OSCE enhances its activities on combating gender-based violence in Kyrgyzstan

Two three-day train-the-trainers (ToTs) seminars on information technologies, conflict mediation, and the basics of psychological support for victims of gender-based violence (GBV) took place in Osh city from 17 to 19 June, and in Tokmok, Chui province from 23 to 25 June 2021. Forty-five members of Women Initiative Groups (WIGs) from across Kyrgyzstan participated in the seminar.

The ToTs aimed to strengthen organizational capacity of WIGs in their grassroots efforts to prevent gender-based violence through improved knowledge and skills for assisting victims of GBV.

Representatives of local Mobile Police Reception (MPR) units participated in both ToT seminars, where they discussed with participants how best to collaborate and amplify the fight against GBV. The seminars take are part of the Human and Politico-Military cross-dimensional collaboration, based on which the WIGs will be able to report more efficiently on GBV cases on the ground, while patrolling units of MPR will be able to more aptly respond to or prevent GBV and domestic violence cases.

The respective MPR focal points established a network with the WIG’s leaders in the south, and introduced them to the MPR concept, patrolling schedules, algorithms of response to GVB cases in compliance with national legislation, and outlined further co-operation plans of MPR units and WIGs in rural areas.

Currently, 49 units of MPR and 28 WIGs have been operating across Kyrgyzstan since 2011 with the support of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek.

The OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek strives to continue supporting grassroots efforts for building safe and equal communities in Kyrgyzstan, which fully correspond to the OSCE commitments and the 2018 OSCE Ministerial Council Decision on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women.