand statisticsonimpactsof disastersandsex-disaggregated
data of lossanddamage
 Limitedgender-sensitive indicatorstomonitorandmeasure progressonDRR
 Lack of genuine political accountabilityandefficientfinancial resourcesforgender
responsive DRR
 Limitednational reportingonprogress made inmainstreaminggenderintoDRRand
promotinggenderperspectivesof sustainabledevelopmentatlocal andnational level
 Lack of understandingof the relationshipbetweengenderequalityandDRR.
Limited participation of women and their representation at all levels of decision- making
processes:
 Limited women’s participation in formal DRR processes at all levels, including policy and

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decision- making with bottom-up approach
 Untappedpotential of womenandwomen’sorganizationsforimplementation of the HFA in
terms of ideas, capacities, and experience.
 Lack of institutional andindividual capacity and tools to mainstream gender and DRR at the
organizational planning, policy-making and implementation levels
 Limitedfinancialresourcesto developandimplementwomen’sNGOs’innovative initiatives
aiming to improve gender responsiveness of DRR at local and national level
 Lack of accessible information for women on DRR at all levels
Summary of discussions:
The GenderStakeholdersGrouppointedaneedtoclearlyhighlightprinciples to follow to ensure an
efficient gender mainstreaming into DRR-related agenda within Post-2015 framework:
 to focusexactly onthe gender-relatedprioritiesandcommitmentsthrough1) a stand-alone
goal on genderequalityand women’s empowerment, and 2) integration of gender aspects
intoall goals/targets onSustainable Development and DRR (risk prevention, risk reduction
and building resilience/sustainability of achieved results);
 to supplementshort-termactionswithlong- termones,preciselyaffectingthe achievement
of specific changes – from changes in legislation as a short-term measure to changes in
attitudes, recognition, behavior and culture as a whole;
 DRR-related goals/targets should contribute to achieving concrete progress with regard to
humandevelopmentandhumansecurity - soshouldinclude human-orientedindicators and
outcome;
 recognize thatgendereducationisapriorityallowingtoacquire necessarychanges. It has to
be integrated into all levels of education in general for cultural, social and other changes,
especiallyatthe level of highereducation(law, social work, public health, political science,
psychology, etc.)
The Gender Stakeholders’ Group agreed on the following priority areas for inclusion of gender
perspectives in DRR in the context of Post-2015 international development agenda:
Priority Area

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1. Increased accountability of countries for implementation of international commitments to
promote gender equality throughgender mainstreamingintonational policies,strategiesand
plans for sustainable development and DRR
 To improve institutional and individual capacity and tools for gender mainstreaming into
DRR national coordination mechanisms and national platforms and for an analysis of a
progress towards gender mainstreaming in DRR
 To improve conceptual andpractical understanding of linkages between gender and DRR
at the national level
 To developtoolsthatwill strengthen public accountability and obligations to implement
gender-responsive DRR and for results-based monitoring and reporting on a progress of
gender mainstreaming in DRR
 To promote collection, analysis and dissemination of sex-disaggregated data on disaster
risks, occurrence, impact and losses at all levels (including in line with the new indicator
system on DRR) (more than every 10 years). To include gendersensitive indicators to
monitor and track progress on DRR, consequently sustainable development
 To improve mechanisms for policy implementation, knowledge and education on DRR,
including public officials, public (especially women and vulnerable constituencies), and
media
 To introduce gender budgeting instruments for planning/budgeting of DRR
 To ensure considerationof the impact of migration and the relationship between risks of
conflicts and disasters in terms of gendered vulnerability
 To ensure interactions and partnership with religious institutions/faith-based
organizations on enforcement of DRR commitments
 To include gender issues in the Third National Communication on Climate Change
 To develop and adapt educational materials for key stakeholders that ensure gender
mainstreaming into DRR
 To strengthen focus on the responsibility of the business sector (how to avoid
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2. Gender equality at all levels of decision- making, implementation, coordination and
evaluation of DRR
Recommendations:
 To build national and local women’s groups’/NGOs’/gender experts’ capacities on
gender aspects of DRR strategies formulation, implementation and monitoring and
provide them with a platform to be heard and lead
 To enhance participationof genderexperts,women/women’s groups/NGOs, including
from rural areas, with a focus on communities and the most vulnerable and
marginalizedininstitutionalarrangements/partnerships/coordinationmechanisms and
platforms and to create interdisciplinary expert groups on DRR
 To document and disseminate good practices on integration of gender into DRR to
promote women as agents for change
 To enhance women’s (including women with disabilities and women in post-crisis)
understandingof andaccess to early warning systems, to healthcare (including sexual
and reproductive health/SRH) and basic social services, shelter and security in the
context of the DRR
 To activelycooperate withthe media in order to highlight the vulnerability of women
and girls in the context of the DRR, to promote success stories on women's
participation in decision-making and to overcome stereotypes regarding the roles of
women and men in saving lives
 To supportnetworksandpartnershipsbetweenmembersof women'smovementinthe
region
 To introduce a quota for women's participation in decision-
assessment tools for gender-sensitive DRR (how to achieve holistic and integrated
actions in environmental policy, climate change, emergencies and gender
mainstreaming commitments, etc.)
 To promote legal education of women about their rights, including sexual and
reproductive health with a focus on vulnerable women (HIV-positive, sex workers,
people with disabilities, etc.) and to improve their access to services to protect their
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 To promote equality within women’s group (to avoid discrimination among women
themselves)andtoavoid“manipulation”involvingwomen -not just ensuring women's
representation, but a meaningful participation by giving them voice, the right and
opportunities to express their position.
3. Prevention of gender discrimination and gender-based violence in order to reduce the
risk and vulnerabilities in the context of DRR
Recommendations:
 To conduct gender-analysisandgender-basedvulnerabilityandriskassessments
 To integrate prioritiesonpreventionandresponsetoviolence againstwomenandgirls
indisasterandpost-disastercontextsintoanational DRRframework
 To designinternational guidelinesforthe developmentof planssubjecttothe minimum
standardsand commitments
 To integrate the Minimal Initial Service Package (MISP)8
forsexual andreproductive
health(SRH) inhumanitariancrises(riskreductionanddisastermanagement) into
relevantsectoral plansandprogramsforDRR
 To strengthenmechanismsforthe protectionandassistance towomenandgirlsinthe
contextof DRR.
Gender Stakeholders should committed:
 To assist in the implementation of international agreements reached within the
frameworkof the global agenda on DRR, through integration into national and sectoral
policies
 To promotionof internationalstandardsrelated to the achievement of gender equality
througheducationwithin the framework of the existing training programs and courses
 To facilitate harmonization of the obligations under the HFA 2 and sustainable
developmentcommitmentspreviously made by States in the field of human rights and
gender equality
8
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 To facilitate assessmentof potential healthsystempreparedness for crisis management
using WHO tools
 To contribute to development of a strategy for DRR for the period Post-2015 from a
gender perspective at all levels
 To contribute to empower and strengthen the capacity of women as the main actor for
the sustainable developmentof communities to ensure the full and equal participation
of women in all areas of sustainable development and DRR
 To support dissemination of information about HFA2among young people
 To facilitate creation of national groups with the participation of UN agencies, the
National Women’sMachinery,representativesfromline ministriesandNGOsto develop
the action plan which reflects the recommendations and commitments developed
during this consultation in an integrated manner
The Group suggests the following mechanisms for the periodic review of the commitments:
 Through regular national reports on progress and thematic submissions by various
partners (including by NGOs, etc.)
 At the global level, there should be an institutional mechanism for the collection,
analysis,reporting on the progress and feedback on the prioritization of the actions by
the country to achieve the internationallyagreeddevelopment goals, including gender.
Means for the measurement of a progress:
 The indicators included in the document on the new system of indicators to measure
progress in disaster risk management should be disaggregated by sex and age.
 It is necessary to supplement the indicators that can be selected based on a review of
existing indexes and indicators,
Such as:
 The index of the physical security of women and men, boys and girls
 Indicatorscharacterizingthe accessof womenandmento publicand municipal services

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for DRR
 The share of publicexpenditureonthe specificneedsof menandwomen,boys and girls
in the context of DRR
 Proportionof reportsonincidence of violence anddiscriminationin the total number of
appeals, etc.
Concludingremark:
Based on the above recommendations, government of Tajikistan, all UN agencies, INGOS, NNGOs,
CSOsMay identifythe mostproductive stepsinownorganization/select initiative/ future activities
as per the mandate of the organization.Itshould be noted that the implementation of disaster risk
reduction in every sector like education, health care, strengthening institutional capacities and
working with local communities is crucial for social cohesion and economic development of
Tajikistan.
Financial resourcesneedtobe committedbythe government and development partners to ensure
the sustainability and scaling up of efforts to integrate DRR into all system. Mobilise resources for
DRR in all sectors including the effective management of financial resources.

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CHAPTER V: BEST PRACTICE9
AND LESSON LEARNED10
IN DRR AND GENDER
ISSUES IN TAJIKISTAN
1. Best practices of the GovernmentofTajikistan
REACT committee is important as it is the Network of Community disaster preparedness and
education (NCDPE).
REACT developedadetailsRecoveryframeworkforsmall scale disastersinTajikistanfor:
 Damage and needsassessment/projectidentificationsheet
 Appeal developments
 Linkingrecoverytodevelopment
 The coordinationof relief andrecoveryassistance
 The allocationof responsibilities duringthe recoveryphase
 Crosscutting issues
REACT (in Tajikistan) coordination mechanism contributed to coordinating emergency response,
sharing experiences in disaster management, preparedness, response, mitigation and capacity
building and achieving a higher level of coordination among all involved inDRR programme.
However,the governmentinTajikistanstill takesonly a partial ownership of REACT. REACT role and
structures are sometimes unclear. Though used successfully during smaller-scale emergencies,
REACT appearedtobe lesseffectiveincase of coordinatinglargeremergencies(e.g.the winter crisis
of 2008 in Tajikistan
At the policy level, Disaster Risk Reduction has been integrated into the general secondary school
curriculum as part of the mainstreaming of life skills based education. As a part of broader DRR
initiativesthe Ministryof Educationparticipatedinaconference inIstanbul in April 2013 to support,
encourage, learn and share experiences with other countries working in the same DRR area.
DRR preparednessexercisesare conductedinschoolsandpreschools;manualshave beenpublished,
there have been improvement in the skills, structures, efficiencies and work on the ground of the
committee of emergency situations.
9
Best practice is a process, practice, or system identified in public and private organizations.
10 Lesson Learneddocuments the experience gainedduring a project.

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2. ECHO’s DIPECHO programmes
Since 1994 ECHO has provided over 175 million Euro’s aid to Tajikistan for disaster risks reduction
under DIPECHO programmes working with the committee of emergency in Tajikistan and other
partners from NGOs community, UN family and Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and
government counterpart for awareness raising ,capacity building interventions in DRR at both
national and local levels11
.
3. DRR and health
UNFPA recommended minimal initial service package (MISP) for sexual and reproductive health
(SRH) inhumanitariancrises (risk reduction and disaster management) into relevant sectoral plans
and programs for DRR.
WHO –improvingcoordinationthroughstrengtheningmulti-agency collaboration which has proven
to be one of the keysof successin effectively supporting disaster risk reduction and preparedness.
The WHO activelyinvolvesprovidersandrescuersfromrelevantemergencyservices,the healthcare
systems and committee of emergency situations and civil defense (CoES)
To reduce loss of life, injury and disability due to disaster and crisis through safe and healthy
practicesand effective healthsystemresponse, the DRR and health sector involves combination of
(a) hazard and vulnerabilityreductiontopreventandmitigate risks(b) preparedness(c) response (d)
recovery measures.(health care facilities recovering).
4. UN womencoordinateswomen’sexpert group on DRR
Womendisasterpreparednessandexpertgrouphasbeenestablished(ledbyUN WomenTajikistan)
in Tajikistan. All UN agencies, INGOs, NNGOs gender experts attend the meeting organized by UN
women and coordinate decisions/actions taken by the group. However there are currently gaps in
the coordination and cooperation between/among all stakeholders, including NGOs, local and
national government.UN Women need to improve communication between agencies responsible
for DRR and humanitarian response. This type of gender expert group/network can be easily
replicated so as to focus on the social support which is crucial at times of disasters such as
emotional, psychological support as well as day care and cash loans.
11
Best practice in disaster preparednessand response fromDIPECHO partners in Tajikistan, July 2013

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UN Women –Tajikistan conducted capacity building 5 days long training for 25 participants to have
psychological impacts associated with disasters as people face disability, loss of family members,
their homes and livelihoods . The aim of the training was to prepare the representatives from the
reactionteamof the RedCrescentSocietyof Tajikistantoprovide psychological assistance tovictims
of disasters caused by nature and of technogenic character with the special focus on gender
peculiarities for providing psychological assistance in stressful situations, with the special
consideration of the psychological needs of women and children in emergency situation.
Activities around training were:
- the participants at the seminar to get acquainted with the theme of the seminar;
- To form in the participants of the seminar an idea about the features of the behavior of
different society groups in stressful situations;
- to form a culture of providing psychological assistance for people who went through
disasters considering their own way of reaction;
- to inform the principles of work with victims in severe conditions;
- to inform about the peculiarities when assistance is provided at a later stage;
- to get the practical experience for providing psychological assistance;
- to develophabitsamongrepresentatives of the Red Crescent Society of Tajikistan in stress
situations.
During the seminar a guide for future activities for providing psychological and pre-psychological
assistance for people after emergencies with respect to gender and specific needs of women and
childreninemergencysituationshasbeendeveloped.The followingguide and principles have to be
approved on level of all districts and regional committees for reaction in emergency situations.
During the training the participants were advised to register every case in which they have used
psychological assistance,withoutconsideringthe circumstances:atthe time of emergencysituations
as well asduringeverydaylife.Everycase needstobe registeredinaspecificformat(inthe attached
materials). It is recommended that a discussion of their practical experience in a follow-up to the
seminar will take place.
It isrecommendedthat this sort of training should be provided in the actual language in which the
psychological assistance will be presented (Tajik). This will provide the participants to free express
their thoughts and feelings and not to search for the right expressions in Russian language. In this
case itis recommendedtoattract the participantswithexcellentRussianlanguage (namesprovided)
as co-trainers. 12
12
Translated from the training report submitted to UN Women by the Red crescent Society, Taj . Nov 2014

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5. Consequences andlessonslearntof natural disasters (as per M-vector13
)
Upbringingof girlsandwomeninthe East, whichismainlybasedontraditions, does not allow them
possessingcertainskills,whichcouldhelpthemtosurvive andstay healthy during natural disasters.
For example,the inabilitytoswimand climbthe trees,whichincreasesrisksandvulnerabilityduring
floods. Therefore, the number of victims and those suffered among girls and women is high, than
among men.
Women are exposed to panic during disasters more than men. Quite common stereotype of
behavior in the first few minutes of ND is fear (which is passed to their children) and not knowing
what to do. First of all, this applies to women who did not participate in the trainings on how to
behave oneself during emergency situations. Trained and socially active women immediately
mobilize their efforts to evacuate people and eliminate consequences of natural disaster.
Main task of women during emergency situation is the evacuation of vulnerable people (children,
elderlypeople);role of men is to save property and take care for works reducing therefore the risk
of financial losses for the households and villages.
Various demands of different population groups were not considered when distributing
humanitarian assistance to affected households, and frequently, there were no items within
humanitarian assistance needed especially for children, women and elderly people.
Key lessonlearntafterthe lastND – youshouldalwaysbe readytoemergency situations, if you live
ina dangerousarea.Since womenare responsibleforthe evacuationof children,theyshouldalways
have “emergency kit” on hand, consisting of documents, medicines, cloths for children and etc.
Second very important lesson shows that there is a need for trainings and in getting more
informationonbehaviorrulesandactionsduringND.Anotherlessonisthatyoushouldnotgive into
panic. People have to be consolidated and support each other during natural disaster and while
overcoming its consequences.
People assess their readiness for future ND as not high taking into consideration their knowledge
and behaviorduringlastemergency,aswell asdamage causedasa resultof disaster. Most common
13
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score is “3” on a 5-point grading scale. Women assess their readiness to ND lower than men (score
“2” is commonly specified).
It isnecessarytoconduct informationcampaigns,trainingactivitiesinthe communitieswhere there
is a risk of natural disasters, as well as the lectures and workshops for different population groups
and availability of visual materials (booklets and brochures).
Key training directions:
 On what is natural disasters and emergency situations;
 On how to identify the areas, dangerous for the community;
 On how to monitor dangerous areas and what to do in case of hazard identification;
 On whatshould not be done (work that should not be carried out), so that to avoid the
risk of disasters;
 On how to ensure safety of houses, buildings and land plots;
 On which resources should be accumulated in the households in order to reduce the
losses of possible emergency situations;
 On how to arrange early warning system;
 On how to behave oneself in emergency situations;
 On what should be done upon the elimination of natural disasters;
 On howto organize effective interaction between the residents, local authorities, MES
employees and etc. to prevent and overcome consequences of natural disasters and
emergency situations.
Populationshouldbe alsotrainedtosigns, i.e. to know which of them indicate on dangerous zones
and zones of possible evacuation.
 Residents of the households
 Considering significant outflow of male population from villages as a result of labor
migration,trainingprogramsonES andND shouldbe developedbasedongenderfactor.
 raining activities, including practical part, should be also arranged taking into
consideration gender factor.
 It isnecessarytotrain womenandgirlsto skillsthatreduce theirvulnerability to natural
disasters(forexample,the abilitytoswiminthe communities,which are at risk of being
flooded).
 Increase the number and duration of practical module while the training.

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 Actively use role plays while the trainings, explaining which rules of behavior and
functionsshouldbe performed by different people (men, women, children), including
warning, evacuation, communication, foodstuff and tools delivery, repair works, etc.
 Womenshouldbe givenspecial attentionduringsuchcampaigns. It would be necessary
for them to learn the following:
 Provision of the first aid to people, suffered from disasters;
 Evacuate children and elderly people to safe areas;
 Ensure living conditions and arrange household utilities in places of evacuation.
 Increase qualificationlevel of the employeesof the Khukumatsandjamoats,responsible
for training the population to ES and ND related issues.
International organizations,humanitarianfoundationsandNGOsshouldconsidervariousdemands
of men,women,children,elderlypeopleandpeoplewithdisabilitieswhencreatinganddistributing
“humanitarian suppliespackages”.
Overall LessonsLearned from INGOsrun DRR programmes in Tajikistan rural areas:
 Involvementof the communityat all stages of the programwas key: Several EU supported
and INGOs implemented DRR related projects demonstrated that the community itself
should be a key actor of disaster preparedness, and long term change can be achieved
throughtheirinvolvement.Establishmentof anendowmentfund –enabledcommunities to
tackle existing problems locally and finance their DRR activities with their own resources.
 Incorporating sustainable natural resource management: Established nurseries to
encourage natural resource management through seedling distribution for prevention of
landerosion,improve pasture conditions,toimprove income generation, and bio‐drainage
system.
 Raisingpublicawareness& LearningExchange andworking in partnership: For all diverse
members of the community including youth, children, women, men and government
officialswasthe key ingettinginvolvementacrossall levels. Theseexercisescreatedaforum
to empowercommunitiestobe proactive.Practical simulations allowed for the community
to understand what they need to do to minimize the impact of disasters. Cross‐visits
allowedforthe communitytocommunicate with each other and share lessons. These sort
of DRR projects worked in close coordination with the Rapid Emergency Assessment and
Coordination Team (REACT) including local, and international organizations to share
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methodologyof workingwithandthroughvillage committees to raise awareness of simple
yet practical steps to reduce the impact of disasters has made a huge contribution to local
capacity.
 Integrating gender issues in the program implementation: Although the participation of
women was highly stressed, it was difficult to get more participation in CBOs. More
emphasis on promoting gender was needed to ensure women, girls were adequately
represented.

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CHAPTER VI: SWOT MATRIX
SWOT matrix of the current DRR programming/actions
Source: primary data: Informants interviews with: OCHA, UNDP, UN Women’s partners, relevant
REACT members, National Women’s Machinery, Coalition of women’s NGOs, INGOs (ACTED,
OXFAM) + Secondary data
Objective:
SWOT analysis of the current DRR
programming/actionsbyREACT in order to develop
a clear vision for integrating gender equality into
DRR efforts and support the integration of gender
perspectives into the overall strategic planning,
design and programming efforts of various REACT
clustersand,includingUN Women’s potential work
and priorities in the area of DRR and humanitarian
response in Tajikistan.
Strengths (positive) Weaknesses(negative)
internal factor
Opportunities
(positive)
Threats (negative)
external factor
Good experiencesin
normal planning,
managing,
coordinating,program
development,risk
assessmentbyREACT.
But lessexperiencein
goodprogramming
incorporating‘gender
analyses.
Mentionthe gender
theme inthe Disaster
RiskManagement
National Policyand
theydo soas a cross-
cuttingaxis. Onthe
otherhand UN
Womenhas the
mandate/strategic
Lessexperiences
workingwith gender
analysis:whointhe
populationisaffected
by disaster/crisis,what
theyneed;andwhat
can theydo for
themselves.Thinking
aboutthe ‘gender
dimensions’of work
regardingearly
warning,rural risk
reduction,
preparednessand
quickresponse, less
experience working
withgrass roots
organizations,women
victims,elderlypeople
Disasterrisk reduction
and mitigation,
response andearly
recovery present
opportunitiesfornew
and more progressive
genderrolesand
relationships.
Opportunitiescanarise
duringcrisisto build
back betterintermsof
the capacity of local
institutions,
livelihoods,service
deliveryandinclusive
decision-making,using
principlessuchas
ownership,
participatory
Avalanches, Conflict
inneighboring
countries(refugees
influx) ,Earthquakes,
Economiccrisis,
Epidemics(human)
Epidemics(non-
human), Extreme
coldweather,
Extreme food
insecurity, Floods,
Glacial lake burst,
Heavysnow fall,
Landslides,
Mudflows Rockfalls,
earthquakes,political
unrest,anymajor
accident,drought,
crisisetc.

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internal factor
Opportunities
(positive)
Threats (negative)
external factor
plan/strategytowork
ingender
programming.
--------------------
UN Women’s
HumanitarianStrategy
2014-17 and strategic
plan2014-17.
inclusive/participations
/ ownershiprecovery
programmes.
Informationonwhen
thresholdtriggersare
reachedmaynot be
providedontime.
Inherenttoa slow
onsetcrisis,itmay be
difficulttomeasure
and reachagreement
on the impactof the
crisis,todetermine
whois mostaffected
and to establishthe
mostappropriate
response actions,
Limitedaccessto
Tajikistantodeliver
humanitarianaid due
to borderissueswith
neighboringcountries,
Limitedcapacityof the
Governmentto
respondtoan unusual
emergency,
Limitedaccessto
certaingeographical
areas due to weather
conditions(incase of
crisisinwinter/early
springtime).
approachesand
sustainabilitywhich
alsostrengthen
resilience anddisaster
riskreduction.
Gender-based
vulnerabilities,women
possessunique skills
and knowledgeasa
resultof their
householdandnatural
resourcesmanagement
responsibilitiesthat,if
deployedproperly,
wouldsupportdisaster
riskmitigationand
preparedness.Gender
equalityandwomen’s
empowermentare
crucial to the success
of overall
development,including
environmental
sustainabilityandthe
achievementof MDGs,
as well asfor much
neededadaptationto
the adverse effectsof
climate change,
includingweatherand
climate-related
disasters.
--------------------
Quizzeddonorfund
for gettingsupportin
humanitarianlong
termprojects.
There may be limited
institutional
coordinationof
genderequalityand
women’s
empowermentin
humanitarianaction.
REACT has started
adoptingmeasuresto
incorporate the
Genderapproachin
recoveryassessment
and has vulnerability
and capacitybroken
downby sex.
Response capacityof
the Governmentisnot
clearlydeterminedor
communicated,Access
to the affected
populationsislikelyto
be difficultinthe
immediate aftermath
of the disaster, Poor
coordinationbetween/
all actors/stakeholders
, Limitedresources
(financial,human,
material,pre
positionedsupplies)
available byREACT
REACT clusterresponse
planis guidedbythe
international
humanitarianlaw,legal
international
instrumentsdefining
humanrights,and the
guidingprincipleson
internal displacements.
disastersreinforce,
perpetuate,and
increase the gender
Inequalities,
wideningthe gap
betweenmenand
women.The gender
differencesand
inequalitiesgenerate
a strong positive or
negative effecton
the vulnerabilityand
capacitiesof the
people exposedto
the threats.

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internal factor
Opportunities
(positive)
Threats (negative)
external factor
partnersfor effective
response todisasters
of bigscale.
REACT isin a position
to Provide relief and
recoveryassistance to
the disaster-affected
populationandtheir
communitiessoasto
reduce sufferingand
restore accessto basic
servicesinaneffective
and timelymanner,
including–
• Rapidneeds
assessment
• Provisionof shelter,
including
emergency/temporary
sheltersandthen
supportinrelocation
and constructionof
permanentshelters
• Ensuringaccessto
health,drinkingwater
and sanitaryfacilities
• Ensuringaccessto
food
• Ensuring
communicationmeans
(regularmeetings,
establishedchannels
for exchange of
information,etc)
betweenREACT
partners,the
Governmentand
communityleaders
• Ensuringthatcross-
cuttingissues
integratedinto
response strategy(e.g.
protection, etc)
• Ensuringthat
specificneedsof the
mostvulnerable
groups(e.g.women
headedhouseholds,
children,etc) are met.
GAPS:
Government and
REACT partners have
insufficient knowledge
and agreement on
gender assessment
methodologies,
Limited response
capacity both of the
Government and
REACT partners,
particularlyfor the first
72 hours, Poor chain of
communication
(notification/analysis/c
ommunication/respons
e), The Monitoring and
Warning system and
response mechanisms
do not include
Standard Operating
Procedures
determining actions
and responsibilities
when thresholds are
reached.
Poor coordination and
communication
betweendevelopment
programs and
humanitarian donors.
No clearinformation
aboutexisting
emergencysupplies
(stocks) inthe country
(bothinrelationtothe
Government’sstocks
and stocksof REACT
partners).
Domesticsearchand
rescue capacityis very
Buildingmore effective
partnershipswith
private sectoractors is
an importantpart of
improvingdisaster
preparedness,
response,andrecovery
inmany contexts.
Focusingonhow
businessorganizes
itself inpreparingfor
and respondingto
emergencies.
There isroom to
engage affected
communities,national
civil societyandlocal
governmenteffectively
intheirownrelief and
recovery.
Limitedorno
communication,No
road accessto
Dushanbe fromthe
North,at least50%
of in-cityroads
blockedhampering
the access forrescue
teams.Roadaccess
fromthe Southcould
be open,UN/NGOs
operationsare
significantly
compromiseddue to
staff losses.

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internal factor
Opportunities
(positive)
Threats (negative)
external factor
limited.
Goodstrategiesof
REACT:
Mobilizingexistingin-
countrycoordination
mechanisms,Ensuring
adequate
communication
betweenall
humanitarianpartners
and the Government,
Rapidassessmentof
the situationfollowed
by analysistodefine
strategies/objectives/
activitieswhichform
the basisfor appeal ,
Provisionof relief
assistance,basedon
specificneedsof
differentsocial
groups,Psychosocial
supportfor affected
population,
Managementof
severe acute
malnutritionand
promotionof infant
and youngchild
feeding,Ensuring
logisticssupportfor
response activities,
Ensuringsafetyfor
response teams,
Developmentof
recoverystrategies.
Potential legal
problemsfor
international rescue
and humanitarian
teamsenteringthe
country,
Governmentand
REACT partners’
capacityto respondto
a disasterof big scale
islargelyinsufficient,
Tense political
relationswith
neighboringcountries
hamperaccessto
Tajikistanbyland,
Government,UN
AgenciesandNGOs’
emergencycapacity
may be hampereddue
to staff losses
Lack of law and
order,
Aftershocksmay
furtherimpede
searchand rescue
and relief operations.
Limitedpurchasing
capacityaffecting
access to basicneeds
– healthcare,
medicines,waterand
food. Reachescrisis
pointwithoutclear
warning.
Large numberof
people affected,but
more critical inrural
areas .
Increasedlevel of
malnutritionand
acute foodinsecurity.
Increased
unemploymentand
shortagesof essential
supplies(fuel,
electricity,etc) .
Womenheaded
householdsand
childrenare among
the most vulnerable
groups
As part of the Disaster
ManagementStrategy
and ActionPlan,the
National Platformfor
DisasterRisk
Reductionwas
establishedon1
March 2012, withan
inter-agency
coordinationrole.The
platformwill be
responsible forthe
Breakdownof law
and order,Health
systemdamagedand
unable toprovide
firstaidto survivors,
Dushanbe airportis
not operational (but
Kurgan-tube and
Kulyabairports
function)

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internal factor
Opportunities
(positive)
Threats (negative)
external factor
developmentof
effectivepolicesand
recommendationsfor
disasterriskreduction.
No experiencesin
doingcommunity-
basedriskassessment,
inclusionof gender
equality,disability
factors intoDRR, anda
public-private mass
mediacampaign,
workinginpartnership
withotherDRR
stakeholdersin
Tajikistan.
.explore andcapture
private sector
perspectivesonhow
the business
communitycan
coordinate itself to
engage more
systematicallyin
supportof emergency
preparednessand
response,in
complementtoandin
partnershipwith
governmentsand
humanitarian
organizations.There
are opportunities, and
seektocollectbest
practice and lessons
learnedglobally.
The country faces
significantchallenges
inareas of food
security,health,
waterand sanitation,
education,and
economic
developmentif there
issevere disasterhit
the country.
HAZARDS AND RISK ANALYSIS: Potential Work/PriorityArea Identification:
Tajikistanisa landlockedmountainouscountrywithapopulationof over7.5 millionpeople. Its GDP
per capita is $ 2734 at the 2010 exchange rate or $ 1,924 at purchasing power parity (PPP) (2010).
According to these indicators, Tajikistan is the poorest country within the Commonwealth of
IndependentStates.The countryfacessignificantchallengesinareas of food security, health, water
and sanitation, education, and economic development. Seasonal and semi-permanent labour
migration,predominantlyto RussianFederation,isamajorsource of foreign income to the country.
Most of the migrantsare male,andleave wives,children and the elderly behind. Remittances are a
significant source of funds for basic needs (food, health care, shelter) in rural areas.
Disasters tend to have harsher impacts on women and girls. This is due to a combination of factors
that leavesfemalesmore exposedtothe negative effects of disasters, such as diminished ability to
run or climb trees quickly enough to avoid floodwaters, restrictive clothing that impedes their
movement,responsibilitiestocare forchildren,lowerlevelsof nutritionandlowerlevelsof accessto
information and resources to avoid and recover from disasters (Neumayer and Plumper 2007).

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Several studies have shown that disaster mortality rates are often higher for women than for men
due, in large part, to gendered differences in vulnerability and the ability to cope with such
situations (Ikeda 1995, Neumayer and Plumper 2007, Oxfam 2005). This disproportionate
vulnerabilitytothe impactsof disastersisprimarilydue toa combinationof imbalancesineconomic,
social and political powerinthe Asian-Pacificregion.Notwithstandinggender-based vulnerabilities,
women possess unique skills and knowledge as a result of their household and natural resources
managementresponsibilitiesthat,if deployed properly, would support disaster risk mitigation and
preparedness.Studies have consistently shown that gender equality and women’s empowerment
are crucial to the success of overall development, including environmental sustainability and the
achievement of MDGs (UNDP 2011; World Bank 2010c, 2011b), as well as for much needed
adaptationtothe adverse effectsof climate change,includingweatherandclimate-relateddisasters
(see Part V of this Module) (Caravajal-Escobar et al. 2008, Hislop et al. 2011).
The above SWOT analysis matrix provides a brief overview of the Tajikistan’s context and a short
narrative description of the key risks and hazards and their characteristics. The most frequent
hazards occurring in Tajikistan are avalanches, mudflows, floods and small-scale earthquakes. The
potential risks of medium- and large-scale emergencies identified includes high magnitude
earthquakes,adverseweatherconditionsforalongperiod,slow-onseteconomicandfinancial crisis,
epidemicsandinstabilityin neighboring countries (e.g. Afghanistan), which could result in refugee
influx tothe country. Thisalso outlinesthe mechanismsforinternational humanitarianassistancein
Tajikistan, including REACT and established clusters. Standing arrangements during small- and
medium-scale emergencies describe the structure of the existing cluster approach and
responsibilities of different actors, as well as introduction of the global cluster approach and
activation of a Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) during a large-scale emergency. REACT cluster
response plan is guided by the international humanitarian law, legal international instruments
defining human rights, and the guiding principles on internal displacements.
Based on the gender analysis after any disaster, potential work and priorities in the area of
humanitarian response in Tajikistan may be:
Gender related potential work and priorities in Humanitarians Action
Sl# Genderrelatedpotential work and priorities Probable
facilitator
1 Providingfirstaidtosurvivors,ensuringthatspecificneedsof the most
vulnerable groups(e.g.womenheadedhouseholds,pregnantwomen,
WHO

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children,elderlypeople etc) are met
2 Managing f severe acute malnutritionandpromotionof pregnantwomen,
infantandyoungchild,elderlypeoplefeeding
WFP & UNICEF
3 Mobilizingexistingin-countrycoordinationmechanisms OCHA
4 Ensuringadequate communicationbetweenall humanitarianpartnersand
the Government
UNDP
5 Rapidassessmentof the situationfollowedbyanalysistodefine
strategies/objectives/activitieswhichformthe basisforappeal
OCHA
6 Provisionof reliefassistance,basedonspecificneedsof differentsocial
groups
WFP
7 Psychosocial supportforaffectedpopulation UN Women
8 Managementof severe acute malnutritionandpromotionof infantand
youngchildfeeding
UNICEF
9 Ensuringlogisticssupportforresponse activities UNDP
10 Ensuringsafetyforresponse teams
11 Developmentof recoverystrategies REACT
12 Ensuringsecurityof UN/NGOsstaff Govt. of Taj
13 Supportinestablishmentof humanitarianoperationscentre andactivation
of ClusterApproach
REACT
14 Supportto international searchandrescue teams Govt. of Taj
15 Provisionof firstaidandestablishmentof healthpoints WHO
16 Provide emergencyFoodAid WFP
17 Ensuringaccessto drinkingwaterandsanitationfacilities UNFPA
18 Supportin debrisremoval ( withUNDP) UNDP
19 Produce notessuchas LessonsLearned,RecoveryNotes; OXFAM
20 Ensure that cross-cuttingissuesare incorporatedintoactivitiesbyREACT
members;
UN women
21 Developparametersforneedsassessments; All clustersof
REACT
22 Monitoron-goingdisastermanagementactivities REACT
In the DRR areas:
1. Strengthening ties and collaboration among experts of DRR: for shared learning, avoiding
duplication of work and improved efficiency. The REACT committee is important as is the
network of community disaster preparedness and education, however there are currently
gaps in the coordination and cooperation among all stakeholders, including: UN Women,
NGOs,local and national government.UN womenneedtoimprove communicationbetween
agencies responsible for humanitarian response. UN women may focus on strengthening
and /or establishing disaster preparedness and emergency response practices in hazard
prone areas and communities. Within the process, specific attention must be paid to the
impacts of disasters by gender. Gender-directed risk reduction actions may be identified
when one gender is identified as more at risk than others. A similar differentiation of risk
impact and targeted risk reduction may be undertaken for identified vulnerable groups,
including children, the elderly and the disabled.

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2. Training in preparedness and contingency planning, development of
preparedness/contingency plans and their subsequent simulations will constitute major
deliverables under this. Plans may focus on drought, snowfall and floods as potential
hazards in Tajikistan.
3. At communitylevel,Tajikistanisstill behindinimprovinginclusionof womeninkeydecision
making processes. UN Women may seek to strengthen this process through ensuring full
and active participation of women and other vulnerable groups in contingency
/preparednessplanning. Preparednessandcontingencyplanswillbe designedinsucha way
that the needs and perspectives and participation of the most vulnerable segments of the
community assume the central focus.
4. Gender equality in Disaster Risk Reduction strengthening : Considering that disaster
impacts are more pronounced on vulnerable communities, gender considerations and a
focus on women and children will be undertaken in the policy development and
implementation,identifyingrisks and their outcomes/impacts on women and children. UN
women’spotential workmaybe totake a consciousapproachinadvocatingfor andensuring
participationof the mostaffectedpopulationsbothatnational and local levels. In line with
UN WomenGenderStrategy,TajikistanUN womenCOmaytherefore workwithgovernment
to promote gender equality in DRR. Gender analysis may also be incorporated in the
assessment of disaster risks, impacts and needs. In Tajikistan, it is important for gender
considerations to be focused on both sexes as males are generally equally educated as
women. However,the patriarchal nature of Tajikistansocietyimpingesonwomen’srightsto
decision making. UN Women may ensure that women’s unique needs are addressed and
value women’s knowledge in disaster reduction and recovery policies, plans and
programmes. Women’s networks and community based organizations that facilitate
women’s active engagement in DRR may be strengthened especially at community level.
Activitiestoprevent personal violence andabuse againstwomenandchildrenduringnatural
disasters may be undertaken by all structures within the disaster management system in
Tajikistan.
5. There isa needtocoordinate workwithestablished‘women’s network’ and members have
to be trainedin genderindisasterreductionandpreparednesswithastructure whichcanbe
replicated. Women’s network should focus on social support which is crucial at times of
disasterssuchas: emotional,advisoryandinformationsupport, as well as day care and cash
loans (sort of practical needs) and identified ‘strategic needs’.

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The developmentof strong,well-managedandprofessional institutions in Tajikistan those are able
to implement a comprehensive range of risk reduction programmes and interventions at the
national level,aswell ascontributingtoregional actionsandinternational learningandbestpractice.
Example of Probable Output Approvedandimplemented policyandlegislative frameworktoguide
disastermanagementreformsandprogrammes
Probable activities
Supportto the finalization anddisseminationof policy,includingeducationof keystakeholders
Preparationof guidelinesandcapacitybuildingforthe operationalisationof the governmentof
Tajikistan’s decisiononmainstreamingDRRwithindevelopmentprojectproposals
REACT structure and skillsimprovedtohelpthe executionof revisedAllocationof Businessfunctions
Output ‘Knowledge ServicesCentre’established
Activities
National Knowledge Base,awebportal targetedtoservice usersanddevelopedinaparticipatory
mannerwithall stakeholdergroups(the ‘Knowledge Repository’).Toinclude asearchengine to
store queriesforfurtherreference
Technical backstoppingand policysupport(climate change,socialdevelopment,DRR
mainstreaming)
Supportto communityradioforhighriskareas

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UN Agencies
27%
INGO
60%
NNGOs
0% FinancialIns
13%
Scan of Organization Working on DRR and Gender
Issues
CHAPTER VII: MAPPING OF ORGANIZATIONS WORKING ON DRR & GENDER
EQUALITY
1. UN Women
Organization Profile
UN Women - the UN Entity for Gender
Equality and the Empowerment of Women
- has beencreated to speed up the process
of meeting the needs of women and girls
across the world. As a part of the UN reform agenda, it brings together resources and mandates
which will subsequently have a lasting impact on the whole community.
UN Women merges four parts of the UN which have been focusing exclusively on gender equality
and women’s empowerment:
- Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW, founded in 1946)
- International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW,
founded in 1976) Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of
Women (OSAGI, founded in 1997)
- United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM, founded in 1976)
UN Womenhas beencreated to address gender inequalities, namely violence and discrimination,
under-representation in decision-making process, high maternal mortality and lack of gender-
sensitive budget.
Operational from January 2011, UN Women has two roles: support to inter-governmental bodies
such as the Commission on the Status of Women in their formulation of policies, global standards
and norms, and help to Member States in implementing these standards by providing suitable
technical and financial support. Regular monitoring and evaluation within the UN system will also
take place, which will help the system to be accountable for its own commitments on gender
equality.

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The UN has been working continuously to advance gender equality and has produced such
groundbreakingagreementsasthe BeijingDeclaration and Platform for Action and the Convention
on the Eliminationof All Formsof Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Gender equality is one
of basic human rights and its achievement will have long-lasting impact on the whole local and
international communities.
In Tajikistan,UN Women(formerlyUNIFEM) accordsa highpriority to gender mainstreaming in the
poverty reduction process, women’s land and property rights, women economic empowerment,
eliminationof violenceagainstwomenwithfocusonsigningthe draftbill ondomesticviolence, and
ratificationof the Optional Protocol toCEDAW(OP-CEDAW).UN Women in Tajikistan also works on
secular religious dialogue, women’s access to justice, and is involved in numerous inter-agency
projects through UN Women-led Gender Thematic Working Group (GTG).
Past and Current Programmes
UN Women continuously works towards engendering national policy in Tajikistan. UN Women
supported national partners through strengthening their capacity to more effectively address
gender equality perspectives in their daily activities.
To support rural women and extend their economic opportunities in the light of the state land
reform of 2002-2005 UN Women continued its work towards securing women’s economic rights.
Thus in 2003-2005 UN Women has implemented a project, Land Reforms and Implementation of
Women’s Land Rights in Tajikistan.
In 2005 UN Women conducted a pilot project, Gender Issues in the Early Warning and Conflict
Prevention Systemin Fergana Valley. The results of the monitoring of conflict risk factors and their
influence on the Fergana Valley population were presented in the report, Fergana Valley: The
Challenge of Time.
In 2006-2008 UN Womenhas implementedajointprojectongenderresponsive monitoring of land
reforms in partnership with FAO, which was envisaged to allow for a multi-level, streamlined
approach bothfor institutional strengtheningof the Government and for safeguarding rights of the
rural poor. The project specifically aimed at supporting women, leading workforce in Tajikistan’s
agriculture today, in securing their land use rights and subsequently their livelihoods. The project

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was financiallysupportedby the CIDA. To ensure sustainability of achieved results and strengthen
policy dialogue on gender responsive policy on land reform and access to resources UN Women
programme interventions in this field are implemented as follow-up to the previous actions.
In 2008 UN Women provided a support the department of human rights of the judicial faculty of
TajikState Universitytodevelopaprogramfora new course on women’shumanrights for students
of the judicial faculty. The program developed by experts was approved by members of the
department on human rights and recommended for a further introduction into a curriculum of
educationforstudentsof the judicial faculty.In 2009 UN Women and the human rights department
of the TajikState Universitystarteddevelopment of a textbook for students of the law faculty. The
course on WHRs started formally from September 2010 as a part of curriculum for students of 4th
grade of the law faculty, after testing of the course in February-April 2010.
Starting from 2008, a new project funded by UN Trust Fund was started by the local NGO “Child
Rights Center”. The role played by the project and particularly its Policy Development Team
seconded by the Committee for Women and Family Affairs in changing perceptions, attitudes,
legislation and raising the awareness of governmental departments, state agencies,
nongovernmental organizations and the public.
UN Women supports the Committee and the project team to bring issues of violence against girls
into a policy dialogue led by UNIFEM/GTG with national and international partners to strengthen
coordinated programming in this field, share existing good practices which could be upscaled and
replicated and also improve service delivery to survivors.
In 2009 UN Women implemented a project aimed at improving gender-responsiveness of
programming on HIV and AIDS prevention and response at different levels. At policy level, the
project focused on the integration of gender sensitive provisions in the PRSP and in national and
sectoral policiesandonbuildingthe capacity of the Committee for Women and Family Affairs. The
project had also contributed to increasing the HIV/ADIS awareness and tackling forms of
discriminationexperiencedbyHIV+or at riskwomen,byworkingwithinformal leaders and CBOs. A
network of Religious leaders is established with the support of UN Women in cooperation with
“Academy of Dialogue”, the UN Women partner to fight and reduce HIV/AIDS related violence,
stigma and discrimination in Tajik communities

mapping of DRR for UN Women, Taj_MU-28 Nov

mapping of DRR for UN Women, Taj_MU-28 Nov

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