This year the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme celebrates International Volunteer Day (IVD) on 5 December with the theme ‘Volunteering for our Planet’. UNV wants to highlight how important it is for people everywhere to get involved as volunteers in finding solutions to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

IVD is celebrated two days before the start of the United Nations Conference in Copenhagen which will discuss, and hopefully agree on, collective action to address Climate Change. We encourage everyone to volunteer for our planet in support of the United Nations campaign to Seal the Deal on a Climate Change agreement. 

This year’s International Volunteer Day on 5 December occurs just days prior to the opening of the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. There, it is hoped that world leaders will make progress on an agreement which is positive for our climate and for poverty reduction and development too.

While a new climate agreement is urgently needed, each of us can also make an enormous difference for the better in protecting our planet and achieving the MDGs. Volunteers and volunteerism have an important role to play in this.

The climate crisis is one of the greatest ongoing challenges our world faces. Indications are that climate change is taking place faster than previously predicted. It is the world’s poor – especially poor women in developing countries – who are the hardest hit by its impacts.  

В рамках объявленного ООН Международного Года по изучению прав человека, в Бишкеке продолжается серия Семинаров "Права человека в системе международного права и национального законодательства Кыргызской Республики". Очередной, четвертый в серии семинар "Права детей: вопросы ювенальной юстиции в Кыргызской Республике" состоится 26 ноября 2009 г. в 11.30 в Кыргызской Государственной Юридической Академии (пр. Чуй 180а, первый этаж, конференцзал, ауд. 215)

Студенты Юридической Академии и других Университетов в Бишкеке, молодые юристы, персонал силовых учреждений, журналисты и сотрудники неправительственных организаций, работающих в сфере прав человека приглашены для участия в семинаре. 

Средним школам предлагается представить одну фотографию на тему "Чистая окружающая среда -  мое право!"  Заявки будут приняты только от учащихся школы, обучающихся c 5 по 11 классы.

Как принять участие
Необходимо отправить ваши фотографии в электронном формате на адрес: с  контактными данными лидера группы или индивидуального автора. Фотографии также можно принести в запечатанном конверте или отправить по почте по адресу: Программа волонтеров ООН, Дом ООН, Проспект Чуй 160, Бишкек 720040, Кыргызская Республика.  В этом случае, фотографии должны быть представлены в распечатанном виде или записанными на CD или DVD (с контактными данными лидера группы или индивидуального автора, написанными на диске или оборотной стороне фотографии).

Более подробная информация: или http://unvkyr.wordpress.com

BISHKEK (1 October 2009) – Students, journalists and professionals from NGOs and civil society dealing with protection of and advocacy for Human Rights attended yesterday, October 1st, the second of a series of seminars on the instruments for the implementation of the International Human Rights Law (IHL) in Kyrgyzstan.

This second event – entitled “Legal Protection of women in Kyrgyzstan” – was organized to illustrate some of the main challenges in the area of gender equality and women's rights in Kyrgyzstan. Ms. Anastasia Divinskaya (Gender Advisor to the UN Resident Coordinator, UNIFEM) and Ms. Kayirgul Sadybakasova (Human rights and gender equality expert), introduced the participants to the CEDAW – Convention on Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women – and to other international treaties on women's rights ratified by Kyrgyzstan; and – through practical examples and case studies – detailed mechanisms, procedures and instruments for the protection of women's rights.

BISHKEK - On October 1st 2009 at 11:30 the second of a series of seminars on the Implementation of International Human Rights Law (HRL) in Kyrgyzstan will be organized by OHCHR and UNV, in collaboration with the League of Volunteers and the League of Young Lawyers. Venue for the event will be the Conference hall of the Juridical University in Bishkek (Chui Avenue, 180a, 1st floor, Conference Hall, Room 215). Theme of this second seminar will be the Legal Protection of Women.

The event aims at introducing participants to Kyrgyz gender-related legislation and to the legal instruments women can use to protect their rights.

Speakers for this particular seminar will be Ms. Anastasia Divinskaya (Gender Advisor to the UN Resident Coordinator, UNIFEM) and Ms. Kayirgul Sadybakasova (Human rights and gender equality expert).

The speakers will discuss the main challenges in the area of gender equality and women's rights in Kyrgyzstan; will introduce the Convention on Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and other international treaties on women's rights ratified by Kyrgyzstan; and will illustrate – through practical examples – mechanisms, procedures and instruments for protection of women's rights.

Students of the International University of Kyrgyzstan (Bishkek) were recently offered the opportunity to attend a seminar on HIV/AIDS. The seminar was organized as a collaboration between United Nations Volunteers and the League of Volunteers and offered to first- and second-year students a venue to learn and discuss about HIV, AIDS and ways to prevent the transmission of the virus.

BISHKEK – Students and professionals from NGOs and civil society dealing with protection of and advocacy for Human Rights attended on Tuesday, June 16th the first of a series of seminars on the instruments for the implementation of the International Human Rights Law (IHL) in Kyrgyzstan.

The first seminar - entitled “Protecting Human Rights in Kyrgyzstan” – illustrated the different instrument Kyrgyz citizens have to protect their rights under IHL. Mr Erlan Alimbaev, lawyer, National United Nations Volunteer and Legal Specialist in Regional Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), introduced the instruments all Kyrgyz citizens have to protect their rights in front of national authorities and international bodies - with a special focus on OHCHR procedures.