Many positive efforts, but more work to be done in implementing gender laws in Kyrgyzstan, says OSCE's gender adviser

BISHKEK, 27 February, 2009 - Combating and eradicating gender-based violence, and helping improve existing legal mechanisms, were the main goals of a visit to Bishkek of Jamila Seftaoui, the OSCE's Senior Adviser on Gender Issues. 

During her three-day visit to Kyrgyzstan, which ended today, Seftaoui held meetings with members of the Parliamentary Committee on Gender Policy, representatives of the Government, Police Reform Department of the Interior Ministry and staff of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek.

"I took positive notice of Kyrgyzstan's efforts for gender equality and for combating violence against women. Parliamentary hearings and women NGOs initiatives proved to be crucial, however much more needs to be done to implement the laws, including training of the police and informing the general public about the laws' provisions," Seftaoui said.

Orzubek Nazarov, a Member of the Kyrgyz Parliament and head of the Parliamentary Committee on Youth and Gender Policy, Physical Culture and Sport, said: "The current trend of bride kidnapping is one of the most important issues nowadays. A recent study showed that in some areas up to 80% of married women have been abducted."

A parliamentary hearing on the problem of bride kidnapping is scheduled on 3 March.

In 2003, women's NGOs urged the Government through a petition to take measures to protect basic women's human rights. As a result, laws on social and legal protection against domestic violence and State guarantees for gender equality were adopted.