December 7, 2023 at the conference hall of the Hyatt Hotel in Bishkek City was held a press cafe in the framework of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, which is celebrated annually on December 3 and 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, which starts on November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and continues until December 10 – Human Rights Day.

In Kyrgyzstan, girls and women, including those with disabilities, are most often subjected to violence. Very often they are unable to report violence against them due to isolation, ignorance of their rights, helplessness, dependency and discrimination.

The Press Cafe is organized for the purpose of:

• contributing to the reduction of violence against women and girls;
• improving journalists’ awareness of gender aspects of inclusive development in Kyrgyzstan;
• promoting wider and better quality coverage of issues related to the protection of the rights of women and girls with disabilities in the media of the Kyrgyz Republic;
• establishing contacts between experts and activists of organisations protecting the rights of women and girls with disabilities and the media community.

At the Press Cafe was participated journalists, representatives of government agencies, civil society organizations, women with disabilities, development partners, media and gender experts.

Within the framework of the press cafe the representatives of the Ministry of Labor, Social Protection and Migration of the Kyrgyz Republic and of the European Union Delegation in the Kyrgyz Republic are made a speeches.

Ms. Janyl Alybaeva, Deputy Minister of Labor, Social Protection and Migration of the Kyrgyz Republic in her welcoming speech noted that prevention of gender and family violence, including against women and girls with disabilities, is one of the priority tasks of the state. In this regard, the head of the Cabinet of Ministers gave a number of instructions to all plenipotentiary representatives of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic in the regions and to all government agencies to strengthen preventive work to prevent family violence and to make proposals for the phased introduction of social workers who will work with families with children in difficult life situations. Within the framework of the state social order, the amount of funding for the support of crisis centers will be increased.

And also thanked on behalf of the authorized state body in the field of gender policy, the Delegation of the European Union in the Kyrgyz Republic for supporting the efforts of the government and civil society of Kyrgyzstan to develop democracy, protection of human rights and promotion of gender and social equality in our country and noted that the Ministry welcomes and supports the activities of the project “InKoom – To promote fair and inclusive society in Kyrgyzstan” aimed at strengthening the capacity of organizations and civil society in Kyrgyzstan.

Mr. Hans Farnhammer, Head of Cooperation of the Delegation of the European Union to the Kyrgyz Republic in his speech noted that the European Union has previously supported and will continue to support the efforts of the Government and civil society of the Kyrgyz Republic to ensure equal rights and equal opportunities for women and men, girls and boys, especially for women and children with disabilities.

“Equality, along with human rights, freedom and democracy, is one of the basic values underpinning the European Union. Gender equality enriches society, makes it more sustainable. It is an indispensable component of peace, security, economic prosperity and sustainable development. The protection and promotion of gender equality is a binding obligation under the Treaties of the European Union”, concluded the representative of the European Union in the Kyrgyz Republic. 

Then there was a quiz, where valuable prizes and merchandise of the project were raffled off:

Ms. Zulfia Kochorbaeva, Director of PA “Social Technologies Agency” introduced the goals and objectives and interim results of the project “InKoom – To promote fair and inclusive society in Kyrgyzstan” aimed at strengthening the capacity of civil society, women’s and youth organizations to combat discrimination in all its forms and especially violence against women, as well as promoting policy dialogue on gender equality and women’s rights, and ensuring active participation and inclusive development, with the support of women’s and youth organizations.

 This was followed by presentations of sub-grantees of the project “InKoom” on preventing and responding to gender discrimination and economic empowerment of women with disabilities.

Ms. Zulfia Turumbekova, Director of the PA” Kyrgyz Association of Women Judges ” (hereinafter – KAWJ) told about the sub-grant implemented by KAWJ, the main objective of which is to contribute to the improvement of coordinated interagency cooperation in preventing and responding to gender discrimination, including women with disabilities, through comprehensive analysis, capacity building of responsible relevant state bodies, local self-government bodies and by adopting and / or updating operational standards.

Ukey Muratalieva in her speech spoke about the second sub-grant and noted that under the sub-grant released by “Nazik-Kyz” it is expected that more than 100 women and girls with disabilities will be covered under flexible skills trainings, more than 50 women and girls with disabilities in Bishkek and Osh will be trained in new professions and at least 40 trained women and girls with disabilities will be successfully employed (permanent or freelance employment), including through the formation and dissemination of a database of trained women among potential employers, organization of job fairs, informing campaigns, etc., as well as through the creation and dissemination of a database of trained women among potential employers.

Ms. Biryukova Victoria made a presentation and spoke about the Baseline Research of the project “Gender and Inclusive Development in Kyrgyzstan: Challenges and Recommendations”, in her speech she presented data according to which all over the world girls and women with disabilities face serious obstacles in public and private space, discrimination. International law recognizes that women and girls are more vulnerable to violence and are subject to multiple discrimination. The activist stressed that it is important and necessary to continue work on gender and inclusion in the country, to conduct it at all levels of interagency cooperation with the mandatory involvement of civil society organizations working with people with disabilities.

At the press cafe there was a presentation of activists of organizations for the protection of the rights of women and girls with disabilities and an opportunity to interview them on various topics: Access to education, economic opportunities, political participation, reproductive rights, gender and family violence, women’s leadership and others.

The press cafe is organized by the project “InKoom – To promote fair and inclusive society in Kyrgyzstan” is implemented by the PA “Social Technologies Agency” with the financial support of the European Union in the period 2022-2025.

Materials of the event in Russian and Kyrgyz languages are available here and on the website and in social networks of PA “Social Technologies Agency”.