OSCE supports working visit to Albania for Tajik women politicians

As part of the project on women’s political empowerment and in order to unite the women politicians from Tajikistan and Albania in their aspirations to become leaders, the OSCE Office in Tajikistan organized and supported a working visit to Albania for eight Tajik women politicians from 2 to 9 April 2016.

The visit was organized with a goal to inspire women politicians, establish contacts, exchange experience and discuss obstacles and challenges many face in their societies.

“The trip to Albania was not one time event but a beginning of co-operation between women politicians from the two countries. Sisterhood was established between Tajik and Albanian women who share similar hopes and ambitions and their ideas stream into the same direction,” said Vesna Ivanovikj-Castarede, Legal and Electoral Reform Officer at the OSCE Office in Tajikistan. “It is very important that the heads of Tajik political parties give support to such endeavours and fight persisting stereotypes that keep women from equal representation.”

Gulnora Boboeva, member of the Tajik Parliament and the Committee for International Relations, Public Organizations and Information said: “I consider this kind of study visits very useful for exchange of experience between women politicians and women parliamentarians from Tajikistan and other countries. It helps women to actively participate in political and public life of the country.”

The trip was organized in co-operation with the OSCE Presence in Albania and the Tajik Parliament.