Gender Equality in partnership with independent and free mass media.
Мар 09.2021
Director of the Human Rights Movement "Bir Duino - Kyrgyzstan Tolekan Ismailova spoke at the international interactive online discussion on "Gender Equality in Partnership with Independent and Free Mass Media" about the situation with the rights of women, girls and vulnerable groups in Central Asia.
The Human Rights Movement "Bir Duino - Kyrgyzstan" appreciates the efforts of H.E. Ms. Anne Lindh, Chairperson of the OSCE, for us all at an alarming time when new risks, challenges and conflicts have dramatically changed the world. Let me point out the real picture and trends that have become dangerous for women and vulnerable groups, peace and sustainable development in the Central Asian region.
We appreciate your time and efforts for us all difficult time when new risks, challenges and conflicts have dramatically changed the world. Let me point out the real picture and trends that have become dangerous for women and vulnerable groups, peace and sustainable development in the Central Asian region.
Research by women's NGOs, the outcome of the regional conference in February 2021 with Bir Duino showed a tragic picture of the situation of women, girls, vulnerable groups in the region. Women leaders are concerned about the scale of the spread of religious fundamentalism on women's rights, starting from home, in the public, political spheres, their discrimination in participation in decision-making at all levels of government.
Turkmenistan: The pandemic has opened the realities of the situation of gender discrimination in Central Asian countries, so in Turkmenistan the authorities do not recognize the existence and the danger of the pandemic, which has been a threat to the health and lives of citizens, especially women, children and doctors who die in the workplace and at home. Despite the proclamation of ensuring women's rights in marriage and family relations, women in Turkmenistan are deprived of their choice of spouse. Police officers, special services can perform forced gynecological examinations of girls to check for hymens. The authorities forbid women to drive cars, dye their hair, they have no access to information and participation, convicts in prisons die without any help, women in prisons are subjected to moral, psychological and sexual violence. In order to get a job, it is necessary to have a Turkmen surname, if there is a business for women of non-title nation, the business is taken away by the state.
Kyrgyzstan: the former authorities have narrowed the space for NGOs, independent mass media. Ulan Egizbaev, journalist and investigator of radio Azattyk, died under unclear circumstances. Prisoner of conscience and human rights defender Azimzhan Askarov, who had demanded the restoration of justice for the June 2010 tragedy, died without access to emergency medical care in the colony №47 in July 2020. Initiated in the Parliament of KR during the pandemic bills against independent NGOs, trade unions, mass media bill on manipulation of information demanding their accountability and introduction of state control.
Impunity of officials at all levels for systemic violations of UN and OSCE human rights principles, failure to comply with the ratified UN Convention against Corruption, (August 2005), does not give implementation of new initiatives to combat corruption, restore peace and for the success of the Sustainable Development Goals. During the pandemic, the former government went on vacation, completely disengaged from the problems of the humanitarian disaster associated with the pandemic, this was a violation of the principles of good governance in times of risks and disasters.
Women, children, and vulnerable groups have suffered, if according to UN Women Central Asia, the death rate in childbirth is 30 times higher in the Kyrgyzstan than in Belarus, Norway, and Eastern European countries. The question of cancelling the current list of the ex-government of the Kyrgyz Republic from 2000 of restricted job professions for women, there are 446, when internal and external migrants women work on an equal basis with men, successfully implementing themselves in different professions, remains open.
The picture of the results of the study with new challenges of how radical fundamentalism affects the situation of women and is an obstacle to the promotion of gender equality and the restoration and strengthening of peace in Central Asia:
Recommendations:
- Strengthen the full parity partnership and collaboration of OSCE mechanisms for the new Action Plan to promote the principles of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Gender Equality to update the National Action Plan in CA countries and coordinate implementation by an independent panel of evaluators
- Adapt to the National Action Plan to Combat Corruption the UN Convention Against Corruption and to Combat Money Laundering in CA Countries
- Localize, taking into account new risks, conflicts and disasters, including pandemic, climate change, inequalities and discrimination in business and politics UN, OSCE, EU Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders (June, 2014), to adopt Declarations recognizing the role of human rights defenders, especially women human rights defenders in CA countries
- Given the systemic risks and threats of climate change, jointly develop the UN and OSCE Strategy for Action Plans to prevent risks and disasters, including pandemics in the CA region, taking into account social, economic and environmental indicators, based on the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, UN SDGs and principles of multi-stakeholder partnerships with OSCE countries
- Promote constitutional reform in the Kyrgyz Republic based on UN and OSCE principles and standards
- Support the official Appeal of Mr. Antonio Guterres, UN Head of State for external debt relief for poor countries, taking into consideration restoration of the principles of human rights and freedoms, fighting corruption and impunity and promoting gender equality and gender justice in CA countries.
- As one of the key guiding principles from the 10 Helsinki Final Act is recognised by countries in the OSCE region as 'respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of thought, conscience and belief', the equal participation of women in decision-making with horizontal leadership and a participatory process at all levels of government will enable the restoration of sustainable peace, development and security.
Human Rights Movement "Bir Duino Kyrgyzstan
Email: birduinokyrgyzstan@gmail.com
