Dushanbe Social Partnership Conference 

On May 27, 2003 Social Partnership Conference took place  with the participation of NGOs, local 

community representatives, local government officials, INGOs, USAID, and business structures (500 

representatives). Participants discussed challenges and opportunities of establishing and operating in 

social partnerships. The main moderator was Mayor Chairman of the Upper Chamber of the 

Parliament Mr. Ubaidulloev.  ICNL's Legal Consultant gave a speech on legal issues of social 

partnership and presented the draft agreement between local government, NGOs, and business 

structures.  In follow up, on May 31, 2003 Ms. Khaidarova organized and participated at the NGO 

 Society and Law  seminar on social partnership and citizens' rights for local government officials 

and NGOs in Khujand. 

Technical Assistance with Social Partnership Agreement 

At the request of the Dushanbe Civil Society Support Center (DCSSC) and Counterpart Consortium, 

ICNL prepared the draft Agreement on Social Partnership between the Dushanbe municipal 

government and NGOs (DCSSC, NGO  Society and Law , the Center for Supporting, and 

Development of Small Business). Muatar Khaidarova, ICNL's Legal Consultant and Chairperson of 

NGO  Society and Law,  worked together with Dushanbe Vice Mayor Tohir Mirzoev and Tajik 

Vice Minister of Justice Rustam Mengliev to finalize the draft of the Agreement on Social Economic 

Partnership between the Dushanbe municipal government and NGOs.  This is only the second 

agreement of its kind. The first agreement resulted in the Public Council (the National created in 1997 

that played a role in re establishing peace in Tajikistan.  This agreement will provide more 

opportunities for cooperation and partnership between the municipal government, local NGOs, and 

businesses. 

Cross border Linkages Created 

ICNL assisted Ministry of Justice officials with finding resources to travel to Almaty and Bishkek in 

an effort to promote an exchange of information and experience in the implementation of laws on 

registration of the legal entities (such as NGOs) between the Ministries of Justice of Kazakhstan, 

Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.  The two officials supported by Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and 

UNHCR were Ms. Tagaeva Sumangul  chief of the Department on NGO Registration and Ms. Elena 

Ishankulova from the Department on the Drafting of Laws. 

Workshop on Legal Aid Legislation Strategy and Programs 

On April 9 12, 2003, ICNL participated at the workshop organized by the Danish Ministry of Foreign 

Affairs and IOM on perspectives of cooperation in Central Asia. Ms. Khaidarova was a facilitator for 

a session on the theme of Legal Aid Legislation strategy and programs in Central Asia. 

Legal Consultations to local and international NGOs 

ICNL provided 28 consultations to 20 local and international NGOs.  Issues ranged form registration, 

re registration, labor issues, and taxation, to the discussion of the defense of three NGOs in 

proceedings initiated by the City Prosecutor for non payment of taxes.  

Publications 

Brochure on  The rules on how to apply to different government structures  (2 pages), published 

with UNHCR support. 

Copies of the new  Law on State Registration of Legal Entities  in Russian and Tajik languages. 

One thousand (1000) copies will be made available to NGOs.  The publication is a Ministry of 

Justice, USAID, ICNL, NGO  Society and Law  publication. 

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