Kyrgyzstan: regional CSOs to monitor violations of the rights of women and girls
Bishkek, 1 March 2022
Published by UNDP
Experts on gender violence concluded a two-day workshop today where representatives of 20 non-governmental organisations from across the country examined tools for monitoring of legislation on the eradication of violence against women and girls. They also tested tools to analyse the violations of law by police, medical and social workers, prosecutors and judges responsible for prevention and response of gender based violence. The pilot training was organised by the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative together with the Association “Gender Information Centre.”
Monitoring of cases related to gender-based violence will take place from April to May in three pilot provinces: Naryn, Osh and Chui.
Tolkun Tyulekova, gender expert and chairwoman of the Association of Crisis Centres stressed: “A unified approach of civil monitoring in the process of protecting the rights and interests of women survivors of violence will strengthen their voices to fight against illegal and unjust decisions. Through universal monitoring, the unprofessionalism, corruption and incompetence of representatives of agencies tasked with ensuring legality of decisions and protection of victims’ rights would be exposed, which would ultimately improve transparency and openness of law enforcement and judicial practices.”
In order to improve monitoring tools, participants tested proposed unified methodology developed both for individual cases and at the policy level as a methodological aid for representatives of NGOs, local activists, gender experts promoting women’s rights and legitimate interests.
“Monitoring violations of women’s rights and legislation is very important as it allows to bring to the attention of authorities the gaps in the mechanisms of implementation of newly adopted laws and jointly address these gaps to achieve the rule of law and effective protection of the rights of women and girls in Kyrgyzstan. Due to gaps in legislation and corrupt mechanisms within law enforcement and the judiciary, dozens of court cases remain unresolved and continue year after year. For example, there are cases from 2013, there are cases that have been ineffectively investigated for two years, they are stopped, and women with children cannot find justice and bring the rapists to justice.” said Kamil Ruziyev, head of NGO Ventus and human rights activist.
The Spotlight Initiative , together with Gender Information Centre, will continue to train regional NGOs in this methodology and provide grant support to civil society in monitoring and analysis of violations of women and girls’ rights.
About the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative
In January 2020, in partnership with the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic, the EU and the UN launched a multi-year country programme under the global Spotlight Initiative to eradicate all forms of violence against women and girls. The aim of the programme is to create an environment in which all women and girls in Kyrgyzstan, especially the most vulnerable, live free from violence and harmful practices, including child marriage and ala kachuu. The programme includes a set of integrated policy and legislative measures, institutional strengthening, violence prevention, services for survivors of violence, quality data collection and support for the women’s movement and civil society. The programme is implemented by five UN agencies (UN Women, UNFPA, UNDP, UNICEF and UNODC) under the overall leadership of the UN Resident Coordinator in the Kyrgyz Republic.
