Empowering youth to become gender equality champions in Kyrgyzstan | Division for Inclusive Social Development (DISD)

Through summer schools and special youth workshops, students and teachers across Kyrgyzstan are learning how to empower girls and become young gender activists in their own schools and communities.

The training workshops are part of a project funded by the UN Peacebuilding Fund at the specific request of Almazbek Atambayev, Kyrgyzstani President, to foster respect and tolerance among youth, in response to the inter-ethnic violence in June 2010.

Gaining an understanding of inequality, gender-based violence, violence against women and crimes such as bride kidnapping and forced early marriage, participants also learned about how the Kyrgyz Republic Constitution protects their rights in line with international conventions that States are obligated to guarantee. Students also learned about the duties of citizens.

The first round of trainings is being held during this summer vacations, with subsequent trainings planned for December or March in their home provinces. From September onwards, participants will act as peer-educators and recruit other students to work with them during the school year. Furthermore, the group will identify gender inequality problems in their schools and communities, draft action plans to improve the situation, and implement and report on them.

For more information, please click here.