October 11 – International Day of the Girl Child. How do Central Asian Countries Protect Them?

This a political programme to empower women, which was adopted in Beijing in 1995. 189 countries took part in the adoption of the document, including Central Asian states.

The concept behind the programme was the idea that every woman and girl may be free and make their own choice, be free from violence, have a right to education, and be paid for labour.

The Beijing Platform for Action identified 12 problems:

• The persistent and increasing burden of poverty on women;
• Inequalities and inadequacies in and unequal access to education and training;
• Inequalities and inadequacies in and unequal access to health care and related services;
• Violence against women;
• The effects of armed and other kinds of conflict on women, including those living under foreign occupation;
• Inequality in economic structures and policies, in all forms of productive activities and in access to resources;
• Inequality between men and women in the sharing of power and decision-making at all levels;
• Insufficient mechanisms at all levels to promote the advancement of women;
• Lack of respect for and inadequate promotion and protection of the human rights of women;
• Stereotyping of women and inequality in women’s access to and participation in all communication systems, especially in the media;
• Gender inequalities in the management of natural resources and in the safeguarding of the environment;
• Persistent discrimination against and violation of the rights of the girl child.

Last year, the Beijing Declaration turned 25.

According to the National Statistical Committee, as of early 2021, the number of women in the republic was 3.3 million or 50.4 per cent of the total population. In the last five years, Kyrgyzstan has performed activities in two directions to protect the rights of girls and women:

• It has taken measures to fight against negative social norms and practices and to raise awareness on the needs and opportunities for girls;
• Improving access to education, skills development, and training for girls.

Such organisations as the “League of Child’s Rights Protection” and “Centre for Child Protection” of the republic have held awareness campaigns against such practices as early marriage. They have held meetings and seminars with parents, girls, explaining the measures adopted at the level of laws and regulations to eradicate the early marriage practice.

Two board games related to early marriages have been developed under the “Open Line” project: “Piece together” and “I have a choice”. In 2018, two mobile apps “Lifesaver” and “Security map” were developed and distributed among girls and parents via schools.

As to education, out-of-school programmes are being implemented that have an impact on girls: “Leadership school”, “STEM-education”, “Mykty baldar” programme (“Successful children”), “Iigiliktyuu kyz” (“Successful girl”), “Ilim kyz” (“Well-informed girl”). These programmes are aimed at overcoming stereotypes about professions and specialities that may be of interest for girls and boys depending on every child’s individual interests.

As to health care, the clinical guidance on early pregnancy included the norm that a girl must have a right to get medical services since 16. She can register independently and have the consultation of a gynecologist.

Kazakhstan has a Family and Gender Policy Concept until 2030, which sets the eradication of domestic abuse as the main goal. Also, some legislative acts preventing offences in family and domestic relationships were amended. The police now have leverages over violent family offenders, which help them carry out individual preventive work with them.

For example, police officers have the right to impose bans on violent family offenders that restrict their contacts with a victim for up to one month. If special requirements are imposed on the behaviour of such offenders, the courts impose restrictions, namely bans on using alcohol drinks, narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.

Also, the country has created conditions to empower women to work. Thus, they are guaranteed to have equal pay for equal labour, and special conditions apply to pregnant women and women with a child, and those taking care of a disabled child.

In Uzbekistan, the Women’s Committee carries out work to support unorganised youth, including creating of conditions to enable them find their place in life, provide support, enable their professional orientation and employment, stimulate their initiatives. The Forum of Young Families and Girls has been held since 2017. The forum organises meetings of the unorganised youth with female leaders of the country, as well as with entrepreneurs.

In Tajikistan, the government funds the majority of existing services to disabled children, including in residential, non-residential facilities and day care centres, out of the national budget. Also, they conduct work related to women living with HIV. The country has adopted the national programme to counter the epidemic of human immunodeficiency virus, which provides for events related to the transmission of HIV from mother to child.

Unfortunately, according to the Beijing+25 report developed by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have the ongoing tendency among girls to quit school after the ninth grade.

“This is due to the growing trend of going back to patriarchal values that use a certain model of girls’ behaviour, where a girl is supposed to be “first an obedient daughter and then an obedient wife”. The country still has gender segregation in the choice of careers available in higher education,” according to the document.

According to Ministry of Education of Kyrgyzstan, women prevail in humanities and educational sciences – 86.6 per cent, as well as in health care and social sciences – 74.8 per cent. Men often choose engineering and technological disciplines. For example, 91 per cent of students studying in transportation-related majors are men. 

See also: Gender-based Opinion of Labour Market in Kyrgyzstan

As to Tajikistan, as of October 1, 2018, the proportion of female students entering basic-level and secondary (higher) vocational schools was 23 per cent and 33.5 per cent, respectively.

“Despite these tendencies and various national initiatives to provide support to girls continuing their studies, girls still quit school after the ninth grade and this is a serious problem,” according to ESCAP.

In Kazakhstan, to the contrary, in 2018, the girls amounted to 49.5 per cent of students in the formal educational system, and in 2018-2019 women amounted to 64.6 per cent of post-graduate students. In the labour system, up to 44.5 per cent of employed women have higher education compared to 36 per cent of men. 

In the last 5 years, Kyrgyzstan has taken the following measures to ensure access to education for girls and women:

• Development of training programmes to ensure gender equality and overcome prejudice at all levels of education;
• Expansion of access to skills development and training in new and prospective areas, especially STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), as well as to the knowledge of digital technology;
• Provision of access to safe water supply services and sanitation and to menstrual hygiene materials, especially in schools and other teaching and learning facilities.

“The STEM-education movement has become really successful in Kyrgyzstan via various projects involving girl children and young women in active participation in the promotion of innovative technology, full realisation of talents, as well as motivation of young women to pursue science and technical subjects,” according to the ministry of education.

Uzbekistan carries out awareness events in rural areas to increase the number of young women with higher education in order to promote female specialists as role models. All universities have “Kizlarzhon” clubs, whose purpose is to increase public political activity of young women in the society. Many higher educational institutions have evening training programmes on many subjects, which enable young women who have their household responsibilities to attend classes.

In Tajikistan, in turn, a study was carried out to find out reasons for dropping school after the ninth grade. Its results showed the need to cooperate closer with schools, families and the community, as well as to eradicate deeply-rooted gender stereotypes.

Yes, according to the Beijing+25 report, Central Asian countries have made sexual and reproductive health protection services more accessible. However, the priority direction for the countries is the reduction of the maternal mortality rates. Meanwhile, Kyrgyzstan tops the list of Central Asian countries despite the fact there has been a decline in the maternal mortality rate since 2014 – from 50.1 deaths per 100,000 live-born infants down to 30.6 deaths in 2018. 

Thus, Kyrgyzstan has taken measures to provide special medical services to women and girls in such areas as sexual and reproductive health, mental health, maternal health, and HIV control services. Among priority tasks are comprehensive sex education at schools and in communities, and maternal care.

In Kazakhstan, two programmes “Salamatty Kazakhstan” and “Densaulyk” State Programme for Healthcare Development ensure access to healthcare services for girls and women. Their main goal is to meet the needs in the field of reproductive health, maintenance of health, reduction of disease and mortality rates among mothers, children and adolescents, as well as prevention of sexually transmitted infections. The “Densaulyk” programme contributed to the stabilisation of maternal and infant mortality rates after almost five-fold reduction in 2015. 

Tajikistan adopted the national plan of actions to protect sexual and reproductive health of mothers, newborn babies, children and adolescents for 2016-2020 under the National Strategy of Health for 2010-2020. Currently, all pregnant women have access to primary health care within a day, and the number of centres for reproductive health protection and qualified specialists has increased significantly, which contributes to the dramatic decline in the maternal mortality rates.

Uzbekistan has adopted the law “On protection of reproductive health”. Its main purpose is to promote reproductive health, health of mothers, children and adolescents in Uzbekistan in 2014-2018. Family clinics and rural medical centres have female counselling offices that help teenage girls and women of reproductive age.

According to the National Statistical Committee, in 2019, 4.4 thousand crimes against women were committed in Kyrgyzstan, which is 14 per cent less if compared to 2018.

According to the Beijing+25 report, the republic has encountered the increase in the number of reported domestic abuse and issued temporary protection orders following the measures to prevent gender-based violence. The main law governing this issue is the law “On protection from domestic abuse” of 2017. The document prescribes the functions of 11 state bodies that must deal with the domestic abuse cases. The law provides for the right of people who suffered from domestic violence to get legal, medical and mental assistance, social support and consultation. The law-enforcement bodies must respond to the reports about domestic violence regardless of the complainant and the time of such reports.

In general, in the last 5 years the Central Asian states adopted a range of regulatory instruments that tighten punishment for the facts of violence against the weaker sex.

In Kazakhstan, the first national survey of violence against women was held in 2015. According to the survey, almost 17 per cent of women in Kazakhstan at the age of 18-75 years, who have ever had a partner, have been physically or sexually abused by their sexual partner. By results of the survey, recommendations were issued; nearly 30 crisis centres were opened in 17 regions of the country; hotlines and special services for women who suffer domestic violence were organised; a multisectoral pilot project “Kazakhstan free from domestic violence” was launched; special units were organised in the Ministry of Interior Affairs responsible for protection of women against violence.

Tajikistan has a law “On prevention of violence in a family” and a programme on prevention of violence in a family for 2014-2023. As a result, the following measures were taken: provision of help to victims of domestic violence; enhancement of the role of educational facilities in encouraging non-violent behaviour (with new subjects introduced at grades 8-11 to encourage non-violent behaviour among students); strengthening of reciprocal measures and support from state institutions at all levels; and improvement of monitoring and assessment of progresses and shortages.

In Uzbekistan, the survey of violence against women was held in 2015. According to the survey, violence against women is rather psychological, namely, verbal abuse – 28 per cent of respondents, and physical abuse – 5.8 per cent of women. The “Oila” research and practice centre was opened at the cabinet of ministers to implement the concept “Healthy Family – Healthy Society”. In the regions of the country, rehabilitation and adaptation centres were opened to provide psychological, legal and social aid to victims of domestic violence.

Yes, according to international organisations, early marriages encourage domestic violence. Early marriages take place for the following reasons: 

• Lack of economic and social opportunities for girls to exercise their rights;
• Growing poverty and parents’ desire to settle their daughter as soon as possible;
• Prevailing family model, where girls have the lowest status;
• Early sexual activity of young people;
• Strengthened religious influence that encourages girls to get married early;
• Increasing number of minor girls abducted for the purpose of marriage.

According to the Beijing+25 report of Kyrgyzstan, young women from poor families are more likely to get married early.

Since 2014, there has been a reduction in the number of young women who got married at the age of 15-18 from 948 to 408 cases in 2017 in Kyrgyzstan.

“A girl forced into early marriage usually has no opportunity to continue education at school. The likelihood of pregnancy and childbirth in early marriages is higher and accompanied by risks of both psychological and physiological complications,” according to the report.

The republic has adopted amendments to some legislative acts and also adopted the article that provides for 3-5 year imprisonment for persons who force an under-age young girl to get married in order to protect young girls from forced marriage.

In Tajikistan, the Family Code was amended to increase the marriage age from 17 to 18 to prevent early marriages. This was done to make girls exercise their right to education and prepare for independent life, as well as to implement the regulations of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

“However, there are still many cases of parents or other relatives arranging marriages of girls below marriageable age and many men who enter into marriages with minor girls. In 2016−2017 and the first half of 2018, courts of Tajikistan heard 46 criminal cases, under which 89 people were convicted for the crimes related to early marriages,” according to the Beijing+25 report. 

See also: Tajikistan: Early Engagements Warp Girls’ Lives

The Code of Kazakhstan “On marriage and family” allows registering authorities to decrease the marriageable age for up to two years compared to the established age of 18 in case of pregnancy or birth of a common child (early marriages). In 2018, 1,052 early marriages were registered compared to 1,554 marriages in 2012.

“The problem of early and forced marriages in Kazakhstan is driven by poor awareness of adolescent girls about their rights, incomplete enforcement of penalties against persons who abduct brides, religious registration of marriages with minor girls,” according to the Beijing+25 report of Kazakhstan.

In Uzbekistan, the number of early marriages reduced as a result of educational activity of the national Women’s Committee in cooperation with state and non-governmental parties concerned. In 2018, the law-enforcement bodies, the Women’s Committee, the Mahalla Committee, educational institutions and non-governmental organisations held over 3,000 events to raise public awareness. According to estimates, as a result of such events in 2014-2019 over 3,000 cases of early marriages were prevented. 

Central Asian states have laws that provide for some payments.

In Kyrgyzstan, the law “On public welfare payments” provides for the payment of three kinds of benefits: one-time birth benefit upon birth of a child; monthly benefit for low-income families with children under 16; and benefits for social maintenance of citizens who do not have a right to pension. Also, there are maternity benefits for women in prison.

Kazakhstan has public works programme/programme for guaranteed employment to women of working age and pensions to the elderly women. One of the changes was the increase of pension income for women.

Tajikistan approved amendments to the law “On public social insurance”. The amendments provide for the following payments: maternity benefits, unemployment benefits, family benefits for the birth of first, second and third child, as well as for the birth of more children, funeral benefits, and temporary disability benefits. Also, the law “On pension” provides for a few kinds of pensions by age, disability, and in case of loss of breadwinner. The targeted social allowance programme for the vulnerable and low-income groups of people is aimed first at pregnant women and the elderly people (among which women prevail).

In Uzbekistan, the strategy of actions under five priority directions of development for 2017-2021 provides for the improvement of the social protection and health care system. It includes provision of compulsory social guarantees to the people, strengthening of social protection to the vulnerable groups, and health care system reforms.

According to the Beijing+25 report, the gender imbalance in the Central Asian states remains enormous. Men prevail in such high-paid sectors as construction and transportation. Women generally work in low-paid and often informal sectors such as agriculture and service sector (including, retail, education and health care).

This fact causes the gender gap in the remuneration of labour. Thus, in Kyrgyzstan, the salary of women is 75.2 per cent of the men’s salary. In Tajikistan, the ratio between the women’s and men’s salary is 59.9 per cent. The gap between men and women in Turkmenistan is 10-13 per cent, on the average.

However, the Central Asian states are combatting this problem. In case of Kazakhstan, a strategic plan of development until 2025 was developed to create favourable conditions for equal opportunities in employment for both women and men. Also, the republic is planning to introduce the new tax regime to make it easier for women to get official jobs.

Kyrgyzstan, in turn, has developed the national plan of actions to reach gender equality for 2018-2020.

Tajikistan adopted the new Labour Code in 2016. In particular, it prohibits employers to deny employment to pregnant women and women with children, and also to reduce their salary because of their pregnancy and child care duties. The code has special standards and requirements to women with family obligations.

The Labour Code of Turkmenistan was also amended. Among the amendments are improved system of leaves and maternity benefits, guarantees of protection of women’s rights to annual leave, lifting of restrictions to use women’s labour in harmful and (or) hazardous working conditions.

The national development strategy of Uzbekistan gives priority to the employment of women. The main problem is the lack of opportunities for formal employment in rural areas, which is aggravated by lower level of education of women, in general.