— You were at the forefront of the Law on Legal Aid in Tajikistan, which provides for the formation of a state system of legal aid to the population. Thanks to this law, centres providing free legal aid to citizens are now operating in 68 cities and districts. How do you assess the success of these centres, which were previously supported in conjunction with the UNDP “Access to Justice” project, funded by the Swiss government, and are now fully funded by the state?

— First and foremost, it is important to note the significance of this initiative, which we implemented while still at the Ministry of Justice, in collaboration with UNDP and our partners, and which Parliament, recognising its importance, enacted into law. The law established a procedure for its implementation and outlined the stages of its rollout. Today, it performs a very wide range of functions aimed at ensuring and protecting citizens’ rights.

I believe that both the cooperation and the law itself are effective, since the idea of ensuring people’s rights was embedded in them from the outset. Currently, the state fully funds these centres, and they continue to operate. I am aware that young people are actively working there, interacting with local communities.

This work must be continued and developed within the framework of the tasks set by the President to improve legal literacy. These centres play a key role in realising the constitutional right of citizens to receive legal assistance.

 It is also important to expand their capabilities: at present, they provide primary legal aid, and, as far as I know, the Ministry of Justice is already working to ensure that they begin to provide secondary legal aid as well—including representing beneficiaries’ interests in procedural matters.

— Given your previous experience collaborating with UNDP, how do you assess the current renewal and deepening of cooperation with the Parliament—especially in the context of launching joint initiatives that began with training sessions led by an international expert?

— Overall, the “Human Rights and Rule of Law” project has been underway for quite some time, and we are now in its third phase. I believe the involvement of the Parliament of the Republic in the implementation of the project is very important.

Although we have always relied on parliament when drafting the “Legal Aid” law and other initiatives, recognising its key role in the lawmaking process, today we want to build a more systematic and practical approach, specifically within the framework of this project.

All the issues we discussed at the workshop were based on requests from the parliamentarians themselves. We aim to structure the parliament’s work in line with leading international practices.

The expert working with us today is sharing precisely that kind of experience. The topics discussed are highly relevant: they include the organisation of parliamentary activities, engagement with society, and working with citizens. The nature of the questions asked demonstrates how complex they are and how interested parliamentarians are in building transparent relationships with civil society.

— In the context of the National Strategy 2030, how do you see the further development of cooperation with parliament?

— We are interested in the collaboration with UNDP, and within the National Strategy 2030, we plan to develop and include issues related to engagement with parliament in the framework of the project. In my view, this represents a new level and a new platform for cooperation for UNDP.

Parliament is a complex institution that brings together people with different views, ambitions, and goals. Five political parties are represented here, and this makes its work multifaceted.

Nevertheless, I am confident that through effective cooperation with our partners, we will be able to improve both the legal environment and the functioning of Parliament itself, including its transparency. This is particularly important in the context of the ongoing development in digitalisation and artificial intelligence, which require new approaches to our work.

If we move in this direction, we will be able to find common ground and develop joint initiatives aimed at improving people’s lives and advancing the country as a whole.

About the Trainings 

The training sessions were held as part of the project “Strengthening the Rule of Law and Human Rights to Empower People in Tajikistan,” implemented by UNDP with support from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland.

UNDP’s international expert on parliamentary activities and reforms, Jonas Čekuolis, together with members of parliament, discussed key areas for institutional capacity development, including improving legislative drafting, developing a strategic plan for parliament, and applying artificial intelligence tools in the work of deputies and parliamentary staff.

Following the training sessions, a needs assessment of the parliament is planned, which will help identify priority areas for further strengthening the institution and serve as the basis for subsequent support from UNDP.

The interview was conducted by Nigora Fazliddin, Communication Analyst, UNDP Tajikistan