Government representatives, international organizations and civil society discussed ways to strengthen Tajikistan's legislation on combating trafficking in human beings and improving assistance to victims at the Second High-level Republican Conference in Dushanbe on 22 October 2026.
Organized by the Inter-Ministerial Commission on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Mission in Tajikistan, the conference brought together 90 participants to discuss legislative gaps and possible reforms.
Key topics included protecting the rights and interests of people subjected to trafficking, applying the principle of non-punishment for unlawful acts committed as a direct consequence of trafficking, and establishing a State Compensation Fund for victims. Participants also discussed emerging challenges, including online recruitment and the use of digital platforms by criminal networks.
Alamshozoda Abdurahmon Alamsho, Militia Colonel-General and First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan, stressed the need to address gaps in legislation and strengthen efforts to combat trafficking in human beings:
"Human trafficking is a crime that thrives in silence. It feeds on the silence of the victim, who lives in fear; the silence of society, which fails to see; and the silence of the law, which has fallen behind the times. Today, we break this silence."
Alamshozoda Abdurahmon Alamsho, Militia Colonel-General and First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan, speaks at the Second High-level Republican Conference in Dushanbe, 22 October 2026.
Nigina Alizoda, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan, highlighted the importance of international and national legal mechanisms and co-operation between countries in combating transnational crime. She noted that the Minsk and Chisinau conventions provide "a legal basis for the development of interstate co-operation in combating transnational crimes, particularly human trafficking".
Fejzo Numanaj, Acting Deputy Head of Office and Officer-in-Charge of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, emphasized the importance of continued co-operation to combat trafficking in human beings:
"OSCE's support has contributed to the adoption of specialized anti-trafficking laws in the Republic of Tajikistan, including the incorporation of non-punishment for the victim into the Criminal Code. Today, human traffickers aggressively exploit technology to recruit, control victims and conceal illicit assets. Strong co-operation among government institutions, civil society, the private sector and the international partners is essential to combat trafficking in human beings."
Participants put forward proposals to improve legislation, strengthen assistance for victims and increase the effectiveness of relevant institutions. The recommendations are expected to inform potential legislative amendments and future national action plans.
Representatives of government institutions, international organizations and civil society at the Second High-level Republican Conference in Dushanbe, 22 October 2026.
Since 2016, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe has worked with the Government of Tajikistan to strengthen its legal and institutional response to trafficking in human beings. In co-operation with IOM, the Office contributed to establishing the National Referral Mechanism for victims of trafficking and continues to support its implementation. It has also assisted in developing and adopting three consecutive National Action Plans from 2019 to 2025, supported monitoring and research, and facilitated dialogue between state institutions and civil society.
