In this issue:

SOCIAL GOVERNANCE

• Poverty Alleviation Component
• Capacity building support to NGOs/CBOs in the Social Sector Component

EDUCATION

• A course "Rights of a Child" in the higher education institutions

ICT ROUND TABLE

• The Draft National Strategy on ICT Development is discussed

NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

• NGOs discussed accomplishments and implementation of projects in democracy and human rights.

REFUGEES AND MIGRATION

• A medical center for refugees in Chuy rayon

UN

• Kyrgyz delegation took part in the second session of regional advisory council of SPECA
• UN and Kyrgyzstan plan to open in Bishkek structural subdivisions of the UN on fighting with drugs
• Kyrgyzstan takes part in sub-regional meeting on preparation to world summit on sustainable development

UNV

• Ericsson Donates 280 mobile phones to UN volunteers

SOCIAL GOVERNANCE

Poverty Alleviation Component

A new Credit Union created in Talas province. One more Self-Help Groups Association (SHGA), created within the UNDP Poverty Alleviation Programme, has turned into a credit union titled “Financial resources to Villagers”. The SHGA “Kyzyl-Adyr” in Talas oblast, has recently been registered as a credit union and is mobilizing resources required for an authorized capital stock. Twelve SHG members united into the new organization and starting from next week will accept more members. This Credit Union is planned to cover Manas and Kara-Buura rayons including 10 PPAP villages in Talas oblast. Transfer of SHGAs into credit unions will soon become a usual practice as it lies within SHGA development strategy. Last year, Financial Company for Credit Unions (FCCU) conducted first ever training on Credit Unions for SHGAs. Credit unions were recognized as one of the ways for SHGA to grow further as an entity. Five SHGAs in Osh oblast and nine SHGAs in Jalal-Abad are planning to re-form into Credit Unions and two of them are waiting for their license to be issued from the National Bank in the nearest future.

Capacity building support to NGOs/CBOs in the Social Sector Component

Review of the component implemented by the UNDP Gender in Development Bureau. Grant projects on rehabilitation of social infrastructure implemented by NGO/CBO within the UNDP “Capacity building support to NGO/CBO in the social sector” programme, are on their finishing stage. The programme is financed by SIDA and implemented by the UNDP Gender in Development Bureau. Recent monitoring conducted in Osh and Jalal-Abad revealed that in general projects turned out to be successful in terms of beneficiary coverage and implementation status. In Osh and Jalal-Abad oblasts there are 8 and 12 social infrastructure projects respectively. Overall grant sum of the funded projects in both oblasts estimates to USD 36300. The projects’ initiative groups (IG) have been disbursed the final (second) installment and completely utilized the funds up to the moment, and many of the projects have been completed.

The projects’ profile is diverse and includes 10 water projects, 5 school projects, a bath, electricity, a road and a mill projects. The UNDP programme operates in all six provinces and the given two provinces provide more than one third of total number of projects countrywide. The monitoring undertaken revealed that projects were and are being successfully implemented, following the work plan and fitting the initial budget. Although many of them are overfulfilled, there are planned activities and mobilized additional resources to implement them.

According to IG members of some projects, they applied to other donors for resource mobilization and were easily selected due to their cooperation experience with UNDP. This fact proves that UNDP has an image of a trustworthy partner with recognized, very accurate and detailed selection procedures. School construction project in Mundu village, Suzak rayon of Osh oblast, can serve as one of such examples. Thanks to competent resource mobilization and advocacy campaign the leader of the NGO “Aitoldu” (Initiative group) managed to attract unplanned 53.000 soms from UNDP Decentralization Project, 100.000 soms from different sponsors and, finally, 1.850.000 soms from ADB. The total project cost exceeded the grant sum almost 50 times.

Links with local government and its subordinate organizations – one of the core criteria for project proposals selection – resulted in a very fruitful cooperation with most of ayil okmotus, and rayon administration to a lesser extent. Meetings with ayil okmotus at the project sites proved that, in general, representatives of local government are well aware of the projects being implemented in their respective ayils and have a clear idea of their status, which is, in turn, an evidence of participatory nature of any project. In this regard, irrigation water project in Padek village, Ala-Buka rayon of Jalal-Abad oblast, is a very good illustration to this. In-kind contributions of local organizations were as follows: ayil-okmotu – 67,000 soms, Rayon Electric Lines – 41,000 soms, Rural Water Supply – 13,200.

Contact: Ms. Aikan Mukanbetova, UNDP Gender in Development Bureau Director. Tel.: (0 996) 312 66-38-85, 66-04-18. Email:

EDUCATION

A new course "Rights of a Child" is introduced in the higher educational institutions. An experimental special course "Rights of a Child" is introduced at the Law Faculty of the Kyrgyz-Russian Slavonic University within the framework of the state program "New Generation”, the National Commission on realisation of children’s rights reported. The course provides lectures and training based on the latest interactive methods of teaching.

According to the teacher of the course "Rights of a Child", Ms. M. Nikiforova, the special course is provided only for the UNESCO chair students who study Constitutional law and Gender policy. Still, practically every person deals with the realisation of children’s rights both in practical life and in business activity, it is possible that the subject "Child’ s Rights" will soon be part of the curricula in other chairs of the faculty as well as other institutions.

Kyrgyzstan is to host International Advanced Networking Workshop. The International Advanced Networking Workshop "National Research and Education Networks: Development and Sustainability" is held in Bishkek 21 - 26 September in Bishkek. Dr. Robert Janz, Co-Director of ANW from West, Prof. Dr. Askar Kutanov, Co-Director of ANW from the Partner country and Prof. Dr. Beishen Imanakunov, General Secretary Academician, National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic, will deliver welcoming speeches at the opening ceremony of the workshop. The Advanced Networking Workshop 2001 (ANW) is a continuation of a series of policy workshops that have been held in Budapest (1993), Moscow (1994), Almaty (1995), Tartu (1997) and Tbilisi (1999). As it is foreseen that donor organisations will not be providing funds for networking indefinitely, the workshop will be focused on Sustainability component. The Central Asian region has been chosen as the location for the ANW as this region has a relatively short history with regard to academic and educational networking and they are thus expected to have the largest problems with regard to sustainability within the next three to five years. Askar Kutanov, Rector of the Academy of Management under the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Co-Director of the ANW will address the audience and present his thoughts on regional co-operation between Central Asia, Caucasus and Europe. (Kyrgyz Press)

ICT ROUND TABLE

The Draft National Strategy on ICT Development was discussed at the Round Table held today in Bishkek (Hotel Pinara). The document has been formulated by a working group on the initiative of the Ministry of Transport and Communications following the ICT Summit held in February 2001 and the Presidential Decree of 18 June 2001 in collaboration with UNDP and Internews Network International NGO. The working group comprises participants from the government, private sector, international organizations and NGOs. The goals and objectives, basic principles, regulations and directions of the government policy in ICT sphere are defined in the Draft of the National Strategy. The Document also comprises organizational, economic and financial mechanisms based on the principles of programme oriented approach. The representatives of the government, private sector, non-governmental and international organizations, prominent scientists, experts and journalists invited to the Round Table made a great input in the final draft of the Programme Document and concrete steps of its realization.

For involvement of the large groups of Kyrgyz society in the Strategy Draft discussion, the Document has been placed on the official sites of the Government of Kyrgyzstanhttp://www.gov.kg/ , National ICT Summit for Development sitehttp://www.ict.kg/ , UNDP http://www.undp.kg/ , Dialog Human Development Network http://www.dialog.kg/ and Internews Network http://www.internews.kg/.

For more detailed information you can contact Olga Grebennikova at UNDP. Tel. +996 (312) 61-12-13, and Shamaral Maichiev at Internews Network. Tel. +996 (312) 68-20-30, )

NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

NGOs discussed accomplishments and implementation of projects in democracy and human rights. On September 10th the round table discussion was held in Bishkek for non-governmental organisations - grant-holders of the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights program of the European Commission.

In his welcoming speech, Mr. Brian Toll Acting, Head of the Delegation of the European Commission in Kazakhstan and Head of Technical Assistance Department (TACIS), gave a high appreciation of achieved results and recognised the importance of assistance of the European Commission rendered to Kyrgyzstan. Participants of the round table discussion shared their work experience and discussed results of their activities and further development of projects. Currently, the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights is funding the following 8 micro-projects in Kyrgyzstan: protection of military servicemen from violence in the army, protection of children's and disabled people's rights suffering from poverty, resource centre to support civic initiatives, training leaders and representatives of NGOs in human rights, and monitoring of protection of human rights.

The European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights is aimed to promote democracy rule of law in support of economic and political reforms in all countries throughout the world, including the Newly Independent States. (Kyrgyz Press)

REFUGEES AND MIGRATION

A medical center for refugees in the Chuy Valley opened recently. An inter-district medical centre for refugees has been opened in the Chuy rayon in northern Kyrgyzstan. Until now, UNHCR had one medical center based in Bishkek. Now such an institution started in a rural district, where the majority of refugees from Tajikistan are living. The head of the UNHCR mission in Kyrgyzstan, James Lynch, visited the site and approved opening of the centre. In addition to expert advice from family doctors, Tajik refugees will be provided with emergency medical aid and medicines. (Kyrgyz Press)

UN

Kyrgyz delegation took part in the Second Session of Regional Advisory Council of SPECA. Delegation of Kyrgyzstan headed by the Director General of the State Agency on Energy Ularbek Mateev took part in the second session of regional advisory council of the UN Special Programme for Economy of Central Asia (SPECA) in Almaty on 21 September. The session discussed issues of development of transport infrastructure, rational and effective usage of energy and water resources in Central Asia, MFA reported. Coordinator of the last issue is Kyrgyzstan. Participants of the meeting touched upon issues of preparation to international economic conference, working out a joint strategy of regional development and attraction of foreign investments. Official delegations of SPECA, European Economic Community and ESCATO states-members took part in the session. (Kabar News Agency)

UN and Kyrgyzstan plan to open in Bishkek structural subdivisions of the UN on fighting with drugs. President Askar Akayev and the Head of the UN office in Vienna, UN Assistant Secretary-General Pino Arlacci discussed issues of opening in Bishkek the Agency on fighting drugs, Askar Aitmatov, the Chief of Presidential Administration's international department told at the briefing at the Kabar Press Agency. During the bilateral meeting in Vienna Akayev and Arlacci paid special attention to the issues of fighting against drug trafficking. In general the meeting focused on the security issues. Participants of the OSCE permanent council noted that Kyrgyzstan could play a catalyst role in fighting against international terrorism. (Kabar News Agency)

Kyrgyzstan takes part in Sub-regional Meeting on preparation to World Summit on Sustainable Development. Kyrgyz delegation headed by the Minister of Ecology and Emergency Ratbek Eshmambetov participated in the Sub-regional meeting of Central Asian representatives on preparation to the World Summit on Sustainable Development "Rio+10 " in Almaty. The Central Asia ministers of Ecology, Finance and Economy, representatives of state, regional, international and public environmental organizations participated. The current situation in the Central Asian region and preparation of the regional plan of actions on environmental protection in Central Asia discussed during the meeting. (Kabar News Agency)

UNV

Ericsson Donates 280 mobile phones to UN volunteers. BONN/STOCKHOLM, 11 September 2001 – The Swedish telecommunications corporation Ericsson has donated 280 mobile phones to the Bonn-based United Nations Volunteers programme (UNV) to help increase security of personnel in relief operations worldwide. The mobile phones will be sent to UNV Programme Officers administering the work of UN Volunteers in 70 countries, while most of the units will be dispatched to special UNV operations in Angola, Bosnia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Croatia, East Timor, Georgia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Tanzania and Viet Nam. "The women and men receiving these mobile phones are at the front line in nearly of all UN operations and truly represent the human face of the United Nations," said UNV Executive Coordinator Sharon Capeling-Alakija.

"Ericsson's generous provision of this equipment will assist us in our continuous efforts to increase the security of UN Volunteers in the field. The donation is also an example of how the corporate sector can contribute to peace and security through volunteer action," she said. "We are proud today to make this donation of mobile phones as part of Ericsson's ongoing commitment to our Ericsson Response partnership with the United Nations," said John Giere, Ericsson Vice President for Branding and Market Communications. According to Dag Nielsen, Ericsson Response Programme Director, Ericsson has been involved in numerous disaster response efforts, from providing mobile base stations to refugee camps in Kosovo to reinstalling damaged telecom equipment and providing tents to earthquake victims in Turkey. The corporation has also provided mobile phones to flood victims in Viet Nam and relief workers during earthquakes in El Salvador and India. Through Ericsson Response, Ericsson seeks to support the quality and efficiency of the international relief work by bringing additional communications technology to be used in support of relief operations.

Further, in support of the UN General Assembly declaring 2001 as the International Year of Volunteers, Ericsson has developed an Ericsson Response Volunteer programme for its employees. Trained Ericsson Response volunteers are deployed as part of the disaster relief operations field team onsite for the purpose of establishing vital communications networks. "We are proud to have our employees involved and committed to this cause and grateful to the UN for providing us this opportunity to contribute to their work," Mr. Giere said.

UNV is the volunteer arm of the UN system. It extends hands-on assistance for peace and development in nearly 150 countries. Created by the UN General Assembly in 1970 and administered by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UNV works through UNDP country offices to send volunteers--two-thirds of them from developing countries--and promote the ideals of volunteerism around the world. UN Volunteers have extensive experience in 115 professional fields.

For more information about this news release, contact: Richard Nyberg, tel: (49 228) 815 2223; email: