DUSHANBE, December 10, 2012, Asia-Plus  -- The board (Shuro) of the lower house (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of the Tajik parliament considered the bill on prevention of domestic violence at a December 10 meeting, presided over by the Majlisi Namoyandagon speaker Shukurjon Zuhurov.

Presenting the bill, Ms. Khairinisso Yusufi, the chairperson of the Majlisi Namoyandagon Committee on Social Affairs, Family and Health Care, noted that the law had been drafted with regard to implementation of the national policy on the prevention of domestic violence, Muhammadato Sultonov, a spokesman for the Majlisi Namoyandagon, said. 

We will recall that organized in part by the United Nations, a new campaign was launched in Tajikistan last month aimed at educating men and women about domestic violence. Prominent Tajiks, including celebrities and religious figures, took part.  According to some experts, domestic violence remains socially acceptable in Tajikistan, where calls to eliminate it are often dismissed as "foreign" meddling in local traditions.

The board also considered draft laws requiring amendments to the country’s laws on periodical press and other media in Tajikistan, Majlisi Oli (Tajikistan’s parliament), organs of government, budget for 2012 and some other issues, Sultonov said, noting that the issue shave been tabbed to the agenda of a regular sitting of the fourth session of the Majlisi Namoyandagon of the fourth convocation that will take place on December 12.