Workshops for CPDV of Ivanovka and Baitik Municipalities

On February 21 and 22, introductory seminars were held for representatives of the local governments of Ivanovka and Baitik.

The purpose of these seminars was to train representatives of relevant government agencies on measures to prevent and reduce domestic violence at the local community level. Following these introductory sessions, three additional seminars will be held in each local community to enable the newly formed committees to begin their work to reduce and prevent gender-based violence within families.

The seminars were facilitated by Gulbarchyn Jumabaeva, a gender human rights defender, who led the training sessions.

During the introductory seminars, participants were briefed on the statistics and situation of gender-based domestic violence in Kyrgyzstan. The trainer also gave a presentation outlining the role, composition, functions and tasks of the CPDV. Representatives from the local police shared statistics on gender-based violence within families for the year 2023, while social workers discussed measures to mitigate domestic violence. It was heartening to see the understanding, response and support of the seminar participants, including those from law enforcement.

Subsequent seminars in these communities are scheduled for March this year.

The Local Committees for the Prevention of Domestic Violence (CPDV) are public bodies composed of representatives from 17 authorized state agencies responsible for protecting individuals from gender-based domestic violence. The CPDVs include law enforcement officials and social workers, who are tasked with providing victims with safety, shelter, food and other necessities, as well as medical personnel, who are required to report on the condition of victims.

The CPDV's mandate extends beyond assisting victims of family violence to include broad preventive information dissemination and awareness-raising efforts at all levels of the community - including schools, neighborhoods, districts, and organizations - aimed at improving the quality of life for families at risk. As a result, CPDV's members include representatives from elders' courts, women's councils, youth organizations, neighborhood and home committees, among others.

It is worth noting that official statistics for 2023 indicate more than 13,000 registered cases of domestic violence, with 95% of the victims being children, girls and women. In 75% of cases, the perpetrator was someone known to the victim (such as a husband, fiancé, ex-husband, son, etc.).

The project Increasing Gender Sensitivity of CPDV Members in Chui Region to Reduce Family Violence was made possible with funding from the U.S. Embassy in the Kyrgyz Republic.