Outcome KGZ_O_2

Increased engagement of partners in support of UN-Women’s mandate

The scope and diversity of partners have been substantially expanded in 2021 representing the new group of stakeholders, who are not associated with gender equality agenda in a conventional way, but who turn to be real advocates of GEWE in their activities, and share and support UN Women mandate. Expansion and exposure to new unconventional partners was made by UN Women throughout the year 2021 by applying ‘Whole of society mobilisation’ approach, leading to the following results : 29 high government officials had buy-in and tested innovative approaches in holding consultations with communities in the process of Batken Development Programme planning. While close to 400 community members representing three districts of Batken province made statements that for the first time they feel to be listened and heard by high-officials, members of state working group stated that they were amazed of the wealth of data and information they were able to collect by applying innovative methodology for consultations. Government partners (deputy minister of agriculture, head of department of President’s office) noted on the plans to apply this methodology in the process of strategic planning in other provinces. 365 partners – learned how to apply human centric thinking as part of design thinking process. Design thinking was applied for co-creation and prototyping solutions for a wide range of topics – ‘Survivor centric approach in EVAWG’; ‘Women leadership and political participation’; ‘Women Peace and security’ 7 representatives of traditionalists defined safe entry points between traditional values and GEWE principles – becoming real allies in promoting rights and equality concepts among traditional groups The group of 5 akyns (poets) and 4 artists have transformed their understanding of gender equality concept and started promoting the ideas of equality, zero tolerance to violence, respect to freedom of rights among wider population Representatives of 18 Media outlets enhanced their knowledge of gender concept and the role of media in formation of public mindsets in a way that it contributes to equal, fair, harmonious and effective development. The chairmen of government agency - Financial Market Regulation and Supervision Services and 3 representative of private sector partners jointly explored the possibilities of collaboration for promotion of GEWE priorities in economic and social, spheres. In partnership with the Stock exchange and IFC, UN Women conducted a joint event ‘Ring the Bell for Gender Equality’, which resulted in the expression of interest of several private companies to become signatories to the Women Empowerment Principles. 152 female entrepreneurs and partners benefitted from participation at the virtual regional Women’s Entrepreneurship Expo. Campaign on “Buy from Women of Kyrgyzstan’ as the ‘E-Commerce’ tool for accelerating marketing channels – has been one of the approaches successfully tested in 2021. T he ‘Buy From Women’ E-platform currently has a data-base consisting of 1,159 women, of which the profiles of 300 women entrepreneurs were designed and posted on the online marketplace ( https://buyfromwomenkg.com ), providing opportunities for women entrepreneurs for presenting their business ideas and expanding their access to potential investors and buyers. The partnership with the 7 Directors of Regional Multimedia Centers (RMMC), Department of Information and Mass Communication under the Ministry of Culture, Information, Sports and Youth policy, under the direct leadership of the Minister resulted in joint planning of collaboration activities for 2021, including systematic gender-sensitive content creation and operational news coverage on GEWE issues ( https://culture.akipress.org/news:1677738/?from=mportal&place=project https://www.facebook.com/minculturegovkg/posts/3924243117598749 ). 2021 was an important year for defining and fostering the new expanded group of allies and co-thinkers. In 2022 The CO will follow the approach of ‘Consolidating -Sharing and Upscaling’ in close partnership with government, CSOs and expert community.

Increased engagement of partners in support of UN-Women’s mandate

In 2022, the UN team – through the SI program – provided an extensive support to the Parliamentary Council on Women and Children Rights and Gender Equality, which was established in March 2022 as a consultative advisory body under the Parliament of the Kyrgyz Republic. The Council aims to contribute to the improvement of the legislative base for the promotion of GEWE. This Council has replaced the previous Council on Protection from Gender-Based Violence set up under the previous parliamentary convocation. The key distinction is that the new Council provides a platform for civil society engagement. Alongside the support to build the organizational structure of the council, the UN team supports women members of parliament’s efforts to conduct open consultations with key stakeholders such as survivors of gender-based violence, law enforcement, lawyers, the judiciary, healthcare personnel, and civil society organizations that work with survivors of gender-based violence, and national statistics offices, to collect views on the effectiveness of existing measures and specific areas of legislative weaknesses. In April-May 2022, the UN team (UNDP, UN Women, UNFPA, OHCHR, UNICEF) conducted a series of trainings to the members of parliament as an orientation training on parliamentarism, including a special session on the gender equality concept and principles in law making. In 2022, the UN support to the legal inventory process was continued (over 360 laws have been reviewed). Currently, the Council members initiated amendments to the following laws: “On safeguarding and protection from domestic violence”, Criminal Code, Code on Criminal Procedure and Code of Contraventions, Labor Code (to introduce sexual harassment definition and provisions). In 2022, the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic, led by the Vice-chair of the cabinet, planned to continue an initiative on the launch of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence. Last year, on 25 November, the campaign was launched in the Batken province together with women from Batken and Working Group members of the CEDAW Delegation that presented the country’s periodic report during the 80th CEDAW session in November 2021. In 2022, UN Women has introduced the Harmonized Approach to support the government partners in addressing key recommendations and concluding observations of Treaty Bodies on human rights and elimination of VAWG. This will help to streamline multi-sectoral efforts of the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic in the adoption of measures to strengthen services for survivors of violence during the global crisis, and the integration of special measures on prevention and response to VAWG into national plans. UN Team under the SI program have jointly progressed the work on EVAWG, each working in its comparative area, but collectively contributing to changes, including on: GEWE policy making by support the adoption of the Gender Equality Strategy-2030 and its National Action Plan (led by UN Women); making inventory, analysis of bylaws following adoption of new CC, CPC, development of practical guide and presentation of the guide to the MIA Jointly with GPO, MIA with the focus on violence against children(UNICEF); extending support to Probation Department in piloting correctional programs for violence perpetrators in communities (UNODC); support in the establishment of Free Legal Aid Hotline, including consultations for SGBV survivors in line with the new SGLA law, and promotion of pro-bono culture among lawyers and other legal aid CSOs/associations through consultations, dialogue platforms and media outreach components, including Women's Access to Justice Research (UNDP); providing support to the Ministry of labor, social protection and migration to roll out training package to strengthen the quality and delivery of services for women and girls with disabilities (UNFPA).