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CIVIL SOCIETY BRIEFS
TAJIKISTAN
Country and Government Context Civil Society: An Overview
The Republic of Tajikistan lies in southeast The origins of civil society in Tajikistan are a base from which
Central Asia, and its capital city is Dushanbe. people are able to draw upon to work together to deal
The country borders Uzbekistan to the north with current issues. Just as in other former Soviet states, the
and west, the Kyrgyz Republic and Afghanistan development of civil society in Tajikistan was fostered by the
to the south, and the People’s Republic of nation’s unique historical events. Over time, people have
China to its east. It is a mountainous country come together and formed long-standing institutions and
with peaks of up to 7,495 meters; 93% of its established patterns of cooperation that have endured both
territory is covered by mountains. Tajikistan is as organizations and as attitudes.
a Presidential Republic.
Tajikistan remains one of the poorest countries Informal social institutions have demonstrated tremendous
in the world. Between 1990 and 2007, stamina in Tajikistan through the country’s dynamic history and
Tajikistan’s Human Development Index (HDI) in spite of the challenges of the Soviet period. As such, informal
fell by 0.16% annually. Tajikistan ranks 127th institutions are rooted in the country’s cultural memory and
out of 182 countries in terms of its HDI. have earned profound respect from the people of Tajikistan that
Foreign revenue is precariously dependent is deeper than that accorded to the formal civic organizations,
on exports of cotton and aluminum, and which have arrived only recently. Such institutions have proven
on remittances from Tajik migrant workers durable throughout their long history of regulating social life.
abroad, mainly in the Russian Federation.
About 53% of the population lives below The history of civil society in Tajikistan is unique and complex.
the poverty level. As of 2008, the population It survived the Bukhara Khanate prior to the October Revolution
was estimated at more than 7.3 million, of
which 73% lived in the rural areas. The state (1917), the Soviet Union (1924–1991), and the post-
language of Tajikistan is Tajik, and Russian is a independence period (1991 onwards). Tajik civil society has
a
language of interethnic communication. gone through the following three phases:
Between 2003 and 2007, real per capita gross Traditional public-driven organizations are primarily linked to
domestic product (GDP) is estimated to have culture, belief, and religion. Traditional Tajik concepts, such
increased by a cumulative 26.5%, or an average as hashar (joint neighborhood actions), jamomad or gashtak
of 6.6% per year. As a reflection of this growth, (people gathering to resolve community-level problems), and
average monthly per capita income (from the mahala council (voted or elected representatives of community
National Accounts) increased in real terms from
b members coordinating the processes concerning issues of
TJS119 in 2003 to TJS150 in 2007. Due to the
global recession and weakening demand for social well-being), have lasted over the centuries and laid the
aluminum and cotton (Tajikistan’s main export foundation for modern-day civic voluntary activities. These
commodities) and a sharp reduction in workers’ organizational forms have influenced the development of
remittances, GDP growth for 2009 was only political and social life at the local level. In the present-day
c
3.4%, in comparison with 7.9% in 2008. Tajik society, many of these forms of voluntary work exist and
a function at the village and mahala levels.
Constitution of the Republic of Tajikistan, Article 2.
b
The National Bank of Tajikistan official exchange rates
of the Tajik somoni (TJS) as of 21 May 2010: Civil society was able to develop further under Soviet
TJS1 = US$4.37. governance than it had under the previous regime, particularly
c
ADB. 2010. Asian Development Outlook 2010. Manila. as a result of improved economic conditions and the
In Tajikistan today, civil society both negative and positive impacts on the development
of civil society. Though the civil conflict led to deep
cuts across a wide spectrum human and economic losses, as well as restricted the
space and resources available to civic organizations,
of participants, ranging from it also provided crucial incentives for self-help among
citizens. Many civic organizations trace their origins
local organizations (communal to solving everyday problems of governance in the
absence of a working government, and some actively
councils, neighbor’s councils, contributed to the peace process. Independence led
to an evolution and emergence of new forms of CSOs
etc.) to more formal, officially that started to collaborate with the government in
registered public associations. addressing political and socioeconomic issues of the
country. These organizations grew in number quite
rapidly. The registered number of nongovernment
organizations (NGOs) was only 300 in 1997; this
number increased to 625 in 2000, and reached 2,750
population’s wider access to education. The Soviet
1
period witnessed the establishment of a wide set of by 2006.
educational and cultural institutions that promoted
literacy and provided professional training and In Tajikistan today, civil society cuts across a wide
employment. Indeed, social organizations of the spectrum of participants, ranging from local
Soviet period succeeded in mobilizing citizens and organizations (communal councils, neighbor’s councils,
promoting volunteerism. Youth organizations, such as etc.) to more formal, officially registered public
the komsomol (the Communist Union of Youth) and the associations. The Government of Tajikistan refers to
Young Pioneers, actively promoted public awareness on NGOs also as noncommercial organizations (NCOs) as
social issues and civic engagement among youth. Trade in other former Soviet countries. The NGOs in Tajikistan
unions, cooperatives, and creative associations also constitute the heart of civil society. As of 2009, 1,723
2
articulated the interests of their members and provided NGOs have registered with the government. Also, there
forums for workers’ issues. While these organizations are other kinds of organizations, including community-
were heavily dependent on the state and did not based organizations (CBOs) and professional unions,
possess any real autonomy, they were successful in functioning as part of civil society. These institutions
organizing citizens to resolve local issues. have provided considerable support to finding solutions
to current social problems. One of the areas that
From 1980, new forms of public organizations, known NGOs often strive to support is human rights. It is
as informal amateur associations, entered civil society. the support and attention given by these NGOs that
These associations defined their value in addressing keep the defense of human rights in the foreground
critical issues affecting society more broadly. These in Tajikistan. Urban and rural NGOs have been an
associations included political movements, religious effective instrument for establishing stability and peace
groups, and national ethnic groups that further in the republic. In the rural areas, it has been through
enriched the complexity of civil society organizations the support of NGOs that farmers have been slowly
(CSOs) within Tajikistan. Political movements, such as gaining some voice into how the land they occupy
Rastohez, Vahdat, and Lali Badahshon, were formed in can be utilized. Legally recognized NGOs have helped
different parts of the country. Their members included foster and maximize the involvement of citizens in the
intellectuals speaking out to address the political, democratization process.
economic, and social issues of the country. By 1989,
the number of registered religious associations reached NGOs are generally divided into two broad categories.
43, of which 24 were Muslim. Since the country was The first group provides direct assistance at the
populated with many other nationalities at the end of grassroots level through citizen empowerment,
the Soviet era, different nationalities formed their own including advice, consultation, and training, as well
civil movements. By the end of 1989, Armenians, Jews, as humanitarian assistance. Through mobilization of
Russians, Uzbeks, and other nationalities established community resources, these NGOs have been building
their own national organizations that strove to foster the capacity of local government and community
internal linkages, as well as to promote mutual members in addressing priority issues in the areas of
understanding with other ethnic groups. education, health, and agriculture.
The breakup of the Soviet Union and subsequent The second group of organizations works with high-
fracture of the society as a result of civil conflict had level government structures to monitor implementation
of policies and strategies and actively contribute to the
process of strategy development. In both cases, their Nongovernment Organizations in Tajikistan,
major role is seen as providing consultation, advocacy, by Functional Areas
and capacity development interventions. NGOs can 8%
be further classified in the following functional areas: 2%
20% are involved in education, science, and culture; 20%
17% in humanitarian and charitable activities; 11% 9%
are professional organizations; 28% are women’s
organizations; 5% are human rights organizations; 9% 5%
are involved with children and young people; 2% with
3
ecology and the environment; and 8% in other sectors.
At the onset of the civil war in 1992, many international
NGOs (INGOs) began emergency response operations in 17%
Tajikistan. After the end of the civil conflict in June
1997, these INGOs were instrumental in the 28%
reestablishment and evolution of Tajik NGOs after the 11%
trauma of war. From 2000 onward, the number of
INGOs has reduced as economic security and political Education, Science and Culture Human Rights
stability have improved. A number of INGOs are Humanitarian and Charitable Activities Youth and Children Organizations
currently active in Tajikistan, including the Aga Khan Professional Organizations Ecological
Foundation, Mercy Corps, Mission East, and Save the Women’s Organizations Others
Children, among others. These institutions continue to
support and foster the capacity of local NGOs. As a Source: 2007. Aga Khan Development Network. Civil Society Development
result, the number of CSOs has continued to grow and in Tajikistan. Dushanbe.
have a voice, albeit small, with the government.
Government–Civil Society Relations The establishment of the Public Council in Tajikistan
is an outstanding example of civil society’s role in the
In the past, the Soviet state was active in all facets peace-building process.
of public life, and civic organizations, which were
overshadowed by the state, had little autonomy. CSOs’ active lobbying led to the signing of the
Since independence, there have been three major Agreement in May 1997, which has been extended
councils to promote partnership and collaboration in indefinitely since. The President was later elected chair
addressing critical issues facing the country. This arena of the Public Council, which included important state
has enabled CSOs to represent the needs and interests figures, as well as leaders of civil society institutions.
of society to bring positive changes throughout the
development process. By 2007, the war was 10 years in the past.
Reconstruction and development were moving
Toward the end of the civil war in May 1996, CSOs forward, and the government and civil society agreed
lobbied the government heavily to approve the that a deeper relationship was required to drive
Agreement on Social Accord. In 1996, a number of development in the coming years. The belief that an
national civic organizations jointly created the Public expanded relationship would spur on development
Council to promote confidence between the conflicting led to the creation of the National Development
sides and rapidly conclude a peace agreement. Council (NDC).
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