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» Report of the Secretary-General's High-level Panel
   
# 204
September 19, 2003

In this issue:


UNITED NATIONS IN KYRGYZSTAN

  • The First National Millennium Development Goals Progress Report Was Presented to Journalists

UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (UNDP)

  • The Third ICT Council Meeting
  • UNDP/GEF Joint Project on Implementation of Global Environmental Conventions Signed
  • Presentation of the Website Held at the Ombudsman’s Office
  • UNDP Awards the Winners of the Blitz Media Contest «Gender Balance in Politics and Decision Making»

UNITED NATIONS POPULATION FUND (UNFPA)

  • Peer Education Training for Trainers on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Safe Behavior

UNITED NATIONS OFFICE ON DRUGS AND CRIME (UNODC)

  • The Officer-in-Charge of the ROCA/UN ODC Regional Office Visits Kyrgyzstan

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)

  • Round Table on Surveys
  • Round Table to Discuss the Health Promotion Concept

UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES (UNHCR)

  • Sports Equipment Project with the US Embassy

UNITED NATIONS IN KYRGYZSTAN

The first National Millennium Development Goals Progress Report was presented to the participants of the Republican conference “Cooperation of mass media with the civil society in the year of celebration of the 2200th anniversary of the Kyrgyz statehood”, which was held on 12 -13 September 2003 at the Issyk-Kul Lake.

Organized by joint efforts of the Presidential Press Service, UN agencies and private entrepreneurs, the Conference hosted over a hundred representatives of mass media of Bishkek and regions.

“Despite that in Kyrgyzstan, dissemination of information is extremely difficult due to the country’s mountainous landscape, there is a unique situation – people still trust mass media”, said Olga Grebennikova, UNDP Public Relations Officer, in her address to the Conference participants. - “In addition, the degree of a journalist’s objectivity has a considerable effect on the success of reforms and stability in the country as a ground for its development.”

In the Report, which was recently published in cooperation with a wide range of interested partners, the situation is thoroughly analyzed for each of the eight Millennium Development Goals, including obstacles to achievement of these goals and the list of necessary actions to achieve them all by 2015.

“The publication of the report is only an initial step”, wrote Jerzy Skuratowicz, UN Resident Coordinator in Kyrgyzstan, in his address to the readers of the Report. - “The MDGs in this country can be reached only when they are guaranteed by on-going effort and substantial support, which includes advocacy, expertise, and resources.”

Roman Mogilevsky, who headed the group of the Report’s authors, presented it to participants of the Conference. He said, “No matter how comprehensively thought-over and strategically proper MDGs are, they cannot come to life without support of the society and without its direct participation in the processes of the country’s development.”

For more information please contact: Olga Grebennikova, UNDP Public Relations Officer. Phone: 61 12 13; e-mail:

UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (UNDP)

On 16 September, the 3rd meeting of the ICT Council chaired by the Presided of the Kyrgyz Republic Askar Akaev was held in the Government House.

The agenda included the following issues: e-education, e-economy, and e-government. Each of them was presented as a concept with action plans within the framework of the ICT for Development National Strategy. At the meeting, the governmental Internet portal was presented as well.

In his welcoming address preceding the meeting, President Akaev emphasized that the meeting was held on the threshold of an important event – the Global Summit on Information Society, which will be organized in two sessions – on 10-12 December 2003 in Geneva and in 2005 in Tunis.

As was mentioned by the President Akaev, Kyrgyzstan’s contribution to the Global Summit is to be a specific implementation of the main components of information society in the field of education, economics, and governance. As was particularly emphasized by the President, it will allow modernizing the system of public administration and make it more transparent, which will become the best way to eliminate corruption and ensure introduction of good governance norms.

President Akaev expressed his gratitude to Jerzy Skuratowicz, UNDP Resident Representative, for UNDP support in development of the ICT Action Plan in the Kyrgyz Republic.

For more information please contact Dinara Rakhmanova, UNDP National Governance Programme Manager. Phone: (996 312) 66 46 34, 66 21 08. Email:

Today, on 19 September, UNDP/GEF and the Kyrgyz Government’s joint project on the national assessment of capacity to implement Global Environmental Conventions was signed in the Government House.

The project document was signed by Kurmanbek Osmonov, the First Vice-Prime Minister, Bolotbek Aidaraliev, the Deputy Minister of Ecology and Emergencies, on behalf of the Government, and Jerzy Skuratowicz, UNDP Resident Representative, on behalf of UNDP/GEF.

Since 1991, Kyrgyzstan ratified a number of international environmental conventions, including the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Convention on Biodiversity, the Vienna Convention on Ozone Layer, and the UN Convention on Desertification.

The Project, which was signed today, provides for the country’s capacity building in preservation of biodiversity, development of the action plan in climate change, development of actions on prevention of desertification, and determination of problems and priorities in the process of implementation of all Conventions, ratified by Kyrgyzstan.

During the project’s implementation, a national action plan will be developed. It will define how Kyrgyzstan will meet its obligations in Conventions implementation. In addition, the project is aimed at dialogue enhancement, support of informational exchange, and cooperation between main project participants.

For more information please contact Adilet Abdybekov, UNDP Programme Associate and GEF Programme Coordinator. Phone: (996 312) 61 12 13. Email:

On 17 of September, the website developed for the Office of Ombudsman was presented to journalists.

An idea to develop a website for the Office of Ombudsman and to create the Information Center and the Library has evolved from the necessity to provide public with an access to information on human rights, thus, promoting dissemination of information and increasing awareness of citizens in this field.

The website will be available for all citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic. By using this website as an additional resource of information on human rights, the Office of Ombudsman will have a chance to respond to the citizens’ appeals more efficiently.

In accordance with the working plan of the UNDP Project “Capacity-building of the Ombudsman Institution and Human Rights Awareness Raising in the Kyrgyz Republic”, the website was created by the Working Group in close cooperation with UNDP and IT Department of the Ombudsman’s Office with all necessary graphical elements, including search system, news section etc.

For more information please contact Dinara Rakhmanova, UNDP National Governance Programme Manager. Phone: (996 312) 66 50 55, 66 46 34; e-mail:

UNDP awards the winners of the blitz media contest «Gender balance in politics and decision making»

In May 2003 UNDP held “The gender sensitive media coverage of political processes” seminar with participation of over 40 TV, radio and print press journalists from 6 oblasts. During the seminar the role the media can play in instilling the idea among the public that women's participation in political life is an essential part of democracy was stressed.

Following the seminar UNDP announced a blitz media contest for the best series of TV, radio programmes and newspaper articles on the best coverage of the theme “The gender balance in politics and decision making” among participants of the seminar.

Recently a competent jury, comprised of the representatives of UNDP, UNIFEM project, Internews and the Central Asian Media Resource Center, considered media materials received for the contest and identified the winners: Daniar Karimov, journalist of “Vecherny Bishkek” daily, Kifayat Askerova, journalist of “Slovo Kyrgyzstana” newspaper, Alla Piatibratova, a freelance journalist, Tatiana Popova, “Vesti “Issyk-Kulya” newspaper, Elena Meshkova, columnist of “Kabar” news agency, and Tatiana Mordacheva, a journalist of “Mir” TV and radio company.

On 19 September a ceremony of awarding of the media contest winners was held in the UN House. The journalists were congratulated by Jerzy Skuratowicz, UNDP Resident Representative, Nicolas Ebnother, Internews Country Director, as well as the representatives of the parliament, the government and non-government organizations.

For more information please contact: Anastasia Toropova, UNDP Programmes Gender Coordinator. Phone: (996 312) 66 38 85, 66 04 18. E-mail:

UNITED NATIONS POPULATION FUND (UNFPA)

Training of Trainers “Skills in Clinical Teaching on Social Patronage System Issues”

In the framework of the UNFPA project a training of trainers (TOT) on Skills in Clinical Teaching on Social Patronage System (SPS) issues was conducted on 15 – 20 September. The main purpose of the TOT was to improve reproductive health of the population by providing the qualitative reproductive health services and expanding the capacity of SPS.

UNFPA is the major donor supporting Reproductive Health (RH) services in Kyrgyzstan. This support is provided primarily by expanding the capacity of Social Patronage System (SPS) workers to deliver RH information, education, and basic services to families and individuals who are at risk in villages and towns.

Expanded support from UNFPA for the role of the SPS in providing reproductive health services is expected to have a substantial positive impact on RH indicators. The Ministry of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic considers the SPS the primary instrument for reducing infant and maternal mortality. The vulnerable population covered by the SPS has lower infant mortality rate (IMR) than the wealthier population using the regular Family Group Practice.

For further strengthening and expanding Social Patronage System capacity in the Kyrgyz Republic the Ministry of Health in co-operation with Kyrgyz Alliance of Family Planning conducted the TOT “Skills in Clinical Teaching on Social Patronage System Issues”. The representatives from regional training centres of health care providers from Naryn, Issyk-Kul, Talas and Chui oblasts participated in the training.

For more information please contact Alexander Ilyin, UNFPA National Programme Officer. Phone: (996 312) 61 12 02, 61 12 13; e-mail:

UNITED NATIONS OFFICE ON DRUGS AND CRIME (UNODC)

On 10 September 2003 Ms. Nasra Hassan, the Officer-in-Charge of the ROCA/UN ODC Regional Representation paid a three-day-visit to the Kyrgyz Republic. Ms. Nasra Hassan met with the deputy U.S. Ambassador Mr. Donald Lu to discuss further development and implementation of the “Establishment of Drug Control Agency in the Kyrgyz Republic" project. At the end of the meeting both sides agreed to continue rendering assistance to the project.

The one of the basic subjects of Ms. Hassan’s meeting with the UNDP Deputy Resident Representative Mr. David Akopyan was procurement issues for the Kyrgyz Drug Control Agency within the framework of the project. It was pointed that UNDP in Kyrgyzstan will assist in provision of its services for procurement of equipment and services domestically. Mr. David Akopyan expressed the intention of UNDP to assist the new project and its timely and efficient implementation.

During her visit Ms. Nasra Hassan also met with the DCA Director, Major-General of Militia Mr. Kurmanbek Kubatbekov. Parties exchanged information on the DCA establishment and expressed the wish to strengthen the cooperation between the UN and the Kyrgyz Government in countering illicit drugs.

For additional information please contact: Bahtiar Mambetov, National Coordinator; UNODC Sub-Office for the Kyrgyz Republic. Tel. +996 (312) 66 56 82, 66 05 22, e-mail:

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)

On 17 September the Ministry of Health together with WHO organized a round table with participation of health care departments’ heads, national experts from all oblasts, as well as representatives of International organizations and agencies working in the sphere of reproductive health, where results of the surveys “Assessment of current status of reproductive health services in the Kyrgyz Republic” and “Screening of cervical cancer in pilot rayons” were discussed.

For the last ten years a lot has been done to improve reproductive health of the country’s population. But the problem is still pressing. There is an obvious need in conducting qualitative surveys not only in the field of biomedical problems but also in the quality of medical services and policies.

Mortality rate related to cervical cancer has increased because of the absence of the screening program. Likewise, maternal and infant morbidity and mortality rates are still relatively high and there is a trend of STI spread due to lack of knowledge of contraception methods. That is why the necessity of the further joint efforts on supporting of the strategy on strengthening reproductive health of population is evident.

On 17 September health organizations in collaboration with the Ministry of Health organized a round table.

The World Health Organization (WHO) jointly with the Ministry of Health organized a round table to discuss the Health Promotion Concept for Kyrgyzstan.

In 2001 the Ministry of Health reorganized the Republican center “Zdorovie” (Health) to the Republican Center of Health Promotion. The center contributes to development of the strategy on health promotion and collaboration with health workers.

At the Conference participants discussed the Health Promotion Concept and its further implementation and development, activities of local committees on health promotion, perspectives of reorganization of health promotion service and other.

The First Deputy Minister of Health Dr. T. Meimanaliev, the Deputy Minister of Health Dr. L. Shteinke, WHO expert Dr. Chris Brown, WHO Liaison Officer Oscon Moldokulov, Director of the Republican center of Health Promotion Dr. G. Aitmurzaeva, representatives of the Ministry of Education and Culture, directors of regional Health Promotion centers attended the round table.

Contact: Mr. Oskon Moldokulov, WHO Liaison Officer. Tel. +996 (312) 66 35 44, 66 33 82, e-mail: or Elden Kalchakeev, National Officer on Health Communication of WHO Liaison Office in Kyrgyzstan. Tel. +996 (312) 66 35 44, 66 33 82, e-mail:

UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES (UNHCR)

This year, the US Embassy in Bishkek, in consultation with UNHCR office in Bishkek and with technical assistance from ADRA Kyrgyzstan, supported the sports equipment project for schools hosting the Accelerated Learning Programme for Refugee Children. This project was funded by the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, US Department of State, which provided 20 thousand US dollars to purchase basketballs, soccer balls, volleyballs, chess/checkers sets, volleyball nets and pumps for 20 schools in Northern and Southern Kyrgyzstan.

On 16 September 2003, the first set of the equipment was delivered to the Jany Jer village school N2. H.E. Mr. Stephen Young, the US Ambassador, Mr. Kempirbek Ermekov, the school principal, Mr. Gregory Balke, UNHCR OCM Bishkek Sr. Protection Officer, Mr. Zotov, the ADRA Kyrgyzstan representative and young sportsmen of the school participated in a ceremony of presenting the sports equipment. The school principal expressed the gratitude for the equipment to the US Government, US Embassy in the Kyrgyz Republic, UNHCR, and ADRA. Mr. Ermekov noted that the school has been working with refugee children since 2000, hosting the Accelerated learning classes and providing further education in regular classes for the refugee children. The principal then gave the floor to the US Ambassador, H.E. Mr. Stephen Young. Mr. Ambassador thanked the local residents for welcoming refugees and symbolically handed over several balls to the kids. Then Mr. Gregory Balke addressed the children and their parents for the positive attitude towards hosting refugees in their community, and thanked the Kyrgyz Government for providing support to thousands of refugees from Tajikistan. The ceremony concluded with children and guests shooting few basketball hoops, and students playing the basketball game. It is planned that 19 other schools will receive the sports equipment within the next few weeks.

Large numbers of refugees, especially those in remote villages, do not have sufficient financing to afford their large families, most of which have between five and eight children. Many older children were unable to attend schools in Tajikistan, partly due to the economic situation and partly due to the extreme conflict situations in the country. Since they did not have even basic education, they needed to study at levels far below their ages, studying in classrooms with younger children; and for this purpose UNHCR developed a specific learning programme for these children through its implementing partner ADRA.

For more information please contact: James Lynch, UNHCR Head of Office; or Gulzat Aitimbetova, PI Assistant. Phone: (996 312) 61 12 24, 61 12 25; e-mail: or


     Millennium Development Goals Progress Report - 2003

     Common Country Assessment - 2003

 
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