Tajikistan

Acted has been present in Tajikistan since 1996, contributing to addressing the country’s main challenges and fostering opportunities for sustainable and inclusive development, especially in rural and remote communities. Throughout the years, Acted has used a participatory, inclusive and multi-sectoral approach to respond to emergencies, build disaster resilience including through better natural resource management, and strengthen civil society.

Tajikistan faces a range of humanitarian and developmental challenges; chief among them the impacts of climate change. Globally, the Central Asian region – and Tajikistan in particular – is considered to be among the most vulnerable regions to climate change, with 53% of the population dependent on small-scale agriculture and over 80% of farmland reliant solely on rainfall. Extreme weather events (such as floods, droughts, avalanches, and landslides) regularly destroy land, crops, infrastructures, and livelihoods. In addition, as a result of climate change, those are further exacerbated by melting of glaciers, shifting raining patterns, prolonged droughts, among others. 

Moreover, 31-44% of the population are food insecure, which makes vulnerable groups even further exposed to climate change risks. 

Additionally, gender inequality and the marginalization of vulnerable groups persist. The ongoing instability in neighboring Afghanistan further compounds these issues, with a rising number of refugees seeking safety in Tajikistan. 

 

Key development challenges 

▪ Increasingly frequent and severe natural disasters exacerbated by climate change 

▪ Unsustainable natural resource management 

▪ Lack of income opportunities 

▪ High outbound labour migration 

▪ Gender inequality 

▪ Dilapidated infrastructure 

▪ Challenging operating environment for civil society actors 

▪ Food insecurity 

Acted in Tajikistan

405,104+
people benefited from Acted's activities in 2022
20
projects were implemented in 2022
1,4M+ USD
of annual budget in 2022
63
staff

Responding to the challenges posed by climate change within Zero Carbon strategic pillar, Acted is continuously developing it’s green programing in Tajikistan, and innovating through partnerships established within the framework of the 3ZERO House. Acted aims to: reduce the carbon footprint of our operations, in line with Acted’s organizational Greening strategy; ensure sustainable energy supply through business development for green energy; attract green financing; continue advocating for improved policy for the green economy (policy recommendations, public-private dialogue platforms, etc.); and promoting eco-tourism, including through establishing eco-certification schemes in Tajikistan. 

Within the strategic pillar Zero Poverty Acted is developing its programming on sustainable, inclusive economic growth across Tajikistan. This includes comprehensive programmes to strengthen existing value chains and foster sustainable economic growth, especially in rural communities. In addition, these programmes create inclusive opportunities, especially for small entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurships, and with focus on strengthening women. Existing initiatives on MSMEs incubation and acceleration, and social entrepreneurship is enhanced. 

In Tajikistan, Acted plays a leading role in strengthening local actors’ capacities to prevent gender-based and domestic violence and foster inclusive development by focusing on advancing women’s rights. To achieve this objective within the Zero Exclusion strategic pillar, Acted is encouraging the involvement of its local partners and civil society organisations by raising their awareness on the need to protect gender equality and social inclusion.  

Acted’s conceptual approach to effective governance is based upon an empowered, pluralistic civil society, social cohesion, and effective and responsive public institutions, with the goal of developing and enhancing local civil society and social accountability mechanisms.  

Demonstration of economically profitable climate smart agriculture method which is replicated by local farmers through cultivation of one year-long drought-resistant oilseed safflower on rain-fed lands in the Isfana watershed, Tajikistan © ACTED.
Visit of a Community-Based Tourism MSME in the remote mountainous region Rasht, valley, Tajikistan © ACTED.
Farmers of Yangiobod village Isfana watershed sowed "Elite" variety safflower seeds on rain-fed land. February 2022, Tajikistan © ACTED.
In Khishekat village, the farmers of the upper zone of Aksu watershed started to sow perennial esparcet seeds on snow cover in the rain-fed cropland taking into account the effectiveness of this method in achieving a high yield of grass used as fodder for livestock. March 2022, Tajikistan © ACTED.

Zero Poverty 

Acted pioneers dynamic, modern digital solutions to create new opportunities and strengthen the business environment in Tajikistan, to become increasingly entrepreneurship-friendly. 

To ensure that communities and authorities are prepared and able to respond to natural disasters, Acted re-established its programming on disaster preparedness, mitigation and response. As such, Acted is strengthening its partnerships with national and local authorities, and is exploring new partnerships with local actors to strengthen existing capacity and response systems. 

 

The project «Strengthening Civic Action towards achieving the SDGs» aims to strengthen inclusive development by engaging youth, promoting digital innovation, and encouraging social entrepreneurship. It focuses on fostering evidence-based policy dialogue with the government on issues of poverty, inequality, and the protection of vulnerable groups. By amplifying the impact of civil society organizations (CSOs) in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the project seeks to reduce vulnerability in the country (GOCA). 

 

Zero Exclusion 

Acted strongly believe that positive change comes from people. Acted continuously focusing on empowering and building capacity of civil society organisations to work for the benefit of their communities, promote inclusive and sustainable local development, and gender equality. We are utilising our signature Grassroots Organizations Capacity Assessment (GOCA) tool to strengthen CSO’s technical, financial and operational capacity. 

Acted works closely with local authorities and CSOs to promote good governance through data-driven decision making with the aim to strengthen social cohesion, while also building social accountability mechanisms. Supporting effective cooperation between authorities and CSOs, Acted works with CSOs to support them to produce, analyse and use credible data for advocacy with authorities; to engage public-private dialogue on economic policy issues; and to develop the capacity of media to deliver data-driven, analytical reporting on economic policy. 

Acted focuses it’s programing on promoting gender equality in Tajik society, aiming towards preventing gender-based violence through raising awareness for women’s rights across all layers of society, advocating for policy changes, supporting the establishment of local response mechanisms, and breaking gender stereotypes persistent in local culture. Acted is also broadening its existing youth artistic and economic empowerment programs (GOCA). 

 

National Resource Management 

Acted’s programme National Resource Management (NRM) within the flagship THRIVE aims to foster sustainable use of natural water and land (pasture, forest, climate smart agriculture) resources to fight poverty, prevent disasters and contribute to socio-economic development on a local level. By pioneering integrated watershed management planning, Acted is strengthening NRM capacities, improving communities’ disaster risk preparedness and response capacities, and empowering local civil society, especially women-led and youth organisations. 

 

3ZERO House Tajikistan 

The 3ZERO House Tajikistan is at the forefront of promoting inclusive economic opportunities by supporting MSMEs, start-ups, and civil society organizations through comprehensive capacity building. It also spearheads citizen-led climate initiatives, focusing on energy conservation and the adoption of renewable energy. Established by Acted Tajikistan in December 2022, the 3ZERO House serves as a unique collaborative hub that brings together civil society, public and private sector representatives, and other change-makers. United in their commitment to Zero Exclusion, Zero Carbon, and Zero Poverty, they work together to drive innovation and implement solutions to local challenges in climate change, economic development, and the inclusion of vulnerable populations.

Factsheet

June 2022

Country Factsheet June 2022
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Country Plan

Acted Tajikistan Country Plan
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Factsheet

Silk Road CBT Initiative
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Factsheet

Sustainable Energy for Tourism (SET)
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Factsheet

Effective Governance for Economic Development (EGED)
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Factsheet

Strengthening the capacity of Civil Society to ensure the protection of women at risk and survivors of domestic violence Regional Factsheet 2024
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Factsheet

STREAM Central Asia Factsheet 2024
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Factsheet

STREAM Tajikistan Factsheet 2024
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Current projects

Enhancing English Language Proficiency for the Legal Sector in Tajikistan
Anticipatory Action Tool
Enhancing Disaster Preparedness in disaster affected areas in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan
CSO-GO for GOVERNANCE: Strengthening Civic Action towards achieving the SDGs through youth engagement, digital innovation, and social entrepreneurship
STREAM – Sustainable Trans-boundary resource allocation mechanisms for peace in the Fergana Valley
Strengthening the capacity of civil society to ensure protection of women at-risks and survivors of domestic violence in Central Asia
National Water Resources Management Project
Bactria Cultural Center

The French humanitarian and development organization Acted founded Bactria Cultural Centre in Dushanbe  in December 2001. Since its inception, the  centre has not only facilitated the general public’s access to  culture, information and vocational training in Tajikistan, it  has also supported members of the artistic community who  were marginalized during the social and political upheaval following the civil war.

Throughout the years Bactria Culture  Centre has built a network of artists, curators, music producers, managers, students and other members of the Central Asian cultural community and connected them with audiences in the region.

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