Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07DUSHANBE242
2007-02-14 03:50:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Dushanbe
Cable title:
TAJIKISTAN'S NOMINATION FOR INTERNATIONAL WOMAN OF COURAGE
how-toVZCZCXRO6712 RR RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHDBU #0242 0450350 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 140350Z FEB 07 FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9630 INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 1985 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 2004 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 2027 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 1930 RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 1235
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
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
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