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KYRGYZSTAN, TIME TO ACT! PDF Send Print

“We must unite. Violence against women cannot be tolerated, in any form, in any context, in any circumstance, by any political leaders or by any government”
Ban Ki-Moon, UN Secretary-General

March 5, 2010 in a press-conference devoted to official launch of “UNiTE TO END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN” Campaign of UN Secretary-General, took place in UN House. Mr. Neal Walker, UN Resident Coordinator in the Kyrgyz Republic, Ms. Guljamal Sultanalieva, member of parliament of the Kyrgyz Republic, Ms. Aigul Ryskulova, Minister of Labor, Employment and Migration, as well as Ms. Anara Niyazova, a member of Alliance for Women Legislative Initiatives, and Ms. Alexandra Eliferenko, President of Association of Crisis Centers, participated in the press-conference.

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As Neal Walker noted, the last decade has been characterized by significant progress in the area of implementation of commitments of the Kyrgyz Republic in the area of gender equality and women rights: the Kyrgyz Republic ratified Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women; it signed Millennium Declaration; international standards and norms were agreed; National Plan of Actions on Gender Equality, as well as laws, including Law of the Kyrgyz Republic “On Social and Legal Protection Against Domestic Violence” (2003) and Law of the Kyrgyz Republic “On State Guarantees for Equal Rights and Opportunities for Women and Men” (2008) were adopted.
 
However, notwithstanding the above, women of Kyrgyzstan still suffer from various forms of discrimination: their rights are violated, their opportunities are limited and their needs are ignored. One of the pervasive forms of discrimination and violation of women rights in Kyrgyzstan is violence against women, including bride kidnapping, polygamy, early marriages and domestic violence.

According to the research conducted by the Association of Crises Centers of Kyrgyzstan in 2009 (1680 married women or women living with partners were surveyed):
  • 83% of women respondents suffered from various forms of violence from their husbands or partners;
  • 29% of women suffer from physical violence in the form of battering, throwing items, threatening with knife or weapons;
  • 38 % of women suffered from physical violence were injured or mentally harmed as a result of cruel treatment;
  • 24% of women living in rural area had to marry due to forced bride kidnapping, whereas 15% of women were forced by the parents to marry. A number of early marriages is becoming a tendency raising concerns.
Under the above conditions the Campaign of the UN Secretary General, “Unite To End Violence Against Women” takes its way in Kyrgyzstan under the “Kyrgyzstan, it Time to Act!” slogan.
 
 
It is obvious that adoption or laws or policies shall not suffice for solving the problems. Specific and joint actions are required at all levels from politicians, business community and civil society organizations. Only through united efforts a society intolerable to violence against women can be formed.

The major component of the National Campaign shall include:
  • Manifestation of commitment of political leaders, heads of donor organizations, businessmen, representatives of art and sports to prevention and fight against violence; 
  • Mobilization of young people at the local level to disseminate the information about the problem of violence against women and girls in the society;
  • Collection of funds and practical support of public crises centers in helping the victims of violence.
The plan of activities of the National Campaign also includes joint activities of UN Agencies, the Government, the Parliament, civil society organizations, women network organizations and private companies. In particular, art workshops with participation of leading businessmen, celebrities in the area of arts and sportsmen, will be organised for creation of symbolic art pieces on the topic of life free of violence. Created works will be sold during the charitable auction and the collected funds will be used for support of the crises centers to be held on November 25, 2010 on the occasion of the International Day to End Violence against Women.

The National Campaign’s Partners:
Members of the Jogorku Kenesh;
Government;
Kumtor Operating Company;
International Business Council;
Rotary Club;
Union of Artists;
Asia Gallery;
Soros Foundation – Kyrgyzstan;
Association of Crises Centers;
Alliance for Women Legislative Initiatives;
Y-PEER Youth Network;
American University – Central Asia.

For more detailed information, please contact Ms. Anastasia Divisnkaya, UNIFEM Gender Adviser at: (anastasia.divinskaya@unifem.org 61 12 13).