The technical assistance - including seven computers, eight printers, copy, and fax machines, and scanners - is meant to facilitate the provision of documents by SRS department in remote areas of Jalal-Abad, Osh and Batken provinces as well as Alamedinsky district of Chui province.

“Absence of necessary identity documents makes people, both men and women, economically, legally, and socially vulnerable, and restricts their access to education, social and health services, and often sources of income. Elder people cannot receive pensions.” – said Khurshed Yunusov, UNHCR Officer-in-Charge.

The Agency provides this equipment to SRS to strengthen delivery of a range of prompt services to the population that ultimately prevents statelessness, including issuing birth and marriage certificates. SRS departments located in the remote districts have limited technical ability and a lack of equipment, which limits production of documents in a timely manner.

“According to preliminary studies, there were more than 32,000 stateless persons and those at risk of thereof in Kyrgyzstan atthe beginning of the year.  Helping the government with equipment we believe people will be able to get documents quicker, and eventually people will be able to benefit from social care and services provided by the government”, concluded Khurshed Yunusov.

According to preliminary and recent UNHCR findings, a large number of stateless people within the country live in south Kyrgyzstan and in Alamedin district of Chui province. UNHCR provides targeted technical assistance to strengthen the capacity of SRS departments working in those areas.

Since 1995 UNHCR has actively cooperated with the Government of Kyrgyzstan to assist refugees, stateless people and internally displaced people in Kyrgyzstan. During 2010-2012 alone, UNHCR provided assistance to the State Registration Service worth more than 5 million som.