A meeting took place in Bishkek between the Minister of Labor, Social Security, and Migration of Kyrgyzstan, Kanat Saginbaev, and Syed Sadik, the head of UN Women in the country. During the discussion, the participants focused on the key aspects related to gender equality and women's empowerment, as well as the integration of gender policy into national strategies.
Saginbaev emphasized the importance of protecting women's rights and the unacceptability of violence, stressing that women's participation in decision-making at all levels is a priority for the ministry.
The minister paid special attention to the "zero tolerance for violence" policy proclaimed by President Sadyr Japarov, noting that it creates additional opportunities in the fight against gender-based violence.
To further enhance cooperation, the minister proposed considering the implementation of joint initiatives that could improve the qualifications of specialists in social protection, law enforcement, and medical services regarding gender sensitivity and violence prevention. The need for information campaigns and support for women's economic independence, including women with disabilities, was also mentioned.
Saginbaev highlighted that coordinated actions of all government bodies, local authorities, law enforcement agencies, and social services are key to an effective response system for cases of violence.
Syed Sadik, for his part, thanked for the productive cooperation and noted that it is important to clearly define the directions of joint work within the framework of the signed memorandum.
“As a result of the meeting, both sides expressed their readiness to further strengthen partnership and coordinate efforts to ensure equal rights and opportunities for men and women in Kyrgyzstan,” the statement added.
