The official launch of the Zero VAWG (Zero Violence Against Women and Girls) initiative took place in Bishkek, implemented in collaboration with the European Union and UN Women. The aim of this project is to introduce a zero tolerance principle towards violence against women and girls, as well as to strengthen national mechanisms for preventing gender-based violence in the Kyrgyz Republic.
The ceremony, which gathered representatives from the government, the European Union, the UN system, as well as development partners and civil society, was held in Bishkek.
The three-year initiative will start in November 2025 and run until October 2028. The project budget is $3.119 million, of which €2.5 million is allocated by the European Union, while UN Women will contribute $200,000.
During the event, it was emphasized that the project aims to strengthen the capacity of women's and youth organizations, which play a crucial role in preventing and responding to cases of violence. The initiative plans to support at least 140 organizations and implement the "Zero VAWG Community" model at both local and national levels.
The project is expected to have a significant impact, reaching over 1,200 organizations and more than 6,000 participants across all seven regions of the country, including Bishkek and Osh, as well as over 20 central institutions.
The presentation of the key areas of the initiative showed that Zero VAWG focuses on:
preventing gender-based violence;
expanding access to services for victims;
developing coordinated response mechanisms at the community level;
applying digital tools to shape new social norms and prevent violence.
The theory of change for the initiative suggests that developing leadership and management skills in women's and youth organizations, as well as their collaboration in the "Zero VAWG Community" model and the use of digital solutions, will lead to more effective action against gender-based violence and the strengthening of human rights overall.
Welcoming speeches were made at the ceremony by Ainura Orozbaeva, Deputy Minister of Labor, Social Security and Migration of the Kyrgyz Republic, Rémi Duflot, Ambassador of the European Union to Kyrgyzstan, Antje Grawe, UN Resident Coordinator, and Dr. Sadik Syed, Country Representative of UN Women.
The long-term goal of the Zero VAWG initiative is to enhance the protection of human rights, combat gender-based violence, and empower women's and youth organizations in the Kyrgyz Republic.
