This dissertation is guided by a two-part research question, which begins by asking why Tajikistan exhibits low levels of gender equality within the family despite strong international commitments and a formally secular legal framework. The second question builds on the first by asking why a state that offers legal guarantees in line with its international commitments, as outlined by Article 16 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), invests significant energy in discouraging divorce rather than in safeguarding women’s rights that would support their ability to leave harmful marital situations. Employing qualitative discourse analysis of the state magazine Religion and Society, in addition to public speeches and state policies, this dissertation argues that rather than simply falling short of its commitments to gender equality, or committing to them disingenuously, the Tajik state’s discouragement of divorce and promotion of traditional norms for women within the home constitute part of a broader effort to mitigate pressures exacerbated by globalization related to economics, national security, and national identity.
