2008 Embassy News
Embassy and "Child's Rights Center" host Sports and Leadership Day for community youth
Dushanbe, Tajikistan. The U.S. Embassy hosted a Sports and Leadership Day for at-risk youth on Saturday, June 14. The Embassy’s Marine Security Guard detachment invited 30 children, both boys and girls, from local community projects for a day of fun activities at the Embassy with the Marines and alumni of U.S. Government exchange programs. Activities included soccer and basketball competitions, as well as games and a shashlik lunch. Ambassador Tracey Ann Jacobson presented prizes to the top teams in the soccer tournament. The event was made possible by the Marine Security Guard Detachment’s Toys for Tots program, which supports holiday gifts and special events for underprivileged children. The participating children all come from Juvenile Justice Alternative Projects in Dushanbe.
Juvenile Justice Alternative Projects (JJAP)
The JJAPs are a diversion and alternative sentencing community initiative, first piloted by Children’s Centre “Nasli Navras” in the Sino District of Dushanbe in November 2004. The aim of the service is to reduce and prevent youth offending. Due to the success of this pilot, the Tajik government has supported the establishment of another four projects which have been set up in the Firdarvsi district of Dushanbe and Sughd Oblast, all providing an effective community-based programme of social work and psychological assistance for the children aged 10-18. These projects also provide support to the families of the children, as well as providing the children themselves with educational support, and assist in reintegrating the children back into their local schools. The JJAPs also offer language lessons, art and computer classes, and a theatre group.
The JJAPs are the only service of their kind in Tajikistan, with the centres in Dushanbe already providing assistance to over 200 children and adolescents. In an independent evaluation carried out in April 2008, it was stated that “the JJAPs have been very successful in achieving positive outcomes for children and families of children who have been referred to the projects”.
“Public Organization” Child Rights Centre
The Child Rights Centre (CRC) was established in Dushanbe in April 2007, its aim is to promote and protect the human rights of children in Tajikistan through advocacy, the provision of legal information, advice, assistance and representation. The Centre works directly with children and young people, but also provides services to parents, NGOs, state bodies, agencies and institutions. The CRC manages the JJAP in Fidarvsi district, and provides technical assistance in cooperation with UNICEF to the three JJAPs in Sughd Oblast. The CRC works in a number of closed institutions supporting children and staff, including the implementation of a U.S. Embassy-funded project at the Juvenile Colony and Pre-Trial Detention Centre. The centre also works closely in cooperation with UNICEF assisting in the reform of the Juvenile Justice and Child Protection systems in Tajikistan. To date, the CRC has provided direct support to over 300 children in closed state institutions.