Women - The Times Of Central Asia

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Prisons

Russia Seeks Transfer of 200 Tajik Women Prisoners After Dushanbe Approval

Russia’s human rights commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova has received a positive response from Emomali Rahmon regarding the possible transfer of around 200 Tajik women currently serving sentences in Russian prisons, according to TASS. Moskalkova said she had written to the Tajik president requesting that the women be allowed to continue serving their sentences in Tajikistan on humanitarian grounds. “In each case, we must carefully weigh issues of justice, mercy, and humanism,” she said in an interview with TASS. She noted that while most cases confirm that crimes were committed, the severity of punishment should not always be maximal. “Sometimes leniency helps a person reform, repent, and change for the better. That is why we try in each case to find arguments that could support leniency, especially for women,” she said. According to Moskalkova, foreign women prisoners face additional challenges, including limited access to family visits and difficulties receiving parcels from relatives. These factors were among the reasons behind her appeal to Tajik authorities. She also pointed to broader policy developments in Russia’s penal system, citing improvements in detention conditions under the country’s penal reform strategy through 2030. Moskalkova highlighted recent legislation limiting pretrial detention for women with young children who have committed non-violent offenses. In addition, she said she has repeatedly asked courts to grant deferrals of sentences for women with children under the age of 14, thanking the judiciary for what she described as “understanding and positive decisions” in such cases. Earlier this month, Moskalkova said Russia was prepared to facilitate the transfer of more than 3,000 Uzbek nationals convicted in Russia to serve their sentences in Uzbekistan. However, she noted that the process remains stalled due to legal constraints, including Uzbekistan’s failure to ratify the 1998 Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons.

Meruyert Bizhanova

From Fairy Tales to Oxford: The Academic Path of Meruyert Bizhanova

Education can change the course of a person’s life, shaping dreams and opening new horizons. The story of Meruyert Bizhanova, a young scholar from Kazakhstan who entered a doctoral program at the University of Oxford at the age of 24, is a striking example of how curiosity, determination, and mentorship can lead to remarkable achievements. A Passion for Learning from an Early Age Bizhanova’s love for learning began in early childhood. She recalls that by the time she was five years old, she had already read every fairy tale available in her school library. Reading stories and writing short narratives fascinated her, and books soon became her closest companions. Her academic development later flourished at Nazarbayev University, where supportive professors encouraged her intellectual curiosity and motivated her to pursue opportunities abroad. She particularly acknowledges the influence of mentors such as Vice-Provost Loretta O’Donnell and professors Tursonjan Tokay, Thomas Duke, Warren Rocco, and Marilyn Plumlee. According to Bizhanova, these mentors taught her the importance of discipline, dedication, and sincerity in academic work. Graduate Studies in the United States After completing her undergraduate education, Bizhanova decided to continue her academic journey internationally. She chose the University of Pennsylvania for her master’s studies, aiming to gain globally recognized academic training and deepen her research in the field of higher education. The University of Pennsylvania is widely known for its strong academic tradition in higher education policy and leadership, which closely aligns with her research interests. During her master’s program in educational leadership, Bizhanova studied international education policy, governance of higher education systems, research methodology, and leadership strategies. Beyond classroom learning, the university provided opportunities for internships, research collaborations, professional networking, and career development. Studying at one of the world’s leading universities also gave her access to a global academic community and opened new professional possibilities. [caption id="attachment_45030" align="aligncenter" width="580"] Image: personal archive[/caption] Why Oxford? For Bizhanova, the University of Oxford had long symbolized academic excellence. From childhood, she had heard of it as one of the most prestigious universities in the world. Admission to Oxford’s doctoral programs is highly competitive, and thousands of candidates apply each year, but only a small number are admitted. For example, the DPhil in Education, which Bizhanova is studying for, has approximately 200 applications per year, out of which around 38 students are selected. Being accepted into Oxford’s doctoral program, Bizhanova says, is both an honor and a responsibility. When considering where to pursue her PhD, she realized that several Oxford scholars were conducting research closely related to her own academic interests. Her professors at the University of Pennsylvania were also familiar with these scholars and encouraged her to apply, recognizing Oxford as one of the leading centers for research on higher education. Researching the Future of Universities Bizhanova’s doctoral research focuses on universities in post-Soviet countries and how they attempt to balance teaching responsibilities with the development of scientific research. Many universities in this region inherited complex institutional traditions and governance structures from the Soviet era. Today,...

International Women's Day

How Much is Berdymuhamedov’s 8 March “Gift” to Turkmen Women Actually Worth?

Turkmenistan’s President Serdar Berdymuhamedov has ordered that female residents of the country receive 60 manats each in honor of March 8, International Women’s Day. At the current market exchange rate of 19.5 manats to the U.S. dollar, this amounts to approximately $3. Officially, the decision is described as recognition of “the great contribution of women in bringing about changes for the prosperity of the country, in raising a healthy and enthusiastic generation devoted to the Motherland, in order to continue the noble traditions of our ancestors in honoring our beloved mothers and dear sisters in the era of the rebirth of a new era of a powerful state.” Payments are scheduled to be distributed between March 2 and March 6. Eligible recipients include women employed in enterprises and organizations regardless of ownership, pensioners and recipients of state benefits, graduate and doctoral students, clinical residents on leave from work, students of the Academy of Public Administration with a term of study of at least two years, as well as schoolgirls, university students, and kindergarten pupils. Turkmen women have received the equivalent of about $3 for the holiday for seven consecutive years. However, since 2019, the cost of food and consumer goods in the country has risen significantly. The official exchange rate of the Turkmen manat has remained fixed at 3.5 manats per dollar since 2015. By that rate, 60 manats would equal approximately $17. However, the widely used parallel market rate currently stands at about 19.5 manats per dollar, reducing the real value of the payment to roughly $3. As a result, the actual purchasing power of the “gift” is significantly lower than the figure implied by calculations based on the official exchange rate. In September 2025, one elder publicly called for an end to increasing such payments, stating that “the social and living conditions of the country’s population have reached a high level.”

Space Exploration

Women in Space: Kazakhstan Completes First All-Female SANA-1 Experiment

Kazakhstan has successfully completed its first space research experiment involving an all-female crew. Conducted over ten days in a specialized ground-based module simulating a spacecraft, the SANA-1 project marks a milestone in the country’s space program and underscores the expanding role of women in science and technology. Kazakhstan’s First Female Crew In Astana, the results of the SANA-1 scientific experiment, which focused on studying psychophysiological responses to isolation, were officially presented. It is the first time in Kazakhstan’s space research history that a mission was carried out exclusively by female engineers and scientists. According to the project’s scientific director, Alina Gutoreva, the aim was to study “the cognitive, physiological, and emotional adaptation of humans in a confined space.” “The crew underwent medical, physiological, and psychological assessments, conducted cognitive and behavioral studies, and tested the capsule’s engineering systems,” Gutoreva explained. The experiment was timed to coincide with World Space Week (October 4-10), the 2025 theme of which was “Living in Space.” What the Researchers Studied The SANA-1 team examined the psychological and physiological effects of isolation, monotony, and stress on human behavior and team dynamics. The data collected is expected to inform the development of stress-resilience training and psychophysiological monitoring systems for future cosmonauts. The results will feed into Kazakhstan’s national cosmonaut training program and will be presented at global platforms, including Space Days Kazakhstan and meetings of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS). Researchers emphasized that female leadership, emotional intelligence, and empathy were critical factors in the crew’s resilience and performance. These findings are expected to contribute to future criteria for selecting and training participants in long-duration space missions, including to the Moon and Mars. The closing ceremony of the experiment took place on October 10, exactly 34 years after Tokhtar Aubakirov, Kazakhstan’s first cosmonaut, completed his spaceflight. Speaking at the event, Air Force Major General Aubakirov stressed the psychological demands of space missions. “The most important thing in space is belief in your own strength and responsibility to the team. Without this, it is impossible to complete any mission,” Aubakirov said. Earlier this month, Danna Karagousova became the first Kazakh woman to travel to space, participating in a suborbital flight aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard spacecraft. The rocket launched from a site in Texas, reaching an altitude of approximately 100 kilometers, the Kármán line, widely recognized as the boundary of space. The flight lasted around 10-12 minutes.

Headscarf Debate

Uzbek Politician Calls for Passport Photo Rule Change Amid Headscarf Debate

Alisher Qodirov, leader of Uzbekistan’s Milliy Tiklanish (National Revival) Democratic Party, has called for an end to the practice of requiring women to remove headscarves when taking passport photographs. In a statement on his Telegram channel, Qodirov affirmed that Uzbekistan’s status as a secular state is beyond question but argued that secularism should not infringe on personal freedoms. Prosperity Without Discrimination “A secular state, governed by laws adopted by a popularly elected parliament and approved by a popularly elected president, allows citizens to live as they choose, as long as they do not violate the law,” Qodirov said. “Our priority is to ensure that citizens of all nationalities and beliefs can strive for prosperity without discrimination. Everyone is equal, and no one should be demeaned.” Drawing analogies, Qodirov said that just as one citizen may choose to drink beer and another may choose not to, without having to explain themselves, women should be free to cover their hair if it aligns with their beliefs. “Advertising alcohol is prohibited by law, but if a political force wins a parliamentary majority, it could change the law, making alcohol a ‘national value’ or same-sex marriage a free choice. You grant that right,” he added. Qodirov emphasized that all social development must rest on values. Referring to pop star Jennifer Lopez’s recent concert in Tashkent, he said: “If Jennifer Lopez wants to perform at a private, ticketed concert, as long as she doesn’t distribute drugs or promote anti-state ideas, that’s her choice. Showing her body is her decision; watching it is the decision of those who bought tickets. That’s secularism.” By the same logic, he continued, “A woman who chooses to wear a headscarf is protected by law. We accepted public nudity as secularism; we must also accept the right to cover up. Just as we don’t tell Lopez how to dress, we shouldn’t dictate how religious women wear their headscarves nor should we force women, who have lived by their faith for years, to remove them for passport photos. Identification requirements demand an open face, not uncovered hair. Let’s extend the same tolerance to devout women as we do to Lopez.” He concluded that secularism means equality for both believers and non-believers, “not the strong lecturing the weak about life.” Mixed Reactions to Lopez Concert Lopez’s August 7 performance at Tashkent’s Bunyodkor Stadium, part of her “Up All Night – Live in 2025” world tour, drew mixed reactions online. Some praised her discipline and appearance, while others criticized her revealing outfits. Psychogenetics specialist Maryam Mahmudova told her Instagram followers that Lopez’s appearance reflected years of disciplined self-care. “At 56, she maintains her figure thanks to discipline. We, on the other hand, often feel worn out before 40, with no goals or passion. We have no right to judge anyone, instead, we should learn discipline from her, because discipline is a form of self-love,” she said. Neurologist Bahtigul Holmurodova, who followed the concert via social media, commented: “Yesterday, JLo once again showed all Uzbeks what...

Suicide

Over 100 Female Suicides Reported in Tajikistan in First Half of 2025

In the first six months of 2025, 102 women and 30 girls died by suicide in Tajikistan, according to figures announced by Bunafsha Fayziddinzoda, head of the Committee on Women and Family Affairs. Disturbing Trends While the overall number of female suicides declined by eight cases compared to the same period in 2024, the number among girls rose by six. The Committee has been conducting large-scale preventive efforts. As part of its outreach, 430,264 families were visited in a “door-to-door” campaign, accompanied by 3,847 “district-to-district” and “village-to-village” meetings and 795 school-based awareness events. Gender-Based Violence: Not Just a Women’s Issue From January to June 2025, authorities recorded 2,121 cases of violence, 277 more than in the same period last year. Women accounted for 1,763 of these cases, up by 256, while cases involving men fell to 251, a decline of 86. Fayziddinzoda cited the primary causes of domestic violence as spousal conflict, jealousy, third-party interference, and mental or physical illness. Economic and sexual violence were also reported. She added that in many cases, violence against men is perpetrated by in-laws, including a wife’s brothers, fathers, and uncles. In July, the Committee launched hotline 1313. It received 58 calls in its first month, nine of them from men. According to Azimova, male callers reported abuse by wives, daughters-in-law, and in some cases, their own mothers. Children and Marriage Official data showed that 30,356 marriages were registered in the first half of 2025, a slight increase of 78 from the same period in 2024. However, 4,117 marriages were dissolved, affecting 3,632 children. While divorces decreased by 291 cases, 230 court-sanctioned marriages involving minors were also registered, 100 fewer than last year. Nonetheless, 26 early marriages involving underage girls were reported. Those responsible have been prosecuted under Articles 168 and 169 of the Criminal Code. Penalties include fines of up to 150,000 somoni ($15,700), corrective labor, or up to five years of restricted liberty. Education Access and Structural Challenges Obstacles to compulsory secondary education also increased: 271 cases were recorded, 59 more than in the previous year. Those found guilty, usually parents or guardians, face prosecution under Article 164 of the Criminal Code, with penalties of up to $9,500 in fines, compulsory labor, or up to two years of imprisonment. Compulsory education in Tajikistan now includes grades 10 and 11, a move implemented in 2024 to combat early marriage, particularly in rural regions where girls were often removed from school after grade 9. Azimova stressed that violence is not confined to socially disadvantaged families. “Today, there are people who are seen as model citizens, even hajis, who unfortunately behave unacceptably toward their wives and children, unbeknownst to those around them,” she said. The Committee reiterated that violence and crime cut across all segments of society and must be addressed universally.