Central Asian Women's Dialogue Forum: Strengthening peace and security through women's leadership

The Forum of the Central Asian Women's Dialogue "Women, Peace and Security: the role of Women in Strengthening Peace and Security in the Central Asian region and Afghanistan was successfully completed. It focuses on the key role of women in strengthening peace and security in Central Asia and Afghanistan. The meeting aimed to strengthen the “Women, Peace and security” (WMB) agenda through regional cooperation and the promotion of women's leadership in peace-building efforts.

The event was organized in partnership with the Jogorku Kenesh of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Presidential Administration of the Kyrgyz Republic, and the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic, with the support of UNDP in Kyrgyzstan, the United Nations Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA) and UN Women in Kyrgyzstan.

The Forum, led by Dzhamilia Isaeva, Vice Speaker of the Kyrgyz Parliament and Chair of the Central Asian Women's Dialogue, brought together high-level representatives, including parliamentarians, experts, and international partners. The event addressed key priorities, challenges, and solutions for enhancing the role of women in peacebuilding and sustainable development.

Dzhamilia Isaeva, Vice Speaker of the Kyrgyz Parliament, and Chair of the Central Asian Women's Dialogue, noted: "The forum was devoted to detailed expert discussions on the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda in Central Asia and Afghanistan. Participants discussed key topics such as women's leadership in peace and stability, gender-sensitive climate change adaptation, and gender-sensitive management of transboundary water resources."

Key topics discussed:

• Women's leadership for peace and stability: Panelists discussed ways to further develop women's leadership, highlighting successful attempts to stabilize at the local level, as well as at the national and regional levels.
• Gender-responsive climate change adaptation: Experts highlighted the need for improved data and innovative strategies to address women's unique challenges in climate change adaptation, especially in rural areas.
• Gender-sensitive management of transboundary water resources: Innovative solutions aimed at increasing women's participation in water resources management in transboundary territories, contributing to the development of regional cooperation for sustainable water use were considered.

Delegations from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan arrived. 

Gulnora Marufova, a full-time Senator who serves on the Senate Committee of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan, stressed: "In 2025, we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action, an important document that has become the basis for a global movement to promote women's rights and gender equality, which means that women's rights should remain at the center of the global agenda. attention. We are confident that strengthening regional cooperation will allow us to share experiences and best practices, which will contribute to achieving global goals in the field of gender equality and the protection of women's rights." 

Dania Yespayeva, Deputy Chairman of the Mazhilis of the Parliament of Kazakhstan, noted: "The Forum opens up new accents and trends for cooperation and will bring advanced gender solutions with the participation of women. It is necessary to continue working in the same format, where we hear the voices of women and help to promote solutions to current problems and put these issues on the agenda."

Bahar Seyidova, Chairman of the Committee on Science, Education, Culture and Social Policy of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan, noted: "Today, under the leadership of the country and the President of Turkmenistan, our country is consistently strengthening cooperation with the states of the world and the international organization for sustainable Development. Today, we also propose to promote consultations within the framework of the Women's Dialogue on a consistent basis, following the common agenda of "Women's Peace and security" with the participation of international organizations.”

Bunafsha Fayziddinzoda, Chair of the Committee on Women and Family Affairs under the Government of Tajikistan, said: "We promote gender policy in our countries and actively involve women by exchanging experiences among ourselves and solving problems not only within countries, but also at the global level."

As a result of the forum's work, strategic recommendations were also adopted to ensure the meaningful participation of women in peace-building and sustainable development throughout Central Asia and Afghanistan. These recommendations will be presented in future inter-State policy processes to strengthen regional cooperation.

Antje Grawe, UN Resident Coordinator in Kyrgyzstan, said: "By integrating the Women, Peace and Security agenda with climate peace initiatives, we can empower women as key actors in creating sustainable solutions that benefit entire communities."

Alexandra Solovieva, UNDP Resident Representative in Kyrgyzstan, emphasized in her speech: "We support national priorities and strategies that serve as a foundation for sustainable peace. Our efforts in this direction are already yielding concrete results: more than 2,000 women have already received access to training and resources to develop their own businesses. This empowerment elevates their economic status, drives growth in their communities and fosters regional stability. By supporting women, we create a ripple effect that strengthens peace and security across the region."

Ulzisuren Jamsran, UN Women Representative in Kyrgyzstan, stressed: "Forum has reaffirmed the interconnectedness of peace, security, gender equality, and sustainable development. The challenges we face—conflict, climate change, resource management, and regional instability—are profound, but we leave this Forum with a renewed sense of purpose.  I would like to urge regional governments, civil society, and international partners to build on this momentum and create tangible outcomes through joint action."

Kaha Imnadze, the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Central Asia, said: "We recognize the role of women as agents of peace. Women's full, equal, safe and constructive participation in decision-making at all levels of peace and security, including conflict prevention and resolution."

About the Central Asian Women's Dialogue: Since its inception in December 2020, the Central Asian Women's Dialogue has also been led by several prominent women in the region. Each Presidency has played a key role in advancing the Dialogue's missionого to enhance the political, economic, and social role of women and influence decision-making processes.

Uzbekistan assumed the Chairmanship in 2021, when significant progress was made in developing regional cooperation and integrating gender perspectives into national policies. In 2022, the chairmanship passed to Turkmenistan, which focused on digital outreach and supporting women entrepreneurs through innovative programs. In 2023, Kazakhstan's presidency was aimed at strengthening women's leadership in environmental sustainability and peacebuilding. Each Presidency has built on the success of its predecessors, contributing to the overall mission of the Dialogue, and promoting regional initiatives in the field of gender equality. 

Contact information: 

Ainagul Abdrakhmanova, Head of Communications, UNDP Kyrgyzstan, e-mail: Ainagul.abdrakhmanova@undp.org.abdrakhmanova@undp.org.