Bishkek, 12 August, 2022 - UNDP Kyrgyzstan provided technical support to state institutions in extremism prevention through knowledge transfer and support in development of normative legal framework and application of rule of law, gender sensitive and human rights based mechanisms.

In recent years, UNDP has supported the development of a number of national concepts such as the Concept for the Civil Identity of Kyrgyzstan (Kyrgyz Jarany), the Concept in the Religious Sphere, the Law on CounterTerrorism, the Law on Countering Extremist Activity, and the Law on Freedom of Religion and Belief.  

The State Commission for Religious Affairs (SCRA) is one of the key state bodies involved in the implementation of national strategies, concepts and laws and it is important that the staff have a proper understanding of the basic meanings in these documents to ensure effective implementation and work with religious and inter-confessional organizations and communities.

SCRA staff attended a workshop to discuss the adopted concepts and laws in the context of ensuring freedom of religion and belief. The event was supported by the UNDP project "Strengthening Resilience to Violent Extremism in Asia (STRIVE Asia)” funded by the European Union within the framework of the EU-UN Joint Partnership.

At the seminar, Gulnaz Isayeva, Deputy Director of SCEDR of the Kyrgyz Republic, spoke about the concepts and laws adopted and the mechanisms for their implementation. She noted that: "Every law, every concept of the Kyrgyz Republic is aimed at the development of society and strengthening the unity of the people, and the above concepts and laws are no exception, and to date they are of great importance for the sustainable development of the state.”

Similarly, the SCRA staff developed work plans with representatives from various religious organisations and the implementation of the Concept of State Policy of the Kyrgyz Republic in the Religious Sphere for 2022-2026, as well as the "Concept of Development of Civil Identity of the Kyrgyz Republic for the period 2021-2026.

Sanjar Tazhimatov, the trainer of the workshop on "The Concept of Development of Civil Identity of the Kyrgyz Republic" stressed: "The Concept of Development of the Civic Identity of the Kyrgyz Jarany does not contradict any religion. It was developed taking into account the traditional, cultural and socio-social characteristics of the Kyrgyz people, developing the idea of diversity, tolerance and justice.”

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Media contacts: Nurzhan Alymkanova, UNDP Communications Officer, nurzhan.alymkanova@undp.org