According to her, there is a serious problem with combating violence in Kyrgyzstan. Despite the existence of government programs and strategies, their implementation is impossible without qualified staff working in crisis centers, institutions that assist children affected by violence, as well as in shelters for street children and those in difficult life situations.
“Currently, the salaries of psychologists, lawyers, and social workers amount to about 15,000 soms. This level of pay is considered low according to the legislation. Meanwhile, the average salary in the country is approximately 45,000 soms. The income gap is evident,” noted Turdubekova.
Low wages lead to a shortage of personnel and increased staff turnover.
She emphasized that the social sector needs professionals who possess skills in violence prevention, rehabilitation, case management, and inter-agency cooperation. Working in this field requires a high emotional burden and responsibility. However, the existing wage policy does not allow for the retention of qualified specialists or the attraction of new ones.
“We are already seeing the consequences: caregivers have to work with many children; staff experience overload; the quality of services provided is noticeably suffering. A recent incident involving a group of children escaping from a city shelter is a troubling signal. These events are directly related to the lack of personnel and the inability to provide the necessary attention and support. The question arises: how can we effectively combat violence and protect street children, people with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups with such limited resources? Without investment in human capital, social policy loses its effectiveness,” emphasized Nazgul Turdubekova.
She also added that increasing the salaries of social institution workers is not only a matter of social justice but also an important aspect of child safety, violence prevention, and sustainable societal development.
It was previously reported that eight missing teenagers from the rehabilitation center "Akniet" are being sought in Bishkek.
