16-Days Campaign Against Gender-Based Violence Launches in Kyrgyzstan

16-Days campaign aims to break the silence over violence against women and girls and to step up the collective efforts to end all forms of discrimination. Women and girls worldwide and at home continue to experience violence and abuse that it is a serious challenge to realizing of human rights and sustainable development.

This year in Kyrgyzstan, the joint campaign focuses on three areas: advocating for “no silence” -culture to change social norms that reinforce harmful practice and gender-based violence; enhancing visibility of crisis centers and helplines to increase the responses to the cases of domestic violence, especially addressing the increased need of services during the COVID-19 crisis; and finally raising the general awareness on gender equality to strengthen the women’s participation in decision making.

“Gender stereotypes that are prevalent within security, police and justice institutions and culture remain significant barriers for the effective enforcement of laws and enable the public’s acceptance and non-shaming of violence. By creating broader discourses of GBV prevention and its importance, the campaign in Kyrgyzstan strives to initiate discussions on how to discourage and change social norms that reinforce harmful practices and VAWG”- The UN Resident Coordinator in Kyrgyzstan, Mr. Ozonnia Ojielo

The UN and its partners in Kyrgyzstan work together towards a future where gender-based violence is no longer tolerated and all women and girls live free of all forms of violence and discrimination. The 16-Days campaign is part of the wider efforts to prevent and eliminate gender-based violence in Kyrgyzstan. In January 2020, in partnership with the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic, the EU and the UN launched a multi-year programme under the global Spotlight Initiative on eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls. 

16 Days campaign 2020 in Kyrgyzstan, brought by the UN Agencies and its partners with support of the Spotlight Initiative, will take following actions to raise awareness of and to end the gender-based violence:  

• Breaking the silence: Online concert by Kyrgyzstan artists to present the many faces of the gender-based violence
• Spread the word: Series of videos on gender-based violence to spark the online discussions against harmful traditional practices and norms and series of guest lectures at universities; 
• Expose the violence: Outdoor campaign to address harmful social practices norms towards zero-tolerance culture in Kyrgyzstan
• Celebrate the women: Women’s national forum, as part of the Women Rise for All Campaign, paying tribute to Women’s Right Organizations’ successful role in responding to COVID-19 crisis in Kyrgyzstan
• Scale up Support: Fundraising events to support the crisis centers and helplines that provides support to the women and girls
• Leave no one behind: Increase the number of women and girls seeking help by disseminating information about the safe spaces and hotlines for GBV survivors

Let us unite to end the violence against women and girls and support the campaign by joining us to speak up against gender-based violence in the social media:

#OrangetheWorld #GenerationEquality #16Days

For further information and media inquiries, please contact:

Aiperi Alymbekova, The Spotlight Communications Coordinator 

E: aalymbekova@unicef.org 

Nargiz Koshoibekova, UN Women Country Office Communications Associate

E: nargiz.koshoibekova@unwomen.org

Chyntemir Kalbaev, UNDP Communications Assistant & Spotlight Initiative Communications Focal Point

E: Chyntemir.kalbaev@undp.org, 0775 76 76 05