Bishkek, 24 March 2025 – The Ministry of Justice, with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and funding from the Government of Finland, convened a board meeting of the “Strengthening Human Rights Protection and Equal Access to Justice in the Kyrgyz Republic” (Phase 3) project. The meeting focused on reviewing progress and planning joint actions to enhance access to justice, particularly for vulnerable populations.

UNDP remains a committed partner in supporting the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Ministry of Justice in the implementation of national priorities under the Law on State-Guaranteed Legal Aid and National Programme of the state-guaranteed legal aid system for 2024–2028. This includes strengthening the legal aid system, ensuring equal access to justice, and institutionalizing legal support mechanisms for the most vulnerable populations. By working closely with government institutions and civil society, UNDP is helping to build a justice system that is more responsive, efficient, and people centered.

The meeting gathered representatives from the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Migration, the Akyikatchy (Ombudsman), deputies of the Jogorku Kenesh, civil society organizations, and independent experts to assess achievements and determine next steps.

Zarema Askarova, Deputy Minister of Justice highlighted the importance of accessible legal aid in ensuring justice for all citizens. "Strengthening free legal aid is fundamental to ensuring that every citizen—regardless of their background or circumstances—has access to justice. Through our collaboration with UNDP and support from the Government of Finland, we are making legal services more inclusive, effective, and responsive to people’s needs," noted the Deputy Minister. 

In her remarks, UNDP Resident Representative Alexandra Solovieva underscored the project’s impact in shifting from simply expanding legal aid to improving its quality and sustainability.

"UNDP supports the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Labor, Social Welfare and Migration, and Office of Ombudsman in strengthening legal aid services through a strategic and people-centered approach. Legal aid contributed to safeguarding rights of people, particularly in areas such as alimony, land registration, pensions, social benefits, and the acquisition of essential documents like IDs and certificates. This support improves access vital services and protections, thereby promoting social inclusion and enhancing economic stability,” said Alexandra Solovieva. "This progress is only possible through strong partnerships with the Ministry of Justice and other national institutions."

Expanding Legal Aid and Strengthening Access to Justice

In 2024, the Ministry of Justice worked to strengthen legal aid services, ensuring that more people—especially women, persons with disabilities, and rural populations—can access the justice system.

• 84,000 legal consultations provided, benefiting 25,478 citizens, including 43% women.

• 16,092 citizens (4,212 women, 11,880 men, including 552 persons with disabilities) received qualified legal assistance from a lawyer.

• 5,070 cases in criminal, civil, and administrative proceedings were successfully resolved, which is 31.5% of the total number of requests.

• Automated systems for the State Legal Service and Legal Archive launched to enhance transparency and efficiency.
  Hotline 114 modernized, improving accessibility to legal aid.

• 7 new Service of Legal Support offices opened, bringing justice services closer to remote communities. These new centers complement 17 previously established offices, increasing nationwide access to free legal aid:

• Batken: Leilek and Kadamjai districts

• Issyk-Kul: Ton and Tyup districts

• Naryn: Ak-Talinsk and Kochkor districts

• Talas: Aitmatovsk district

Along with the expansion of the free legal aid, amendments to the Tax Code, Criminal Procedure Code, Labor Code, and social insurance laws have been introduced to strengthen the economic inclusion and legal protection of persons with disabilities. 

Monitoring and Institutional Reforms

The Office of the Ombudsman expanded legal aid access by conducting monitoring visits across the country, engaging with 2,000 residents and collecting 381 written complaints. It also assessed the accessibility of the justice system, revealing that 95% of courts and law enforcement buildings were inaccessible. As a result, the Ombudsman’s Office issued recommendations to improve accessibility and ensure equal access to justice.

The Ministry of Labor, Social Welfare, and Migration processed 11,617 requests in 2024, with 16% coming from persons with disabilities. All cases were reviewed, and applicants received consultations and referrals. A digital services accessibility audit found that only 30% of services were fully accessible to persons with disabilities, leading to key improvements such as a disability status function in the Tunduk system, sign language instructions, and simplified application processes.