Events

Meeting of the Forum of Women Deputies of the Verkhovna Rada on issues of water, sanitation, and women's economic rights

On May 28, a meeting of the Forum of Women Deputies of the Jogorku Kenesh of the Kyrgyz Republic was held to discuss issues related to water, sanitation in educational institutions and local communities, and women’s economic rights. These issues were raised during two visits by women deputies to the Osh, Issyk-Kul, and Chuy regions. The first visit took place on May 7-8. Parliament deputies Mamyrva B.A., Altybaeva A.T., and Zholdosheva J.A. visited the Osh region to study the situation regarding access to water and the provision of sanitary and hygiene conditions in villages, kindergartens, and schools. The second visit occurred on May 22-23. Parliament deputies Sasykbaeva A.A., Altybaeva A.T., Jumalieva E.B., Imanalieva E.S., Imankozhoeva E.B. visited the Chuy and Issyk-Kul regions. The deputies were accompanied by experts from the Department of Disease Prevention and State Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance, the Alliance of Women’s Legislative Initiatives, UNICEF, the Ecological Movement BIOM, the Central Asian Alliance for Water and Sanitation, the Kyrgyz Alliance for Water and Sanitation, and the NGO “Alga.”The visits were organized with the support of the International Program “Empowerment of Women – A Benefit for All!” (EWAsup>2,WECF international) and UNICEF.

During the visits, the deputies held more than 20 meetings with local council deputies, officials from local governments, district education departments, specialists from the Department of Disease Prevention and State Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance, school principals and teachers, parents and students, as well as employees of rural drinking water user associations, women leaders of local communities and women farmers, and other villagers. Currently, there are many problems in the legislation related to ensuring proper sanitary conditions and access to water in children’s social institutions, which as of now still lack proper legal statussup>3.

In the regions, the deputies also familiarized themselves with the work of the Rural Public Associations of Drinking Water Users (СООППВ). As a legislative issue, representatives of SООППВ pointed out the necessity of paying royalties when extracting water from wells. This provision was introduced by the Law of the Kyrgyz Republic “On Subsoil” and requires clarification regarding the provision of drinking water to the population. Additionally, issues of production control of drinking water at the village level, interaction between SООППВ and local self-governance were raised.

During the visits, women farmers raised issues concerning agriculture and the challenges faced by farmers.

At the Meeting of the Forum of Women Deputies of the Jogorku Kenesh of the Kyrgyz Republic on May 28, 2015, the problems identified during the regional visits were discussed, and concrete recommendations for amending legislation and law enforcement practices in the area of access to water, sanitation, and women’s economic rights were agreed upon.

More information can be obtained from: Anna Kirilenko, e-mail: annakir7@gmail.com (0707)980555

  1. Department of Disease Prevention and State Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance of the Ministry of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic.
  2. The international program “Empowerment of Women – A Benefit for All!” is a four-year program aimed at one hundred communities in six countries (Afghanistan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, South Africa, Tajikistan, Uganda), covering at least 50,000 women and men. The program is implemented in Kyrgyzstan by local NGOs: “Alga,” Agency for Social Technologies, CAAW, Kyrgyz Alliance for Water and Sanitation, and Mehr-Shavkat in partnership with the international organization WECF (Women in Europe for a Common Future).>
  3. The sanitary norms and rules, which serve as the regulatory framework for regulating these issues, currently have only a recommended status.
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