HelpAge Tajikistan will be taking part in the Age Demands Action campaign for the first time this year.

What happened in 2008?

The Age Demands Action Tajikistan delegation met with the Head of the Department of Employment and Social Protection, Mr Tursunov.

They asked their government to commit to improving the lives of older people in Tajikistan by:

Developing a national strategy on ageing, covering the main targets set by MIPAA by 2010, including:

• improving gerontological healthcare in all hospitals in Dunshanbe by the end of 2009, and by 2010 in other regions
• eliminating all forms of age discrimination
• creating an educational programme to promote recognition of the authority and wisdom of older people, by September 2009
• ensuring that homes for older persons remain the responsibility of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, and are not privatised
  
• developing partnerships between government, civil society, private sector, INGO and media
• passing a law to make 1 October an offical day of celebration for older people by October 2009.

Mr Tursunov reassured the delegation that the government will continue to consider older persons in their policies. He plans to review their asks and deliver a formal response within the next two weeks.

The delegation

Ada Novackaya, 75

Ada is works as a lawyer in National Volunteer Center of Tajikistan – one of the partners of HelpAge International office in Tajikistan. She has experience in working in the prosecutor’s office and the Academy of Science in Tajikistan.

 

Akbar Nazriev, 30

Akbar is coordinating the Age Demands Action campaign in Tajikistan on behalf of the HelpAge International office in Tajikistan. He works for HelpAge International as a Finance/Admin Manager in the Tajikistan office.

Elena Veber, 69

Elena is a retired Doctor. She is a member of the National Volunteer Center of Tajikistan which is supported by HelpAge International office in Tajikistan.

 

 

Ibragim Kurbanov, 55

Ibragim works as an accountant for the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, Tajikistan. He is also head of a society for disabled people in one of the districts of Dushanbe. He is member of the National Volunteer Center of Tajikistan.

Khurshed Kadirov, 38

Khurshed is the head of the National Volunteer Center of Tajikistan. He is an economist by profession and participated in a number of training sessions and workshops on NGO management. Khurshed is one of the founders of the international network AgeNet in Tajikistan.

 

Lidiya Nurudinova, 62

Lidiya is a retired teacher. She is a member of the Social Club of National Volunteers.  

Oleg Guseynov, 68

Oleg is a retired research officer. He worked for the Research Institute of Labour. He now coordinates social activites for the Central Asian Gerontology Centre.

 

 

Saodat Kamalova, 61

Saodat is head of the Central Asian Gerontology Centre, and a doctor by profession. She one of the founders of the international network, AgeNet. Saodet is also a member of Social Council of the Republic and of the advisory council for the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection.

Yuldosh Shokarimov, 71

Yuldosh is the main speaker for the delegation. He is an ex-Minister of Labour and Social Protection of Tajikistan and the ex-Mayor of Dushanbe city. Currently he works as the head of the Savob charity fund.