In this issue:

UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (UNDP)

• Kyrgyz Parliament speaks up against stigma and discrimination of People Living with HIV/AIDS
• Strengthening Leadership against HIV/AIDS
• Paving the Way for Democratic Presidential Elections

UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (UNDP)

Kyrgyz Parliament speaks up against stigma and discrimination of People Living with HIV/AIDS

Parliament adopts an AIDS law providing rights of voluntary testing, confidentiality, treatment and protection for people living with HIV/AIDS

The UN SG Kofi Anan, during his visit to Kyrgyzstan in October 2002, pleaded the case of AIDS, requesting Kyrgyz politicians to speak up publicly against stigma and discrimination of people living with AIDS and for the respect of human rights. Today, as a result of joint work of the Government, UNDP and civil society the highest representation of the nation, the Parliament spoke up passing a law which includes all the main principles for which the UN and UNDP stands for - commented the UNDP Resident Representative in Kyrgyzstan Jerzy Skuratowicz on the recent AIDS law adoption. Also he noted that in the person of Ms. Ishengul Boldjurova, Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs, Kyrgyzstan has gained a leader strongly supporting and promoting those principles.

Ishengul Boldjurova together with members of parliament and representatives of UNDP HIV/AIDS Programme and UNIFEM participated in the press conference in news agency Kabar to inform journalists on new law and its advantages.

The new law was developed with participation of joint working group with support of UNDP HIV/AIDS Programme and the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Representatives of ministries of Justice, Health, Labor and Social protection, National AIDS Center, international organizations and NGOs took part in development of the law.

“It is a global problem not the problem of small group of people” noted Boldjurova. According to Vice Prime Minister, “Kyrgyzstan is a leader in Central Asia in the fight against AIDS. We are at the beginning stage of the epidemic and if the epidemic progresses Kyrgyzstan rapidly can explode as a powder keg”. Members of the parliament noted that the adopted law brings national legislation to international standards, and is directed to solve issues of HIV/AIDS in the country and decreasing growth rate of HIV cases. The law provides rights of citizens for voluntary testing for HIV, psychological and social assistance and for confidentiality of personal data related to HIV/AIDS. The law also guarantees protection for people living with HIV/AIDS from stigma and discrimination and provides complex treatment and social protection.

The open parliament hearings that took place earlier in June predestined undisputed adoption of the law in the first session. The open hearings, supported by UNDP HIV/AIDS Programme and the Global Fund, attracted majority of members of the parliament which is quite unusual for such events. The story on Parliament hearings was published in recent issue of UN Link. The motive for this discussion was the need to put human rights and freedoms and democratic values of open society in the basement of any reforms the country is undertaking and will even be reinforced in the nearest future after the March’s revolution and July’s presidential elections.

Additional information can be obtained by contacting Ekaterina Paniklova, UNDP Programme Officer by phone 61-12-13. Email address:

Strengthening Leadership against HIV/AIDS

New Programme Document for UNDP HIV/AIDS Programme 2005-2010 Signed

“This document is a guiding map that gives green light for Kyrgyzstan to coordinate activities in HIV/AIDS area and mobilize resources. It gives an excellent chance to show international community our openness, efforts and willingness to fight this disaster - said the acting vice prime minister of the Kyrgyz Republic at the ceremony of signing programme documents of UNDP HIV/AIDS Programme for years 2005-2010, which took place on 30th of June in the Government House. The Government of Kyrgyzstan highly values contribution and support of UNDP in strengthening national response to HIV/AIDS also noted acting vice prime minister.

“From financial standpoint this project is not large, but it will create conditions for Government to coordinate activities in HIV/AIDS field and in providing help by international organizations and donors” - said UNDP Resident Representative in Kyrgyzstan Jerzy Skuratowicz in his speech at the ceremony

The programme will be executed by the Unit for coordination and monitoring in HIV/AIDS area of the Office of Prime Minister. One of the results of the programme is strengthening role of the Government in effective coordination and monitoring of third State programme on HIV/AIDS implementation.

Strategies of the programme directed at supporting leadership capacity building on national and local levels in fighting HIV/AIDS epidemic, by involving key leaders of the government, civil society and private sector, including people living with HIV/AIDS. The basis of the programme stays multisectoral approach in fighting AIDS, addressing social, political, economic, health and human rights aspects of HIV/AIDS

At the end of the ceremony Jerzy Skuratowicz presented a car purchased for the Unit for HIV/AIDS coordination and monitoring of the Office of Prime Minister.

Additional information can be obtained by contacting Ekaterina Paniklova, UNDP Programme Officer by phone 61-12-13. Email address:

Paving the Way for Democratic Presidential Elections

UNDP together with the Central Election Commission and OSCE have started a combined mass media voters education campaign with unprecedented outreach

As a flagship of its voters education efforts UNDP has designed and produced for the CEC 1 Million copies of an election related newspaper, eight pages in A 2 format; 600,000 copies in Kyrgyz and 400,000 in Russian language. The newspaper contains the biography and the political program of all six candidates as well as additional voter education information regarding Election Day procedures, prohibition of vote buying, voting for handicapped etc.

Circulation-wise it is the single biggest publication ever produced in Kyrgyzstan. The total amount of producing, printing and distribution is around 30,000 USD. UNDP provided also the considerable logistic operation of distributing 24 tons of newspaper to 46 different districts across Kyrgyzstan to the rayon election commissions (DECs). From there it will be picked up and distributed together with the election invitation paper by the 20.000 members of the Precinct Election Commissions –one copy to almost each house hold across Kyrgyzstan during the week before the elections.

“We consider this newspaper a very important tool to inform voters about the election and the candidates. For the first time in Kyrgyzstan all voters have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the programmatic ideas of all candidates. Furthermore this newspaper provides a level playing ground for all candidates to convey their messages to the voters,” said Dr. Oskar Lehner, International Project Management Advisor of the UNDP Project: "Support to Democratic Elections in the Kyrgyz Republic"

The 12 reels – each in Kyrgyz and Russian language – convey messages to encourage voters to participate in the elections, to check the voters lists before election day (in order to improve its quality) and to refrain from selling the vote.

Yesterday, 22 June, the following channels started airing the UNDP reels: KTR, RTR, KOORT, NTC

The transmission will last until 8 July evening each TV reel will be aired approximately ten to 12 times in each languages. Per day each channel will broadcast 4-8 different reels partly during the day or during prime time.

The total amount of broadcasting time is around 700 Minutes.

Since the 27 June UNDP also started a corresponding Radio campaign on the same topics.

Educational programmes

As part of a wider voter education campaign, UNDP and OSCE are jointly broadcasting six (twelve) TV Educative Programs for the CEC. UNDP arranged and paid for the production, OSCE covered the costs for the broadcasts. Each of these films is 10 minutes long and is broadcast in the Russian and Kyrgyz languages. The films address a number of issues regarding the election process, which was agreed upon with the CEC:

• Check the voters lists
• Election campaign
• Misuse of state resources
• Vote buying
• Election observation
• Election Day procedures

Note: the activities of the UNDP Project: "Support to Democratic Elections in the Kyrgyz Republic" are co funded by the Government of Belgium, Sweden and Ireland

Additional information can be obtained by contacting Dr. Oskar Lehner International Project Management Advisor , UNDP Project: "Support to Democratic Elections in the Kyrgyz Republic, Tel.: direct line +996 (312) 627388, switchboard: + 996 (312) 627311, 62 7354, 627384, 627392, 62 73 96, 627408, , www.ngp.undp.kg