International Women’s Day 2026
Tajikistan steps up action against discrimination and workplace violence
Tripartite constituents in Tajikistan commit to strengthening efforts to prevent discrimination, violence and harassment in the world of work.
5 March 2026
DUSHANBE (ILO News) – On the eve of International Women’s Day, the International Labour Organization (ILO) convened an online webinar in Tajikistan on “Addressing and Preventing Discrimination, Violence and Harassment in the World of Work”.
The event brought together representatives of the Ministry of Labour, Migration and Employment of the Population, the Union of Employers of the Republic of Tajikistan, the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Tajikistan, the Committee on Women and Family Affairs under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, the State Service for inspections in the sphere of labour, migration and employment and the Labour Market Analysis Center to strengthen understanding and action in line with international labour standards.
The webinar, moderated by Sobir Aminov, the National Coordinator, ILO DWT/CO for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, focused on the ILO Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111), and the Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (No. 190), and its accompanying Recommendation (No. 206). The event aimed to strengthen the technical capacity of constituents to address and prevent discrimination, violence and harassment and to promote safe and inclusive working environments.
Tajikistan is a social state that ensures decent living conditions and the free development of every individual.
Abdurahmon Ashuralizoda, Deputy Minister of Labour, Migration and Employment of the Population of the Republic of Tajikistan
In his opening remarks, Abdurahmon Ashuralizoda, Deputy Minister of Labour, Migration and Employment of the Population of the Republic of Tajikistan, highlighted that the webinar was organized within the framework of the Action Plan for cooperation between the tripartite partners of Tajikistan and the ILO to promote decent work for 2025-2026. The Deputy Minister underlined Tajikistan’s commitment to aligning national legislation with international labour standards and to eliminating and preventing discrimination, violence and harassment in the world of work. Reference was also made to recent amendments to the Labour Code, including revisions to Article 7 on the prohibition of discrimination in labour relations, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen legal protections and ensure a safe working environment.
“Tajikistan is a social state that ensures decent living conditions and the free development of every individual,” he said, noting that national legal frameworks are aligned with international labour standards to promote safe and inclusive working environments.
A presentation by Carlos Garcia Guzman, International Labour Standards Specialist, ILO DWT/CO for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, provided an overview of key aspects of the ILO Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) as a fundamental international labour standard on equality in employment and occupation. It highlighted the importance of clearly defining and prohibiting discrimination in law and practice, and clarified the core obligation of Member States to declare and pursue a national policy designed to promote equality of opportunity and treatment and to eliminate discrimination in employment and occupation. It also emphasized that the Convention applies broadly to all workers, in all sectors and occupations, including in the formal and informal economies, and at all stages of the employment process, from access to vocational training and employment to conditions of work.
The presentation further underlined the complementary relationship between Conventions Nos. 111 and 190, noting that discrimination, violence and harassment can undermine equality and decent work in the world of work.
The session on Convention No. 190 presented by Özge Berber-Agtaş, Gender Equality and Non-Discrimination Specialist, ILO DWT/CO for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, highlighted its innovative elements and core principles, including a rights-based framework grounded in equality and non-discrimination and its strong linkages with occupational safety and health. Emphasis was placed on the adoption of an inclusive, integrated and gender-responsive approach, in consultation with employers’ and workers’ representatives.
Country examples shared during the webinar illustrated how ratifying States are strengthening prevention, protection, enforcement and remedies, including through workplace policies, complaint mechanisms and access to justice. The presentation also underscored the importance of effective enforcement mechanisms and remedies, alongside awareness-raising and training to support implementation.
The tripartite constituents expressed their commitment to promoting equal opportunities and non-discrimination in the world of work that is free from violence and harassment. The initiative is aligned with Tajikistan’s national policy framework on gender equality, which promotes equal rights and opportunities for women and men and calls for concrete measures to eliminate discrimination and gender-based violence.
Holding the webinar on the eve of International Women’s Day underscored the need to accelerate progress towards substantive equality and to reinforce efforts to ensure safe and healthy working environments free from violence and harassment.
Achieving gender equality and non-discrimination requires sustained commitment from governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations. Through strengthened social dialogue and coordinated action, the constituents play a central role in fostering a culture of dignity and respect at work and in ensuring that all workers can carry out their work in environments free from discrimination, violence and harassment.