LocationsAuthor: Ikhtiyor Abdurakhmanov
UNDP summer school trains law students to support the survivors of domestic and gender-based violence
July 17, 2024
Image: UNDP Uzbekistan
On July 1-4, 2024, UNDP organized a four-day summer school as part of its project funded by the Government of Finland aimed at strengthening the rule of law and protection of human rights in Uzbekistan.
This initiative, aimed at enabling the law students to provide legal assistance to victims of domestic and gender-based violence, brought together 30 dedicated law students from various higher educational institutions of Uzbekistan, including the Tashkent State University of Law, Karakalpak State University, Namangan State University, Termez State University, Andijan State University and the University of World Economy and Diplomacy.
The summer school covered topics such as provision of free legal assistance to victims of domestic and sexual violence, the power dynamics associated with gender stereotypes in society, which contributes to domestic and gender-based violence, classification of crimes against women and children, ensuring victim safety, gender inequality, and understanding cultural norms.
Image: UNDP Uzbekistan
Media literacy and effective content creating skills for the promotion and protection of human rights will enable young people to protect rights, raise awareness, and ensure equality and justice in the future.
One of the project participants, Kamron Akramov, a future lawyer and a student of Tashkent State University of Law, noted that the summer school was an excellent platform for developing team spirit and meeting new students. "The coaches showed high professionalism in communicating with us and managed to create a warm atmosphere for each of us," Kamron said. "The organizers paid special attention to each topic and ensured that we actively participated in the training as much as possible. We gained knowledge and skills that will be really useful in the future."
The curriculum, developed by experienced professionals, used interactive methodologies, including lectures, case studies, group discussions, and role-playing. These methods allowed students to deeply engage with the material, analyze real-life scenarios, and develop practical strategies to assist survivors.
Through the organization of this summer school, UNDP’s “The Rule of Law” project achieved the goal to increase participants' understanding of socio-cultural factors affecting domestic and gender-based violence. Also, the participants developed empathy and trauma-centered legal assistance skills on the topic of power dynamics, gender inequality and social norms.
Timur Razzokov, a student of the University of World Economy and Diplomacy, said that the summer school gave the participants the opportunity to develop skills that they did not have before. Mashkhura Latipova, a student of the Tashkent State University of Law, stated that she learned about the difference between family conflict and domestic violence. "Before, I did not know the difference between many terms. At the training, I learned how to assist victims of domestic violence, where to consult and how to deal with them," says Mashkhura.
The UNDP Summer School has had great success in equipping future legal professionals with knowledge and skills needed to combat domestic and gender-based violence. Through interactive learning and expert guidance, participants are now better equipped to provide empathy and trauma-centered legal assistance and human rights advocacy in their communities.
