OSCE Centre supports roundtable discussion on youth crime prevention in southern Kyrgyzstan
KOCHKOR-ATA, Kyrgyzstan, 18 August 2010 - A roundtable discussion on crime prevention and youth outreach was held in Kochkor-Ata town in Kyrgyzstan's Jalal-Abad province today with the support of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek.
The event, which aims to develop co-operation between the police and young people, was organized by a local students' group together with the Kochkor-Ata police station. Students as well as representatives of the local authorities, civil society and police took part.
"Supporting young people in Kyrgyzstan to play an active role in their communities and furthering police reform are two important priorities of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek, and this event will help advance both objectives," said Lilian Darii, Deputy Head of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek.
Azamat Tagev, the Chief of the Kochkor-Ata police station, added: "Roundtable events and open discussions of this kind will foster co-operation and help establish confidence between the police and young people."
Gulshayir Ergeshova, leader of the students' group, said: "Young people have an important contribution to make, and we are eager to do what we can to make our communities safer."
Similar events will be held in Jalal-Abad province as part of the OSCE Centre's programme to support police reform in Kyrgyzstan.