In this issue:

UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

• Daniyar Dubanaev passed away

UNDP LOCAL GOVERNANCE PROGRAMME

• The opening of a newly constructed secondary school

MASS MEDIA

• Visit of the journalists from The Washington Times to UNDP project sites

HIV/AIDS

• Programme on Expanded Response on HIV/AIDS in the Kyrgyz Republic

WHO

• Dr Marc Danzon, WHO Regional Director for Europe, visited Kyrgyzstan
• Round Table on Substance Abuse Prevention National Strategy

NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

• Consultations on project design
• "Clinical legal education in the Kyrgyz Republic " seminar
• “School of women’s leadership” club

UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

One of the first UNDP colleagues, who joined UNDP Kyrgyzstan in 1993, Daniyar Dubanaev passed away recently. He has been working with the OSCE in Kosovo since 2000, and was awarded the UN Peace Keeping Award in 2001. Being an attentive and friendly person with a kind smile, one of the most professional colleagues at UNDP, Daniyar will stay forever in the hearts and minds of all people who had the honor to know him.

UNDP LOCAL GOVERNANCE PROGRAMME

On the 1st of March the Opening Ceremony of a newly constructed secondary school in Bashkara-Suu village, Baitik AO of Chuy oblast was held. State Secretary, Governor of Chuy oblast, a chairperson of oblast kenesh and akim of Alamedin rayon, chairperson of rayon kenesh, deputies of Jogorku Kenesh, and Task Manager of the UNDP Local Governance Programme participated in this event and made speeches. All villagers of Bashkara-Suu village came to the school to celebrate and participate in this significant event. Community people worked themselves very hard to complete school and a sport hall in time. The school was constructed with the financial support of the Ministry of Emergency. The UNDP Decentralization Programme supported CBOs in the construction of a sport hall through a micro-capital grant. Now all villagers are very happy to have a place, where their children can go and have different cultural and sport programmes. A leader of a CBO was appointed as the Director of the School. Earlier this village and this particular site was already visited by the photo journalist from UNV Bonn and journalists of RAI TV who were impressed by a school and a sport hall constructed by villagers themselves.

Contact: Anara Salamatova, Decentralization Component Coordinator, UNDP Local Governance Programme. Phone: (996 312) 66 00 80, e-mail:

MASS MEDIA

The Washington Times journalists Miia Niskanen and Karin Palmquist visited UNDP project sites recently. The journalists went to Mady village in Osh oblast on the 2 of March. The goal of the visit to the South of Kyrgyzstan was to capture the social development progress in the villages, where UNDP Poverty Alleviation and Decentralization programmes’ sites are being implemented since September 1999. During their visit, the journalists held a briefing with the leaders of SHGA “Maksat” and CBO “Cheber”, village community and the UN Volunteers. During their visit the journalists had a chance to see how local population managed to improve their household welfare and increase their income by producing shyrdaks, kalpaks and other national handicraft products. The journalists’ visit outcomes will be exposed in The Washington Times in early April in the article reviewing political, economic and social developments in Kyrgyzstan.

Contact: Asel Sekimova, UNDP Public Relations and Information Management Assistant. Phone: (996 312) 61 12 13, e-mail:

HIV/AIDS

On February 12 a joint Meeting of the UN Theme Group on HIV/AIDS (14th session) and Programme Appraisal Committee on UN Agencies Programme on Expanded Response on HIV/AIDS in the Kyrgyz Republic took place in UN House. Chaired by Mr. Ercan Murat, UN Resident Coordinator, the meeting had more than 40 participants - representatives of the UN Agencies, Government and NGOs participating in the discussion and endorsement of the Programme. Since 1994 the UN Agencies have been working in HIV/AIDS prevention area in the country and already had a successful project implemented, which was acknowledged as the best in the region. The new Programme, initiated by UN Theme Group last year, unites the efforts and contributions of UNAIDS, UNDP, UNFPA, UNIFEM and UNESCO, and has a multi-sectoral approach to HIV/AIDS problem in the country. In the process of implementation it is envisaged to have other Agencies to join the programme. The Participants of the meeting expressed satisfaction with the initiative and launching of the Programme, and resolved the meeting on approving the programme. The Government of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Heads of the UN Agencies present in Kyrgyzstan will soon sign the Programme.

Contact: Larissa Bashmakova, Coordinator for HIV/AIDS Component, UNDP Social Governance Programme, tel./fax: (996 312) 66-36-91, tel.: (996 312) 66 16 17, e-mail:

WHO

Dr Marc Danzon, WHO Regional Director for Europe visited the Kyrgyz Republic on February 25-27. The main goal of the visit was the signing of the Biennial Collaborative Agreement between the Ministry of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic and WHO Regional Office for Europe and the Memorandum of Agreement between WHO Regional Office for Europe and WHO Information Center on Health for Central Asian Republics for 2002/2003.

The main priority areas for cooperation between WHO and Kyrgyzstan are control of communicable and non-communicable diseases, strengthening of maternal and child health, development of health policy and national drug policy, training of specialists, emergency preparedness, etc.

In his capacity of the WHO Regional Director for Europe, Dr Danzon visited Kyrgyzstan twice in 2000. During those visits the basic priority directions of WHO cooperation with Kyrgyzstan for 2000-2001 were determined, and the Memorandum of the Agreement between WHO/EURO and Executive Committee of Interstate Council of the Central Asian economic community was signed to support the realization of regional projects.

The last visit of Dr Marc Danzon to Kyrgyzstan was the third, which is an evidence of high assessment of current reforms in health sector and fruitful collaboration between WHO and Kyrgyzstan. WHO Regional Director, Dr Danzon has met with Dr Naken Kasien, the Governor of Osh oblast and key health care professionals and has discussed the main issues on realization of WHO projects in the south of the Kyrgyz Republic. By the results of the WHO Regional Director’s visit the press conference for journalists was conducted at the Ministry of Health.

On March 1-2 the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic under support of WHO Regional Office for Europe, UNODCCP and USAID conducted a Round Table for discussion of the problems related to substance abuse and establishment of the National Consultative Council for development of the National Action Plan on substance abuse prevention in Kyrgyzstan.

The Scope and Purpose of the Round Table were attracting wide public support on development of Effective National Policy and Strategy of Substance Abuse prevention and also improvement of coordination among all the stakeholders – governmental and non-governmental organizations, and international organizations, political support of the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic in activities and efforts, directed to prevention of drug abuse, alcohol consumption and decrease of affects of using drug and other illegal psychoactive substances.

Participants of the Round Table were Mr. Nikolay Tanaev, First Deputy Prime Minister, representatives of the Executive and Legislative Authorities of the Kyrgyz Republic, representatives of International Organizations, NGOs, Religious Confessions and Mass Media.

By the results of the Round table the following issues were considered and adopted by the participants:

• The National Consultative Council on development of the National Strategy on Drug Abuse Prevention in the framework of the State Programme on counteraction to drug abusers spreading and illegal drug market control in the Kyrgyz Republic for 2001-2003.
• Main problems and needs to be solved, and working out tasks for National Consultative Council on development of the National Strategy on Drug Abuse Prevention.
• The main proposals and approaches on coordination of International Organizations’ activities, collaborating with the Kyrgyz Republic on problems related to medical and social affects of drug and alcohol consumption and prevention of illegal drug circulation.

At the end of the meeting the project of the Statement of the National Round Table to the people of Kyrgyzstan, the President and the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic was unanimously adopted by the participants.

Contact: Cholpon Asambaeva, WHO National Programme Officer. Phone: (996 312) 29 87 98, 29 87 91; e-mail:

NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

Update on Counterpart Consortium/USAID/UN/EU/SOROS Foundation - Supported NGO Activities

On February 19 – 21 the employees of the Civil Society Support Center (CSSC) based in Karakol conducted mobile consultations on project design in the villages Kyzyl-Suu, Tup, Cholpon-Ata for the representatives of the non-governmental organizations within the framework of the program "Support of non-governmental organizations" implemented together with the Soros Foundation. CSSC in Karakol is funded through the grants of USAID, EU, Soros – Kyrgyzstan Foundation.

From February 16 - 21 a manager of CSSC and a coordinator of the project “Public legal receptions and distribution of a legal bulletin” participated in a "Clinical legal education in the Kyrgyz Republic " seminar. The representatives of legal clinics working in the country, representatives of the Ministry of Education and Culture, representatives of the faculties of law in high schools of the republic were invited to the conference. The conference was held in a sanatorium house "Tulpar" in the village “Bosteri”.

Within the framework of the program “Women’s Leadership” a club “School of women’s leadership” was organized for the teenagers at the Public Association “Leader”. The club will promote skills of political consciousness of the teenagers, help to obtain skills in teamwork, resolution of conflicts and overcoming gender stereotypes. The first assembly of the club members with involvement of 25 participants was held on February 21 in the Center of Volunteerism based in the Public Association “Leader”.

Contact: Counterpart Consortium, Lilia Kuchenova, IU/AUK Program Coordinator, NGO Information Coordinator, 107 Kievskaya str., 5th floor, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Phone: (996 312) 61 01 35, 61 00 22, 66 46 36; fax: (996 312) 61 00 21; e-mail: Internet: http://www.cango.net.kg