According to the draft Police Reform Strategy, one of the key elements of the Police Reform Programme was the inclusion of Tajik civil society into the police reform process. Therefore, a Dushanbe-based Civil Society Working Group (CSWG), consisting of influential and active representatives of the Tajik civil society, was created. In co-operation with civil society groups, local representatives from Rasht, GBAO, Sughd and Khatlon regions were selected to liaise with the CSWG, in order to ensure equal and balanced representation of other regions of the country in the CSWG. Human Rights and Police From 19-29 January, within the frame of the ODIHR/OSCE Project on Human Rights and Terrorism, a study tour to Croatia was organized for the Working Group consisting of Instructors from the Academy of the MIA, the Police Training Centre and the Higher School of the State Committee on National Security. This event marked an important step in integrating a full course on countering terrorism while protecting human rights into the regular curriculum of key national institutions in Tajikistan. The initial course was a key element of ODIHR’s mandate to provide technical assistance and support participating States in the development and implementation of effective counter-terrorism strategies. It was also a good fit for the OSCE OiT police reform activities to foster the skill development of operational managers dealing with counter-terrorism. Participants brainstormed on identifying the challenges and different approaches to teaching human rights to law enforcement officers in Tajikistan. The Tajik Delegation was introduced to curricula in the area of Human Rights and Terrorism by the Police Academy of Croatia. During the study tour, the Tajik and Croatian Delegations agreed to exchange knowledge and practice from both sides. Gender-sensitive Policing In all of the OiT’s police-related activities, the selection of participants equally targeted male and female officers. Female participation was promoted in the Host country. The Counter Terrorism and Police Unit constantly researched new approaches to integrate gender mainstreaming in police reform and utilized the recommendations of the OSCE Gender Section. In January, the MIA announced new appointments to some of the senior positions in the Ministry. For the first time, a woman was appointed Adviser to the Minister of Internal Affairs. This female officer was also a member of the MoIA-OSCE working group on gendersensitive policing. Cybercrime On 19-21 September, the OiT supported the participation of the Head of the Organized Crime Department of the MIA, together with the Deputy Head of the International Department, at the “OSCE Annual Police Experts Meeting” on “Fighting the Threat of Cyber Crime” in Vienna (see also chapter 2.2). Counter-Terrorism and Police In support of the counter-terrorism approach of the MIA in responding to violent extremism and terrorism, the OiT focused on strengthening the capacity of law enforcement operational managers to conduct and apply professional counter-terrorism measures and examine strategic approaches to violent extremism and terrorism. Furthermore, the Office continued to develop awareness-raising and training activities addressing broader issues of VERLT, such as situation analysis, needs assessment and capacity building, targeting officials from the MIA, the State Committee for National Security as well as civil society. 140