Employers in Kyrgyzstan advance plans for national confederation

BISHKEK (ILO News) – Employers’ associations from across Kyrgyzstan met at a round table, organized by the JIA Business Association with support from the International Labour Organization (ILO), to discuss the creation of a national confederation of employers.

The round table brought together members of the boards and management teams of regional employers’ associations. The meeting focused on the possibility of reuniting these regional associations under a common national umbrella organization that would represent employers’ interests at the country level.

Participants discussed the potential of such an organization to become a representative voice of business in Kyrgyzstan.

© JIA Business Association

© JIA Business Association

The ILO, through the Bureau for Employers’ Activities, contributed technical expertise to the discussion. The input focused on the business case for creating a national employers’ confederation, international practices in the organization of employers’ representation and the governance principles required for such an organization to become credible, independent and sustainable.

The discussion highlighted that a national confederation could help strengthen the collective voice of employers, improve coordination between regional associations, support structured dialogue with public authorities and provide a stronger institutional basis for participation in social dialogue.

An analysis of the Law of the Kyrgyz Republic on Employers’ Organizations was also presented during the round table. The analysis found that the law provides an important legal basis for the establishment and protection of employers’ organizations and is broadly aligned with the principles of the ILO Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87), and as such represents a solid basis for the establishment of a future confederation.

Participants agreed on the need for a national-level confederation of employers in Kyrgyzstan.

Following the round table, JIA leadership and management discussed possible next steps, including the preparation of a roadmap for the establishment of the Kyrgyz Employers’ Confederation. The roadmap is expected to address the future structure of the organization, governance arrangements, founding documents, membership fee model, secretariat functions, priority members, registration procedure, branding, communication and international cooperation.

The ILO will continue to support employers’ organizations in Kyrgyzstan through technical advice, knowledge-sharing and capacity-building, in line with international labour standards and the principles of independent and representative employers’ organizations.

© JIA Business Association

© JIA Business Association