Project overview:

Project is aimed at supporting national government, LSGs and youth in their efforts to establish and promote youth cohesion and positive interaction in border areas with further catalytic effect. According to the project’s vision the activities from one side support the institutions entrusted to implement such plans, and from the other side support the youth of border areas in using the available mechanism for accessing their rights on issues pertaining to relations with Uzbekistan and to engage in interactions with the other side of the border. An important target group is young women which are at higher risk of being deprived of their rights and being subject of violence including forced marriages.  In the long run, the project also aims at the consolidation of the current cooperation framework by institutionalizing them with a more inclusive participation of youth based on their proposal so to ensure sustainability.  All activities take place within the Kyrgyzstan’s side of the border and facilitate Kyrgyzstan’s youth cohesion and interaction towards Uzbekistan, which improves the inter-ethnic peacebuilding process in the region.

Interim results:

International forums with youth participation from Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan

• The youth forum "Youth of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan are the followers of the good neighborliness" was held within the plan of activities for 2018-2019 on the implementation of cross-border cooperation between the Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Uzbekistan in March 2019 in Osh.
• A three-day forum “Youth without Borders” was held in Jalal-Abad province, Kyrgyzstan, that had united more than hundred young activists from the border regions of Batken, Jalal-Abad and Osh regions of Kyrgyzstan, and Andijan, Namangan and Fergana regions of Uzbekistan.The Youth Forum became one of the main events in the framework of “Promotion of Youth Cooperation of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan” project (hereinafter Project) funded by the UN Peacebuilding Fund and aimed to expand cross-border cooperation and create conditions for dialogue between youth and decision makers.
• Creating youth-friendly platforms to build soft skills in design thinking, IT etc.

Strengthening the capacities of local state service providers

• Supporting State Border Service and LSGs in improvement of their services.
• Setting up Community-based Service centers based in local LSGs in 9 pilot communities.
• Strengthening capacities of law enforcement and security agencies, rule of law, human rights, justice institutions, and relevant service providers based on the results of research, analysis and ensuing feedback from the youth and wider population on access to legal methods to address their conflicts and complaints as well as access to  justice (Osh, Jalal-Abad and Batken branches).
• Strengthening the complaint mechanism which are meant to improve access to justice especially for young women and increase mutual trust; improve age and gender-sensitive investigation procedures including provision of trainings for youth and law enforcement bodies on youth and gender-sensitive pretrial procedures.

Improving legal awareness and access of youth – residents of border areas to complaint mechanisms

• Up-to-date, 749 beneficiaries received primary legal aid among those 53% are young women living in border areas.
• Youth-to-Youth primary legal support.
• Creating cross-sectional platforms for improving access of young people living in border areas to legal aid.
• Creating youth-friendly promo-materials related to project objectives including video reels.

Expected results

• Young women and men in selected border locations have improved knowledge, skills and capacities to interact and develop cooperation to create positive dialogue with Uzbek counterparts.
• Young people’s leadership, problem solving skills are developed and positive attitudes of peaceful coexistence are promoted.
• Yong people from different background in the bordering communities built their social and civics skills by attending Leadership and Innovation Academy (LIA). LIA participants contributed to building an open, inclusive and diversity friendly environment by encouraging these values in schools, communities as well as in to local parenting practices.
• Youth-led ‘Design Thinking’ platforms supported in Osh to expand and sustain youth engagement, skill building, experience exchange and innovating for cross-border cooperation and inter-cultural ties.
• Youth relevant government agencies in Kyrgyzstan have improved knowledge, skills, opportunities and capacities to interact and develop cooperation to create positive dialogue with their Uzbek counterparts.
• Strengthened capacities of service providers, justice, rule of law and ombudsman institutions (Osh, Jalal-Abad and Batken branches) and strengthen the complaint mechanism to enhance young women’s and men’s access to services, justice and increase trust.

Status: Active

Start date: January 2019

Projected end date: June 2020 (with possible non-cost extension up to November 15, 2020)

Geographic coverage: Kyrgyz Republic, southern border areas with Uzbekistan.

Subject area: Peacebuilding

Project coordinator: Mukash Kaldarov, Tuimakan Subankulova

Partners: UNICEF, UNFPA, Government of the Kyrgyz Republic, State Agency for Youth, Physical Education and Sport, Ombudsman’s office, Ministry of Justice of the Kyrgyz Republic, State registry service of the Kyrgyz Republic, Association of legal clinics of Kyrgyzstan, LSGs, local communities.

Funding Source: UN Peacebuilding Fund.

Budget (by years)

Total PBF approved project budget* (by recipient organization): 

UNICEF: $ 670,000

UNDP: $ 480,000

UNFPA: $ 350,000