On April 8, 2022, a roundtable discussion on the best examples of reflecting the principles of social and gender sensitivity in the municipal socio-economic development programs took place at the “City Hotel” in Bishkek. The event was organized by the Public Services Improvement Project, funded by the Government of Switzerland and implemented by Helvetas and the Development Policy Institute, in cooperation with the Local Self-Governance Union of the Kyrgyz Republic.
What is social and gender sensitivity and how can it be reflected in the document? Why is it important to involve the public, especially vulnerable groups, in the processes of discussing and elaborating the local development programs? What steps can be taken at the local government level to fulfill the commitment made by the Kyrgyz Republic to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the UN in 2015?
The PSI project believes that in order to properly reflect the needs of all segments of the population, it is important to achieve active participation of citizens in the development of local programs for socio-economic development. The clearer and louder the voices of women, youth, people with disabilities, ethnic minorities, low-income citizens and other vulnerable groups, the easier it is to develop a development program that takes into account their interests.
In developing their Socio-Economic Development Programs (SEDPs), the pilot municipalities of the PSI project sought to involve as many citizens as possible and to hear those voices that have not been heard before. In February and March of 2022, a competition was held among the project’s 47 pilot municipalities located in Jalal-Abad and Issyk-Kul regions for the best socio-economic development program reflecting the principles of social and gender sensitivity. Six municipalities have won in the competition, and another six municipalities received incentive prizes.
The round table included representatives of pilot municipalities, as well as projects and organizations working in the sphere of local self-governance. It served as a platform for discussing the best examples of reflecting the interests of the population’s vulnerable segments in the territorial development programs, the specifics of SEDP development process and the lessons learned.
Contest winning municipalities:
- 1 place (200 000 KGS):
- Svetlaya Polyana (Jety-Oguz district, Issyk-Kul),
- Cholpon-Ata (Toktogul district, Jalal-Abad)
- 2 place: (150 000 KGS):
- Teplokluchenka (Ak-Suu district, Issyk-Kul)
- Toktogul town (Jalal-Abad)
- 3 place (100 000 KGS):
- Bosteri (Issyk-Kul district, Issyk-Kul)
- Masy (Nooken district, Jalal-Abad)
Municipalities receiving incentive prizes (50 000 KGS each):
- Kumbel (Issyk-Kul district, Issyk-Kul)
- Kyzyl-Suu (Jety-Oguz district, Issyk-Kul)
- Jany-Jol (Toktogul district, Jalal-Abad)
- Orgochor (Jety-Oguz district, Issyk-Kul)
- Ton (Ton district, Issyk-Kul)
- Jany-Jol (Aksy district, Jalal-Abad)