Since January 2016, DVV International has been implementing the project “Returning PATH: promoting access to basic human rights for vulnerable women and men” in Uzbekistan. On 24 May 2017, a delegation from the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights visited the Social Support Centre in Tashkent, which was established in the framework of the project.
The delegation consisted of Dr. Josef Weidenholzer (Vice-President of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats), Prof. Dr. Klaus Buchner (Greens/European Free Alliance) and Joachim Zeller (European People’s Party/Christian Democrats). During the visit, the staff members of DVV International and its local partner organisation INTILISH presented the different activities and the preliminary results of the project, which aims to promote the (re-)integration into society of people in difficult life situations (e.g. ex-prisoners, people living with HIV and tuberculosis).
The Social Support Centre in Tashkent is – among other things – conducting legal and psychologic consultations, providing medical referral for people with a diagnosis of tuberculosis or HIV, and referring people in need to free vocational education and skills training. During a site tour, the delegation members had the opportunity to meet with target group representatives. The EU Parliamentarians underlined the great importance of supporting the rights of disadvantaged groups and congratulated the project particularly for strengthening the rights of persons released from incarceration in Uzbekistan and for promoting their reintegration into society.
The visit of the delegation was a continuation of recent high-ranking international visits to Uzbekistan after the government under the new president Shavkat Mirziyoyev started to make serious efforts to achieve improvements in the field of human rights.
The 28-month project “Returning PATH” is funded by the European Union (95%) and the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development BMZ (5%).