From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World – the 16 Days without Violence Campaign held in Uzbekistan

From 24 November 2011 through 10 December 2011, the From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World campaign was held in Uzbekistan by UN Women in partnership with several international and national organizations. The campaign was held in seven locations of Uzbekistan and directly involved at least 1,300 young people in the provinces. Its objective was to raise the awareness of the broader public and, in particular, young people on violence against women as a crime and violation of human rights, to support the worldwide fight against AIDS and provide information on prevention and treatment of HIV.

The campaign started with a round table meeting entitled as “Building the Capacities and Economic Empowerment of Vulnerable Women,” held on 24 November 2011 in Tashkent and attended by representatives of state, nonprofit and international organizations and mass media. Dilshodbek Otaboev, the Director of National Association of the Nongovernmental Noncommercial Organizations of Uzbekistan (NANNOUz), made a presentation on the objectives of the campaign and emphasized that for the first time the campaign would be held beyond Tashkent, in six additional provinces of Uzbekistan.

The From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World campaign was held from 24 November 2011 through 10 December 2011 in seven provinces of Uzbekistan, namely Tashkent, [autonomous] Republic of Karakalpakstan, Andijan, Namangan, Fergana and Tashkent (Kibray district) and directly involved at least 1,300 young people throughout all provinces. The objectives of the campaign were to raise the awareness of the broader public and, in particular, young people on violence against women as a crime and violation of human rights and to support the worldwide fight against AIDS, provide information on prevention and treatment of HIV.

UN Women held the campaign in partnership with several international and national organizations, namely, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), NANNOUz, Women’s Council, Civic Initiatives Support Center (CISC), National Association of Microfinance Organizations and Credit Unions (NAMOCU).

At provincial level, the campaign was supported by local NGOs: Qalb Nuri and Mekhrjon in Fergana province; Rodnichok and Opa Singillar in Tashkent province; Intellekt and Association of Women Leaders in the Republic of Karakalpakstan; Kelajak Nuri, Kelajak Bugundan Boshlanadi, Barkhayot Sayyora Environmental Center and the Department of Public Education in Namangan province; Hamroh and the local branch of CISC in Andijan province; Imkoniyat and the local branch of the Uzbek Association for Reproductive Health.

The majority of participants were students from local higher educational institutions. The campaign activities held in provinces consisted of the presentation on the message of the Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women of 25 November 2011. Information was disseminated in the form of pamphlets, booklets and flyers covering the topics of CEDAW convention, HIV/AIDS, and Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The same topics were covered in the games, quizzes and competitions held under the auspices of the campaign, and the winners were rewarded with the campaign-branded prizes like t-shirts, baseball hats and memory cards.