Kyrgyz Parliament and ILO collaborate to implement the ILO Convention on Violence and Harassment

© ILO

© ILO

BISHKEK (ILO News) - With the support of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and UN Women, on 26 November 2024, the Parliament Council on the Rights of Women, Children and Gender Equality of the Kyrgyz Republic convened a meeting to mark the launch of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. The meeting aimed at discussion of the country's commitment to implementing the ILO Convention No. 190 along with the consideration of:

• the outcomes of the Central Asian Women Leaders’ Dialogue chaired by Kyrgyzstan in 2024
• monitoring results of NAP 1325 "Women, Peace and Security”
• gender-sensitive budgeting analysis results.

In her welcoming remarks at the event, Antje Grawe, the UN Resident Coordinator in the Kyrgyz Republic, underlined that the eradication of gender-based violence is not just a moral imperative but also a prerequisite for achieving gender equality as outlined in the 2030 Agenda and welcomed the ratification of ILO Convention No. 190 on violence and harassment.

Kyrgyzstan is the first country in Central Asia that ratified the ILO Convention on Violence and Harassment in June 2024. This was an important step towards reaffirming everyone’s right to a safe and fair workplace free from violence and harassment.

Ms. Jyldyz Polotova, the Minister of Labour, Social Security and Migration of the Kyrgyz Republic.

Özge Berber Agtaş, Gender Equality and Non-discrimination Specialist, ILO DWT/CO for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, has launched a series of policy dialogues on addressing and preventing violence and harassment in the world of work and presented legislative measures adopted in different countries across the world to apply the provisions of the ILO Convention No. 190. Special attention was given to ILO recommendations to the draft amendments to labour legislation in line with the provisions of C190 elaborated by the Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Migration of the Kyrgyz Republic.

The policy dialogues resulted in substantial sharing of knowledge and countries’ experience in addressing and preventing violence and harassment, adoption of recommendations by the Council, and provision of an interactive forum for the MPs, government entities, UN Agencies, international partners and experts to consider the country context and future directions to implement C190 in Kyrgyzstan.

"The proactive stance of the Kyrgyz Parliament in addressing violence, including in the world of work, is not just a formal affirmation of our commitment to international standards. It is our commitment to act at all levels and today’s meeting is an opportunity to discuss further legislation steps to ensure decent life for all citizens", said Ms. Dzhamilya Isaeva, Vice-Speaker of the Parliament of the Kyrgyz Republic.

This milestone meeting gathered more than 40 members of the Council, including Members of the Parliament, representatives of Government entities, social partners, international and non-governmental organizations, and international partners.

In the coming weeks, the Ministry of Labour will review proposed amendments to existing labour laws, with the aim of introducing a comprehensive draft law that reflects the spirit of ILO Convention 190 and as per ILO recommendations.

"We look forward to the ILO’s experience on addressing the issues of gender equality in an international context and stand ready for close cooperation to develop effective solutions. Our objective is not only to change the legislation, but rather to create conditions and ensure all vulnerable group of workers have decent living and working conditions, as well as opportunities for professional growth and social mobility", shared Ms. Gulsharkhan Kultaeva, Member of the Parliament of the Kyrgyz Republic.

The Parliament Council’s meeting on the implementation of ILO Convention No. 190 marks a critical step toward ensuring that workplaces are free from violence and harassment. The Council adopted a resolution in the format of Recommendations to the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic encouraging effective implementation of C190 and enacting meaningful change to promote a decent world of work for all.