OSCE Centre helps strengthen gender sensitivity in southwestern Kyrgyzstan

JALAL-ABAD, Kyrgyzstan, 19 November 2010 - Addressing gender issues such as domestic violence, bride kidnapping, polygamy and early marriage were the central theme of an OSCE-supported conference held today in Jalal-Abad.

Almost 60 representatives of the police, local crime prevention centers, media, civil society and state agencies took part in the meeting, organized by the nongovernmental organization "Women Leaders of Jalal-Abad" and supported by the OSCE Centre in Bishkek.

This conference was the concluding event of a project that strengthened police work to combat violence against women. The project also included roundtable meetings for neighborhood inspectors, juvenile delinquency inspectors and members of local crime prevention centers across the Jalal-Abad province, and six TV programmes on the theme.

"This project shows how civil society and police can have an impact on crucial matters such as addressing gender-based violence and protecting women's rights," said Vincent O'Shea, Community Policing Adviser of the OSCE Centre.

Zhanna Saralaeva, president of "Women Leaders of Jalal-Abad" said the project had positively influenced police work: "When neighborhood inspectors deal with domestic violence cases, they often call us and seek advice on provision of psychological help or shelter for victims."

Addressing gender issues through police-community partnership is an important part of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek's Police Reform Programme.