Kyrgyzstan: Reforming Social Protection System Through National Dialogue

On 17– 19 February 2016 a series of technical and political meetings took place in Bishkek as part of the framework for the social protection assessment–based national dialogue.

News | 19 February 2016
Technical meeting of the working group and a high level round table conference were organized by the ILO, which provided technical support in defining the four priorities (2 main+2 additional) for the reform of the social protection system in Kyrgyz Republic.

The third meeting in an expanded format, the round table was attended by representatives of government agencies, employers' organizations, trade unions and non-governmental and international organizations. Addressing the participants, Vice Prime Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic Gulmira Kudaiberdieva stressed that ILO's Recommendation No. 202 was a guide to the evaluation of the social protection system and the establishment of minimum level of social guarantees in the country.

Mariko Ouchi, Senior Social Protection Specialist at ILO Country Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, provided a detailed overview of functioning of the social protection assessment–based national dialogue, including its follow-up stage and the roles of the stakeholders.

The first national dialogue on social protection floors was organized last year by the Ministry of Labour and Social Development of Kyrgyzstan and the ILO Country Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, as a first step towards bringing the national social protection system in line with the standards established by the ILO Convention No. 102 and Recommendation No. 202. In the run-up to the second national dialogue, the stakeholders have done a good work to develop the assessment matrix – an essential tool for the evaluation of the social protection system.

The main goal of the Second social protection assessment–based national dialogue was to finalize the assessment matrix and develop priority directions for the social protection. That said, the significance of the national dialogue is greater than its pragmatic targets. Of great importance is the fact that it has formed the basis for a full-fledged interaction between the state, non-governmental organizations, trade unions and employers in pursuing the common goal of creation of social protection for all.

The next meeting in the framework of the national dialogue on social protection in Kyrgyzstan, which will consider the final version of the report on the priorities of social protection system in the country, will be held at the end of the year.