Progress towards MDGs in Kyrgyzstan
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In September of 2000 the highest-level representatives from 191 countries, including Kyrgyzstan, adopted the Millennium Declaration. By doing so, Kyrgyzstan, like other states, committed itself to eight key obligations: the Millennium Development Goals. To meet these obligations, Kyrgyzstan strives to radically reduce poverty and to achieve sustainable human development through access to education and healthcare, gender equality, reduction of child mortality and improvement of maternal health, combat HIV/AIDS and ensure environmental sustainability.

During the 2005 Session of the UN General Assembly, the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, His Excellency Kurmanbek Bakiev, reaffirmed Kyrgyzstan’s commitment to the Millennium Development Goals. The MDGs have become part of a system of target benchmarks for the country’s long-term development. The monitoring system of the Country Development Strategy includes a significant number of indicators related to the evaluation of progress in MDGs achievement.

Kyrgyzstan has a mixed track record in its progress towards achieving the national MDGs. and about 6 years to reach the targets set in the Millennium Declaration. Significant progress has been achieved in reducing poverty – extreme poverty, in particular. The economy is showing steady growth rates. While Kyrgyzstan enjoys economic growth, progress in delivering the benefits of economic growth to poor people needs to be accelerated. Still, almost half of children live in poverty (48.5 percent) and more than one child in eight suffers from extreme poverty and deprivation. Children growing up in poverty are less likely to do well in school, enjoy good health or get a good job later.

The available information also indicates that significant challenges remain if Kyrgyzstan is to achieve its targets for improving universal basic education, gender equality and maternal health, reducing child mortality, and combating HIV/AIDS, TB and other infectious diseases.

As of 2005, Kyrgyzstan had an almost 95-percent enrollment rate in basic secondary education but the literacy rates among 14- to 24-year-olds have been declining.

Also, despite of some achievements, the indicators on infant mortality, under-five mortality and maternal mortality remain unacceptably high. Concerted efforts and programme investment are required to accelerate the desired mortality decline. It is crucial to take proactive and effective actions advocating on maternal and child health at all levels, focusing not only on medical causes and consequences, but also reaching out to the whole society and decision makers to achieve a concrete goal – saving women’s and newborns lives.

Achieving gender equality remains a serious issue. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, Kyrgyzstan has experienced a deepening of gender inequality. Women constitute just 42 percent of the economically active population, and earn only 67 percent of the wages men do. However, there have been some positive developments, especially with regard to involving women in decision-making processes. Today, as a result of special measures meant to ensure gender equality, women constitute 27 percent of the Parliament.

Finally, while the country has an integrated national system for combating HIV/AIDS, TB and other infectious diseases, the country has yet to effectively curb these diseases. Porous borders, increased drug trafficking through the country and uncontrolled labor migration raise the susceptibility of the country to HIV/AIDS, TB and other infectious diseases.

Updated information on the progress towards the achievement of Millennium Development Goals in the Kyrgyz Republic is contained in the 'Second periodic progress report on the MDGs in the Kyrgyz Republic'. The report contains not only a snapshot of the current progress and problems, but also suggests policy recommendations and options for achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. The UN agencies are committed to work closely with the Government of Kyrgyzstan and Civil Society and continue its support in development of Kyrgyzstan and achievement of the MDGs.

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