Definition of Youth

Tajikistan’s national youth law, The Youth and Youth Policy (2004) defines youth as persons aged 14-30.

TJK

Marriageable Age

  • Opposite Sex
  • Same Sex
  • Without parental consent
  • with parental consent
  • Male
  • 18
  • 17
  • --
  • Female
  • 18
  • 17
  • --



    • No specific legislation for same-sex marriage. Source: UNSD, ILGA

Candidacy Age

Criminal Responsibility

14
Minimum Age
From 14 years of age a child will be considered liable for serious crimes, for minor crimes liability is set at 16 years of age. Source:  Criminal Code of Tajikistan
(1998)

Majority Age

18

Source: Criminal Code of Tajikistan (1998)

Voting Age

18


Source:  Inter-Parliamentary Union

Situation of Young People

Youth Development Index

0.52
114 out of 170 countries.

Literacy Rates

99.88%
Both sexes (15-24) %
  • 99.86% Male (15-24) %
  • 99.89% Female (15-24) %

Net Enrolment Rate

Secondary School
83.17%
Both sexes %
  • 87.56%Male %
  • 78.61% Female %

Situation of Young People

Prevalence of HIV

0.1%
Male (15-24) %
0.1%
Female (15-24) %

Tobacco Use

Consumed any smokeless or smoking tobacco product at least once 30 days prior to the survey.
5.10%
Both sexes (13-15) %
  • 6.80% Male (13-15) %
  • 2.80% Female (13-15) %
  • Year: 2010
  • Source: WHO

Policy & Legislation

Is there a national youth policy?
Yes
Tajikistan has a youth law, a youth policy and a youth programme. A 2010 book has details.

The national youth law (2004) defines the parametres of a youth policy: its principles & measures; bodies responsible for implementation, and; employment, education & health rights. It also mandates that funding be allocated for the implementation of a youth policy.   The main priorities of the national youth policy (2006) are: ensuring rights and freedoms of youth; guarantees on education, labour and employment; creating conditions for professional, spiritual and physical development; supporting young talent; social protection; prevention of religious extremism, and; the promotion of youth organisations.   The Youth Programme (2012) is a practical guide on the implementation of a social development programme for youth. It is aimed at authorised government bodies responsible for youth.

Public Institutions

Is there a governmental authority
(ministry, department or office) that is primarily responsible for youth?
Yes
The national youth policy (2006) assigns the Committee on Youth Affairs to be the government agency responsible for the implementation of the policy, together with other ministries, agency and local authorities. According to a 2010 book on Tajikistan's youth policy, the main objectives of the committee are also to provide legal and normative assistance in formation of state policy, developing measures to evaluate the implementation of the youth policy, and the arrange cooperation with international and foreign youth organisations.

Youth and Representation

Does the country have a national youth organisation / association (council, platform, body)?
No
While Tajikistan has a national level youth law (2004) and policy (2006), there is no national level youth council. Instead, various initiatives exist to create provincial or local level councils with foreign or international assistance. For example, in 2012 the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF) provided funding to create a youth council in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO), and the US-based National Endowment for Democracy has pledged funding for the establishment of various local youth councils.

Budget & Spending

What is the budget allocated to the governmental authority (ministry, department or office) that is primarily responsible for youth and/or youth programming?
TJS 2.2 million
USD 460,801
According to a 2010 book on Tajikistan's youth policy, the budget allocated for the national programme “Youth of Tajikistan” for 2007-2009 was TJS 2.2 million (USD 460, 801). Data for the youth budget in more recent years could not be found. According to the World Bank, Tajikistan spent 13.82% of its government expenditure and 3.94% of its GDP on education provision in 2011.
Total Expenditure on Education as a Percentage of Government Spending and GDP

  • % of GDP
  • % of gov. expenditure

Source: World Bank
Gaps indicate missing data from the original data source. (Accessed August 2013).

Additional Background

From Youth Policy Development in Tajikistan for the Turn of the XXI Century (2010):  
The legislation [National Youth Law] contained 6 chapters and 32 articles aimed at providing integrated services in the field of breeding, education, culture, health and economy of young people [...]   Youth policy - is a cross-sectoral policy in this case, all actions are aimed in implementing of youth policies and have a cross-sectoral nature. The competence of state bodies for youth are also interdisciplinary i.e. the structure of youth have right to attract and [be] guided by the respective state authorities in the framework of the state youth policy implementation.