Bishkek, Nov. 6, 2018. /Kabar/. Vice Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Altynai Omurbekova took part in the subregional conference entitled “From Political Decisions to Actions. Eliminating Gender-Based Violence against Women and Girls in Central Asia.”
In her speech, she noted that the state policy in combating gender-based violence should be comprehensive and continuous, the press service of the Kyrgyz Government’s Office reported.
“Gender-based violence is largely due to multiple causes and conditions, including economic and socio-cultural factors. Gender-based violence is a phenomenon that does not have national borders, which people may be subject to regardless of gender, age, place of residence, education, property status, social status or other socio-demographic differences. To counter changes in such norms, it is necessary to implement effective strategies and approaches,” Omurbekova said.
The Vice Prime Minister stressed the importance of sharing knowledge and positive experience in this area, and also informed about measures taken by the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic to eliminate gender-based violence against women and girls.
“Kyrgyzstan was one of the first countries in the region to adopt the Law on Social and Legal Protection from Domestic Violence, thereby recognizing domestic violence as a dangerous and unacceptable phenomenon that needs to be addressed. At the same time, the National Strategy for the Achievement of Gender Equality by 2020 identifies ‘the elimination of gender discrimination and the expansion of access to justice as a priority direction of the state policy’,” Omurbekova said.
The Vice Prime Minister noted that last year in the Kyrgyz Republic a new Law on the Prevention and Protection against Family Violence was adopted. Corresponding amendments have been made to a number of other laws. As a result of the reform of the criminal procedure legislation, from January 1, 2019, domestic violence is transferred from an administrative offense to a criminal offense. The Ministry of Labor and Social Development of the Kyrgyz Republic has been determined as the state body to coordinate the activities of the subjects on the prevention and protection from family violence.
In conclusion, the Vice Prime Minister expressed her hope that a broad discussion of the problems and opportunities for improving the work of state bodies in preventing and combating gender-based violence will help develop effective strategic and practical recommendations in this direction.
The two-day conference was organized by the United Nations Development Program, in which representatives of the Jogorku Kenesh (Kyrgyz Parliament), state bodies of the Kyrgyz Republic, representatives of the civil society and experts from Central Asia took part.
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