Blog
Never stop dreaming!
02 May 2017
I was 10 years old when I met Kofi Annan in person at the Children Word Festival held by the United Nations in Switzerland. For a girl from a small country in the Central Asia it was strong impression. Since that moment I have been dreaming to work for United Nations. I was 10 years old when I met Kofi Annan in person at the Children Word Festival held by the United Nations in Switzerland. For a girl from a small country in the Central Asia it was strong impression. Since that moment I have been dreaming to work for United Nations. 17 years later my dream came true and I started working at the GEF financed and UNDP implemented project. I moved with my husband and two children to my new duty station – Karakol (Issyk-Kul oblast) though it was not the easiest thing to do. I loved the main goals of the project to conserve the globally significant biodiversity of the Central Tian Shan, which also includes protecting and supporting snow leopard. On day, we implemented a visit to beneficiaries who started small business start-ups under implementation of the alternative livelihoods programme. During one day, we had visited those 16 projects in the villages around Karakol. In the homishness of sewing workshop at the village Uch-Kaynar I noticed a small girl aged 4-5 years old. She was playing next to her mother who was working there. In Kyrgyzstan, there is a very small number of kindergartens in villages - mothers Read More
Discovering Innovative Business Ideas of Youth in Kyrgyzstan
22 Mar 2017
Tabyshker (innovator in Kyrgyz language) is a contest of innovative business projects launched 11 December 2016 and held as a part of Enactus Innovative Lab, a platform for the creation and testing of new start-ups before their further implementation. The idea came up in a result of cooperation of UNDP and Enactus Kyrgyz Republic. Tabyshker Innovative Laboratory aims at identifying innovative business ideas in industrial fields of information technology, recycling and reuse of materials, tourism, agriculture, water and sanitation. These areas closely resonate with the objectives of sustainable development, adopted in September 2015. Entrepreneurship is a major driver of sustainable development of our economy. According to the National Statistical Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic, there were more than 360 thousand individual entrepreneurs as of the end of 2015; this number is steadily increasing from year to year. Entrepreneurs are an important part of the society as they create many jobs and contribute to attracting funds to various economic sectors that contributes to economic development and, not least, entrepreneurs are the main taxpayers. We have witnessed that during the contest and here are the numbers: “For a long time we have been working in the field of youth entrepreneurship. We create Read More
A step towards justice – a step in the right direction
21 Jul 2016
Photo Credit: Meri Bekeshova Orok ayil aimak is located very close to Bishkek. It might seem the access to justice and legal opportunities of the residents of this municipality are much more favorable than in other remote localities of Batken and Naryn oblasts, however we all should remember the increase of the legal literacy and awareness of citizens of their rights is an extremely important task for the Government and citizens themselves including the most remote rayons. Recently the staff members of the family doctors group in Orok ayil aimak approached me to ask if there was an opportunity to provide finance assistance to a young lady Nargiz as her 4 years daughter urgently needed operation on a liver. The girl was infected with echinococcosis and was several times operated but as her health was deteriorating, a new surgery was needed. Besides her two children, Nargiz had to look after several brothers and sisters. The only source of income was occasional work in Dordoi market. According to Nargiz, doctors in one of hospitals in Bishkek requested 30 000 kyrgyz soms for making a surgery. I wanted to contact my colleagues from UNDP and launch money collection campaign - we had a good tradition of donations earlier Read More
Being a blood donor: if I give it, people need it
12 Jul 2016
Photo Credit: Akyn Bakirov “People are so busy with themselves that they do not have time to penetrate and understand others. Therefore those who have many advantages, but more modesty often remain in the shadow.” © Jean de La Bruyère During my study in Greece, there was organized the center for blood donation inside the campus… Once after medical examination, I was informed that because of the low pressure I might not be admitted for blood sampling. They recommended coming after week when the pressure would be stabilized. A week later, I did not come ... I was scared. I did not know anything about the donation. Different sorts of information read from Internet, talks about bad feeling after giving blood served became an excuse for me and strengthened my fear. Nowadays Media intensively keeps feeding us with various sorts of negative news. Especially two tragedies occurred one after another: a car accident in Kadamjai rayon, where several people died and a fire in a sewing shop in Moscow, which took the lives of the families, including the life of a child. What happens to those who remained alive after such tragedies? Certainly, they might had serious damages, someone might lost a lot of blood. Read More
I know of no other such country
21 Jun 2016
Photo Credit: Vlad Ushakov. Illustration: Ilias Makeev, (15 years old). "Kan Achuu" area highlighted in red on the map of the Kyrgyz Republic“I know of no other such country” - belts out a popular Russian song, which you unwittingly start singing, when driving on mountainous roads, passing the famous Naryn river, or the hilly slopes of Jalalabad oblast. You see how spring flows into summer, and suddenly you are ambushed by thick snowfall. A team of UNDP experts recently visited the newly established “Kan-Achuu” natural park in the Toguz-Toro rayon. If you look at the map of Kyrgyzstan, the park is located in the very heart of the country, surrounded by the majestic Western Tian Shan. A place of incredible beauty, with its richness of natural landscapes and rare animals, such as the snow leopard (Panthera uncia), the Tian Shan white-clawed bear, the lynx and the golden eagle. Without guides and horses it is nearly impossible to reach these places therefore it retained untouched. However, it is also famous for many mysterious legends. Local residents, the old-timers tell mystical stories about “Kan-Achuu” convincing they saw the Yeti and his footprints. “Jeztyrmak” (Yeti’s Kyrgyz version) often appears in the snowy mountains. “…There are two types of them. One is big and does not come down to the Read More
Solar power impacting the peace and saving the budget
02 Jun 2016
Photo Credit: Sarvar TurdiboevThe word “peace” is pithy in lettering and so comprehensive in meaning. Moreover, if you live in border village, you have to intensify your efforts every single day to save a fragile peace with your neighbors. It usually happens that even a small dispute whether on joint use of natural resources or dark streets along border can shatter peace. Only wisdom and experience can help to find balance between personal and general interests. In January 2016, a new street lighting system was installed on two near border streets of Borborduk village, Zhanyzher rural district of Batken oblast. One may wonder how street lighting can contribute to peace in border village. Preliminary research interviewing not only local villagers, but also the rural police department revealed that in 2014-2015, many people had returned to village after being deported from Russia and it resulted in the growth of crime rate in Borborduk village with more than the population of 4000 citizens. According to village police department, only in the summer 2015, there were several cases of theft in Borborduk. Definitely those cases brought about some disputes and misunderstandings between locals and people of neighboring Tadjik village Histevarz. In fact quite frequently, people tend to Read More
Early Response to Early Marriages
29 Mar 2016
Photo Credit: Participant of the "Y-peer" Forum Theatre on Early Marriages . National Forum of Women of the Kyrgyz Republic, Bishkek, March, 2015, Umutai Dauletova, UNDP Gender Mainstreaming SpecialistEvery so often, browsing news feeds, I think about how the information life is short-lived. Daily news are being lost so much in other news and it seems that human mind can fit everything, nevertheless how is it analyzed and conclusions made after all, since there are in the queue dozens of other news? Certainly, there are news that live in our environment of the discussions for several days. Unfortunately, for the most part, these are the news that have negative content, where it is addressed to the consequences of any cruelty, violence or even maybe involuntary engagement in the marriage? Why do we pay attention only when there happens something worse? How to draw attention of the society to the problem long before the consequences happen and perhaps preempt them? These and other questions have been raised recently in Osh at the hearings dedicated to discuss the societal consequences of early marriages, which was attended by representatives of the Committee on Social Affairs, Education, Science, Culture and Health of the Jogorku Kenesh. The event, of course, seems like ordinary meeting, where representatives of the Parliament, civil society and development organizations have been gathered, however, right there we touched upon the Read More
Active citizens improve the lives of others
22 Mar 2016
Photo Credit: Meerim Abdyeva, Test shopping team member Public service delivery system reform The services have a vital part to play in sustaining and enhancing the social and economic prospects and environmental quality of towns and countryside. When an ordinary citizen faces a public authority? When he requests for a public service: he meets with them in the passport offices, clinics, social fund departments. The public services can have a profound effect on the opportunities and quality of life of the people who live and work there. One of core issues of service system was lack of quality standards for services provided by the state, and therefore was not possible to assess them and appeal the actions of state bodies. The current system often provokes the appearance of corruption schemes in state bodies and municipalities. The quality standards of services As a taxpayer, can a citizen require from the government bodies to provide quality services? Can a citizen to carry out public monitoring services? Answer: Yes, every citizen can and should demand the performance of qualitative service standards. Within reform of public service delivery system, which is aiming to improve quality and accessibility of services, the Government approved a template of service standard in 2012. It is a basis Read More
Jamila and the strength of Kyrgyz women
07 Mar 2016
Photo Credit: www.kino-teatr.ru Natalia Arynbasarova (Actress), "Zhamilia", 1968, Producer: Irina Poplavskaya, "Mosfilm".Over ten years ago, for my birthday, my childhood friend Piero gave me as a present the book the “White steamboat” from Chyngyz Aitmatov. In handing me over the present he explained that the author was the most famous Kyrgyz writer. Truly I didn’t know Aitmatov before that day and the book seemed to me a great opportunity to learn more about the land of the Kyrgyz Republic, which I had already admired in its beauty in some photographic reportages. I must confess I read the story in one day and was totally fascinated by the fantastic description of the landscape, the nature and the most humane story of the main character. The lake of Issyk Kul then became one of my dream locations to visit. Enchanted by the story, I decided to read more works of Aitmatov and came across the novel Jamila which, if possible, moved by imagination even more. The plot, construed in a perfectly harmonious manner, allows the author to powerfully describe the moral and physical strength, as well as the beauty of the protagonist Jamila. I will not give any spoiler of the story and invite everybody to read the book. To my mind Kyrgyz Republic Read More
Fair and True: How to hold elections and do it right
25 Feb 2016
Photo Credit: www.kabar.kg In Kyrgyzstan, the two previous rounds of elections – in 2005 and 2010 – resulted in civil unrest, with complaints regarding lack of transparency and restricted freedoms. As a result, the country leadership committed themselves to holding transparent and fair elections in October 2015. When the government approached us to ask for support in conducting the upcoming elections, we thought it would be a straightforward process. After all, UNDP has long-term experience with supporting fair elections in many countries around the world; how challenging could it be? But the process turned out much more complicated than we could have ever imagined. First, we conducted a needs assessment to identify electoral needs. The process showed us our plan of action: to build the capacity of Central Electoral Commission, train voters, and strengthen national capacity to resolve potential disputes. We also decided to support the government’s intentions to introduce modern information-communication electoral technologies (ICT). The equipment would automate voters’ identification process on Election Day in order to prevent multiple voting. Next, we began rallying together many different donors in order to make sure we had enough budget to fully realize our vision. Danish and Swiss governments generously provided financial support, and UNDP poured Read More
