TAJIKISTAN'S NOMINATION FOR INTERNATIONAL WOMAN OF COURAGE

UNCLAS DUSHANBE 000242 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN, G/IWI FOR ORNA BLUM E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KWMN KPAO SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN'S NOMINATION FOR INTERNATIONAL WOMAN OF COURAGE AWARD REF: STATE 12871 ¶1. Post nominates Zebunisso Rustamova for the Secretary of State's Annual Award for International Women of Courage for her work in building a brighter future for vulnerable women and children of Tajikistan. Ms. Rustamova's information is as follows: Name-- Zebunisso RUSTAMOVA Title: Director Institution: Center of Support for Women and Children ¶2. Zebunisso Rustamova has remained a popular national figure in Tajikistan for three decades. She first won the hearts of Tajiks and was a great source of pride when she became one of the few Tajiks to receive an Olympic medal, the bronze in archery in 1976. Rustamova went on to serve as the Vice Chairman of Tajikistan's Olympic Committee and then its representative in the Sughd region in the late 1990s. After relocating to Sughd, she used her sports background to encourage healthy lifestyles for the people in Sughd. ¶3. In November 2000, Rustamova officially opened her own nongovernmental organization, the Center of Support for Women and Children in Khujand, Tajikistan's second largest city. Rustamova worked with local and international organizations as well as the government to implement programs to help especially vulnerable and destitute population groups. Some examples of activities she organized include facilitating and coordinating humanitarian assistance, teaching children about the benefits of sports and healthy lifestyles, and working with the National Social Investment Fund to rehabilitate sports venues in Sughd. She also targeted and assisted female drug abusers and established a shelter for women and children abuse victims. Through her organization, Rustamova established training programs that have educated over 70 women and students on the economy and entrepreneurship, training them to set up their own businesses. Her center also trains students to use computers and runs a summer camp for children from Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan to come together and discuss issues such as conflict resolution and democratization. Over 400 students have benefited from the camp. ¶4. The center's programs have had an enduring effect on participants and the community. Children who attended Rustamova's summer camps have returned as trainers to lead a future generation. Women previously targeted as the most vulnerable and destitute in the region have gone on to receive jobs in private international companies and nongovernmental organizations after receiving training from Rustamova's center. Her business training programs have proven so successful, partner organizations have continued funding the center's work to train more people and the government helped fund some of the start-up businesses. These are only a few examples of the far-reaching accomplishments Rustamova has achieved through her organization. ¶5. Despite the success of her organization's activities and personal accolades, Rustamova is not content to stop. She will move to Dushanbe in April and work to open a similar Center of Support for Women and Children to target the vulnerable in southern Tajikistan. Post believes that recognizing Rustamova for her work will garner support for her new center in Dushanbe which hopefully will be as successful as the Khujand facility in empowering vulnerable populations to improve their lives. Rustamova is a true civil society leader and a remarkable example of what a difference one person can make in the lives of many. In a country where women still do not share power equally with men and the poor are often disenfranchised and have little opportunity, Rustamova is working to lift their status. ¶6. Due to an undeveloped telephone infrastructure and constantly changing exchanges and prefixes, Post would be happy to facilitate contact for Department offices with Rustamova. Post's officer responsible for following women's issue is Uyen Tang, Political/Economic Officer. Ms. Tang can be contacted at tangut2@state.gov or +992-37-229-2505. JACOBSON