Outcome KGZ_D_1.1

SN Outcome 1/UNSDCF Outcome 2: By 2027, the well-being of the population of the Kyrgyz Republic will have improved through the further rollout of a green economy based on sustainable and healthy food systems natural resource management, and effective migration processes, by accelerating the use of gender transformative social and technological innovations and entrepreneurship.

In 2024, Kyrgyzstan made notable strides toward advancing Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE), largely driven by key legislative reforms, government initiatives, and partnerships aimed at addressing gender disparities in the workforce and fostering entrepreneurship. The ratification of ILO Convention No. 190 on February 28, 2024, strengthened the policy framework for eliminating violence and harassment in the workplace. This outcome directly contributed to improving protections for women, enabling safer work environments and increased access to decent employment opportunities. Preparations by the Ministry of Education and Science for a pilot voucher system for early childhood education, set to launch in September 2025, represented a foundational step toward expanding access to preschool education, creating employment opportunities for women, and addressing barriers to their full economic participation. Similarly, an amendment to the Law on the Protection of the Rights of Entrepreneurs, enacted on December 4, 2024, integrated "women’s entrepreneurship" into the legal framework. This reform increased recognition of women-led businesses and set the stage for greater access to finance, enhanced state support, and improved participation of women entrepreneurs in the national economy. The approval of the State Programme to support Women’s Leadership until 2030, signed in March 2024, was a significant milestone in promoting women’s leadership in political, economic, and public life. These achievements reflect increased national ownership and commitment to gender equality and WEE. However, challenges persist. National labor statistics reveal a significant gender gap, with women’s labor force participation at 53.5% compared to 79% for men. Among youth aged 15–28, only 30.9% of women participate in the labor force compared to 63.1% of men, with youth unemployment disproportionately affecting women (12.9% vs. 7.6% for men). Limited childcare access—only 25% of children in Kyrgyzstan are enrolled in preschool—further exacerbates barriers to women’s employment. Youth not in education, employment, or training (NEET) remain a critical concern, with women representing 27.3% of the NEET population, nearly 2.4 times higher than men. Furthermore, the Ministry of Education and Science began preparations for launching a pilot voucher system for financing early childhood education services starting from September 2025. This initiative aims to increase access to preschool education and create new employment opportunities, particularly for vulnerable women. The voucher system is expected to expand job creation in sectors related to early childhood education, directly supporting women’s labor force participation and contributing to improved income security. Through the close collaboration with Ministry of Economy, Kyrgyzpatent , GIZ, Aga Khan Foundation, and Accelerate Prosperity, UN Women supported women entrepreneurs and innovators by increasing access to investment, business skills training, and market linkages. A s a result, a total of 132 women entrepreneurs enhanced their skills in business modeling, pitch development, and market expansion through the online Business Bootcamp, delivered by Accelerate Prosperity in close partnership with UN Women. The bootcamp attracted a diverse group of participants from across Central Asia, including 68 from Kyrgyzstan, 43 from Kazakhstan, 13 from Tajikistan, and 8 from Uzbekistan. During the program, five women entrepreneurs showcased their business potential through impactful pitches, highlighting investment opportunities and demonstrating their readiness for growth. UN Women played a catalytic role in advancing WEE in Kyrgyzstan through strategic partnerships, capacity-building, and advocacy initiatives. The Women’s Entrepreneurship EXPO-2024, redesigned as an innovative platform, engaged over 5,000 participants from Kyrgyzstan. This new format enabled women entrepreneurs to showcase their businesses, strengthen connections with partners, and access capacity-building opportunities. While no direct investments were secured during the event, it significantly enhanced the visibility of women-led businesses and positioned them for future growth and collaboration. Kyal Akkuchukulova, an entrepreneur and participant in EXPO-2024, turned her business into a platform for empowerment and cultural preservation. During a 16-day campaign to prevent violence, supported by UN Women, she sold 250 scarves in one month, earning 320,000 KGS—a significant leap from her previous annual sales of 100 scarves worth 120,000 KGS. The impact of EXPO and UN Women on Kyal's journey has been transformative. Through EXPO, she gained access to new markets and partners, significantly scaling her business and reaching a broader audience. This opportunity allowed her to transition from being a local entrepreneur to a businesswoman with a growing influence. She also developed as a leader, becoming a role model for other women while using her platform to promote empowerment and preserve cultural traditions. Beyond her personal success, Kyal's work has made a difference in her community, as her scarves, steeped in heritage, tell stories that raise awareness about the importance of supporting women in need. Inspired by her achievements, Kyal is now planning for the future. She will participate in a women’s entrepreneurship Bootcamp 2025 to further expand her business, attract investments, and launch a new project focused on educational coloring books for children. UN Women further supported the Central Asia Women’s Dialogue, convened on November 15, 2024, which brought together 20 women innovators to address challenges in scaling women-led innovations. The dialogue produced actionable recommendations, including enhancing regional collaboration, increasing access to financing, and supporting commercialization of locally sourced innovations, contributing to sustainable development goals. The successful organization of the 4th "Ring the Bell for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE)" event marked a key milestone in advancing gender equality in Kyrgyzstan. During the event, 69 participants (46 women and 23 men) enhanced their capacity to understand and advocate for gender-responsive financial practices, contributing to the development of a more inclusive financial ecosystem and creating sustainable economic opportunities for women and girls. The event brought together high-level representatives from the Kyrgyz Presidential Administration, the Secretariat of the Investment Council under the Cabinet of Ministers, the Financial Market Regulatory Service, the Swiss Embassy, and UN Women Kyrgyzstan. It served as a dynamic platform for dialogue on critical issues, including investment in women and girls, access to finance, and the broader socio-economic benefits of gender equality. A key outcome of the event was the commitment by the Kyrgyz Stock Exchange to organize gender equality training for government and private sector stakeholders which was delivered in May 2024. This initiative addressed a critical gap in gender knowledge and advocacy within the financial sector, paving the way for more gender-sensitive financial policies and practices. Kyrgyzstan’s progress in WEE aligns with gender equality goals, but persistent challenges like labor force disparities and limited childcare access underscore the need for continued efforts. UN Women will continue serve as a key partner leveraging its expertise and strategic partnerships to foster inclusive economic growth and gender equality in Kyrgyzstan. Interview of UN UN Women Representative and Accelerate Prosperity on ELTR TV News: Vechernyi Bishkek_EXPO-2024 News:Ministry of Economy_EXPO-2024 Link to video: Video_EXPO-2024.mp4 Link to photos: EXPO-2024 Women's Enterpreneurship CAWLC_package_eng.pdf

SN Outcome 1/UNSDCF Outcome 2: By 2027, the well-being of the population of the Kyrgyz Republic will have improved through the further rollout of a green economy based on sustainable and healthy food systems natural resource management, and effective migration processes, by accelerating the use of gender transformative social and technological innovations and entrepreneurship.

In a context where women entrepreneurs continue to face structural barriers—particularly limited access to credit driven by collateral requirements, sectoral segmentation, and gender bias—2025 marked a shift from problem recognition to institutional commitment. State-owned financial and transport actors, including a national bank and an international airport authority, publicly aligned with gender-responsive governance frameworks such as the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) standards. This signaled a transition toward embedding gender equality within core business strategies rather than treating it as a peripheral concern. UN Women contributed to this shift by repositioning WEPs and ESG frameworks from advocacy instruments to operational standards for sustainable economic performance. Through sustained engagement with ministries responsible for economic policy and labour, the Kyrgyz Stock Exchange, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and national financial institutions, UN Women supported greater alignment between public and private sector narratives on gender-responsive finance and inclusive growth. This convergence enabled key institutions—most notably Eldik Bank and Manas International Airport—to formalize commitments to gender-responsive governance, representing progress toward system-level accountability in sectors critical to trade, mobility, and economic diversification. Change was also evident within the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Women entrepreneurs increasingly engaged as economic actors within sustainable markets, rather than as recipients of short-term support. Regional and national platforms strengthened linkages between women-led enterprises, investors, suppliers, and markets, contributing to improved readiness of women-owned businesses to participate in green and resilient value chains, particularly in agribusiness, food systems, and service sectors. UN Women supported this transformation by strengthening the enabling environment rather than focusing on individual enterprises. In collaboration with regional partners, women’s business networks, and market actors, UN Women reinforced access to knowledge, mentorship, and strategic partnerships necessary for sustainable market participation. At the policy level, women’s economic empowerment gained greater visibility within national sustainable development discourse, contributing to improved coherence between SDG commitments and economic reform agendas. UN Women played a catalytic role by integrating gender-responsive economic analysis into national SDG reporting processes, including the 2025 Voluntary National Review. By introducing evidence-based analysis into policy dialogue, UN Women helped position gender-responsive financial systems as a prerequisite for achieving SDGs related to decent work, economic growth, and sustainable consumption, reinforcing accountability across public and private institutions.

SN Outcome 1/UNSDCF Outcome 2: By 2027, the well-being of the population of the Kyrgyz Republic will have improved through the further rollout of a green economy based on sustainable and healthy food systems natural resource management, and effective migration processes, by accelerating the use of gender transformative social and technological innovations and entrepreneurship.

The year 2023 was the first year of SN implementation and therefore the CO has made some progress in achieving this Outcome. Women increased their access to income as a result of UN Women’s continued strategic partnership with the Bank of Asia. During the reporting year, 121 people (110 women and 11 men) secured jobs created as a result of 7 women-led enterprises and 2 enterprises (where the majority of employees are women) receiving loans worth KGS 36,235,000 through the ‘Ishker Ayim’ credit line under the Gender Bonds launched by the Bank of Asia in 2022. UN Women serves as an observer on the Credit Committee and provides technical advisory support to ensure gender equality considerations in the process of selecting and approving business plans of women entrepreneurs for crediting. Women entrepreneurs are actively increasing their awareness on the Ishker Ayim credit line, through dissemination by UN Women, including through the Women EXPO 2023 platform. With technical support from UN Women, Bank of Asia approved a number of documents, policies and concepts to support gender equality within its internal procedures, as well as a social finance policy, Code of Corporate Governance, etc. Based on the results of the audit for compliance with ICMA (International Capital Market Association) principles, Bank of Asia received a "second (alternative) opinion" from the GFC Green Finance Centre in Astana. In addition, at the end of 2022, Bank Asia embarked on an ESG transformation and ESG principles are an important development component in the Bank's current strategy. Front offices, where 64 per cent of employees are professional women, to senior management on the Board of Directors and shareholders increased their knowledge on the principle of fender equality through information sharing at all levels of operations management by the Bank. UN Women conducted the series of sessions with the management of the Bank of Asia and other private companies to discuss on the benefits of applying WEP and how these principles contribute to the profitability of the business.