As Farzona Abdulqaisova reports, large numbers of women who are first wives have not registered their marriage with the state authorities, so they too will find it hard to make any claim to property or housing if they get divorced.
Experts say the position of women has worsened in Tajikistan over the last 15 years, despite laws that guarantee equal rights. Many are unaware of the security a legally-registered marriage provides them. For more on this issue, see Marriage Vows Not Always Enough in Tajikistan, RCA No. 564, 30-Jan-09.)