Kyrgyzstan hosts Second National Forum on Women's Leadership

Bishkek, Aug. 22, 2022 / Kabar /. Kyrgyzstan’s Cholpon-Ata town is hosting the second National Forum "Women's Leadership: Breakthrough into a New Era" with the participation of women leaders, women politicians and civil servants from all regions of the country. The forum acts as a dialogue platform on the importance of women's contribution to the development of society, on rethinking the factors of women's leadership and creating a joint strategy for the development of Kyrgyzstan. The forum is attended by deputies of the Jogorku Kenesh and local councils, representatives of district and regional administrations, women holding positions in the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan, with the participation of the first lady and director of the Ene Balaga Tirek public fund Aigul Zhaparova, ex-president Roza Otunbaeva, Resident Coordinator of the UN System in Kyrgyzstan Antje Grawe, Minister of Labor and Social Development Kudaibergen Bazarbaev, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan Edil Baisalov and other political leaders. Within the framework of the forum, participants discuss issues of promoting women's leadership and its diversity, as well as recognizing the significant contribution of women to the development of the country in the face of new challenges, instability in the region and in the context of reform processes. The forum is also developing a joint action plan to promote women's leadership at different levels of decision-making, end violence against women and girls, empower women economically, and increase women's contribution to the environment and peace. Participants also note the role of pioneer women who founded Kyrgyz science, industry, transport, electricity infrastructure, opera and ballet, education, foreign policy, culture and sports, as well as women who contributed to the creation of modern Kyrgyzstan. Kudaibergen Bazarbaev, speaking to the forum participants, noted the special role of women in Kyrgyzstan in the development of statehood. The minister in his speech also touched upon the problems in the field of protecting the rights of women and girls. “Unfortunately, facts of violence against women and girls have recently been recorded in our society. The manifestation of any fact of violence should be qualified as an act of extreme savagery, and therefore each of us must contribute to the fight against violence against women and girls,” Bazarbaev said. The event is organized by the Ministry of Labour, Social Development and Migration of Kyrgyzstan in cooperation with UN Women in Kyrgyzstan and the Foundation of the First Lady of Kyrgyzstan, with the support of the UN World Food Program, the Government of Switzerland and the Ray of Light Initiative funded by European Union in Kyrgyzstan.