VZCZCXRO7589
RR RUEHDBU RUEHLN RUEHSK RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHEK #0160/01 0500849
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 190849Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY BISHKEK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3058
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BISHKEK 000160 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SCA/PPD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KWMN PREL KPAO
SUBJECT: KYRGYZSTAN: S/GWI PROJECT PROPOSALS 
 
REFTEL: State 0132094 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY: Post is submitting two project proposals in response 
to the call for nominations for the Secretary's Office of Global 
Women's Issues (S/GWI) small grants initiatives (reftel).  Post's 
first choice proposal is the proposal for funding of a regional 
conference on women's empowerment, which is tentatively scheduled 
for May 14-15 in Bishkek.  Post's second choice proposal is a 
proposal to fund a network of women's shelters throughout 
Kyrgyzstan. 
 
POST'S FIRST CHOICE PROPOSAL 
---------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) Post's first choice proposal is a proposal to fund the travel 
expenses of women from the entire Central Asian region to attend the 
Central Asian Women's Conference in Bishkek in May.  The conference 
seeks to address the problem of gross gender inequality in Central 
Asia.  Central Asian women face an array of gender discrimination, 
including limited leadership roles in society, economic 
discrimination, domestic violence, limited property rights, 
trafficking, and forced marriage.  The conference agenda includes 
women's economic empowerment through artisanship and community-based 
tourism, women's networking and association-building, trade 
mechanisms and strategies, social and legal issues affecting Central 
Asian women, expanding women's role in community-level decision 
making, increasing educational opportunities for women, and 
promoting job skills for under-educated women.  The conference 
tentatively will include high-level speakers, such as Ambassador 
Melanie Verveer.  The conference will be greatly enhanced by the 
participation of women from all Central Asian countries. 
 
¶3. (U) Post's proposal includes funds for travel of regional 
conference attendees and participants.  The attendees and 
participants will be selected by the U.S. embassy in their 
respective countries.  The proposal covers the travel of 
participants in the following numbers and from the following 
countries: 7 from Afghanistan, 10 from Kazakhstan (5 from the north, 
5 from the south), 8 from Tajikistan, 10 from Uzbekistan, 7 from 
Turkmenistan, and 10 from Kyrgyzstan.  The grant includes air/land 
transportation, hotel, and per diem.  The total amount of the grant 
would be $99,857.  The Embassy would be the recipient organization 
and would work with the other embassies in the region to disburse 
the funds to the conference participants. 
 
POST'S SECOND CHOICE PROPOSAL 
----------------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) PROJECT TITLE: Rehabilitation and Reintegration Assistance to 
Victims of Gender Violence, TIP and Domestic Violence 
 
Problem:  Despite the fact that both kidnapping and domestic 
violence are illegal in Kyrgyzstan, great numbers of women and girls 
in Kyrgyzstan have experienced and continue to experience these 
serious violations of their most fundamental human rights. The 
Ministry of Internal Affairs registers 8,000 to 10,000 emergency 
calls regarding family crises each year.  The number of women 
turning to women's crisis centers for help is increasing each year. 
In a recent survey on domestic violence conducted by Sezim Crisis 
Center, two out of three respondents said they had been victims of 
domestic violence.  At least 17 women have died in Kyrgyzstan in 
2008-2009 at the hands of physically abusive husbands.  Statistics 
from the country's crisis shelters - where many of the most serious 
cases end up suggest that 80 to 90 percent of Kyrgyzstan's victims 
of domestic violence are women.  Unfortunately, Kyrgyz crisis 
shelters have limited capacity for rendering services to the victims 
of domestic violence due to insufficient funding. 
 
Summary:  The aim of this project is to build the capacity of nine 
shelters/crisis centers in terms of rehabilitation and reintegration 
assistance to victims of gender violence, TIP and domestic 
violence. 
 
Geographic coverage:  Seven regions of the Kyrgyz Republic 
(Issyk-Kul, Batken, Naryn, Jalalabat, Osh, Talas and Bishkek). 
 
Project description:  The project covers the nine main crisis 
centers' activities: legal, psychological, and social aid to clients 
of the shelters; meals for clients of the shelters; and technical 
assistance for crisis centers, including the telephone connection 
and transportation expenses. Within the framework of the project 
beneficiaries will be able to obtain the following forms of 
assistance: 
 
¶1. Individual consultations from psychologists and 
psychotherapists; 
 
¶2. Legal support including representation in court and legal 
documentation; 
 
¶3. Group therapy sessions for clients.  In addition to individual 
 
BISHKEK 00000160  002 OF 002 
 
 
counseling, victims of violence can greatly benefit from group 
therapy.  This type of therapy tends to inspire a sense of 
membership in a group, a shared sense of responsibility; 
 
¶4. Further expansion of services for clients.  This will include: 
medical services and consultations with relatives of the victims; 
 
¶5. Hotlines.  At the present time Crisis centers have two telephone 
numbers: 24 hour hotline for violence victims and the regular office 
working line.  The grant will cover one hotline and an office line 
for each center. 
 
¶6. Media collaboration.  The project will involve the media with the 
purpose of disseminating information about gender violence problems 
in Kyrgyzstan. 
 
¶7. It is also planned to conduct a series of trainings for the staff 
of the 9 crisis centers on prevention of domestic violence. 
 
Desired outcomes:  The capacity and professional services of nine 
crisis centers located in regions throughout the country will be 
developed.  Women, who are victims of gender violence, human 
trafficking and domestic violence, from the most rural areas of 
Kyrgyzstan will have access to qualified centers with trained 
professionals. 
 
Performance measures: 
 
¶1. It is planned to provide psychological consultations for 4,200 
domestic violence victims within 18 months by means of 24-hour hot 
line and individual consultations in 9 shelters. 
 
¶2. No less than 1,000 women will get legal support including 
representation in court and legal documentation; 
 
¶3. Information campaign will raise awareness of 35,000 people on 
domestic violence prevention issues. 
 
Amount requested:  $100,000 (detailed budget to follow separately) 
 
Project duration:  18 months 
 
Background on the organization:  Public Association Crisis 
Psychological Center for Women and Families "Sezim" was founded in 
1998 to provide legal, social, and economic protection for women and 
families, and assist with the psychological rehabilitation of 
victims of violence.  Sezim is the oldest and most capable 
organization dealing with victims of gender violence, TIP and 
domestic violence.  In 2003 the Center opened a shelter in Bishkek 
for victims of domestic violence, human trafficking and gender 
violence with assistance from the U.S. Embassy in the Kyrgyz 
Republic.  Sezim has several people on staff and has successfully 
implemented a number of U.S. government grants in the past. 
 
The Kyrgyz National Commission on the Affairs of Women, Families and 
Gender Development under the President of the Kyrgyz Republic 
supports Sezim and has donated office premises for the Center's long 
term use. 
 
Grant management:  The Public Affairs Section at Post will manage 
the grant.  Post, through Democracy Commission Small Grants and 
USAID programs, funds a number of women's initiatives supporting 
women's health, education and empowerment in the Kyrgyz Republic. 
The advancement of women in Kyrgyz society is a critical component 
in achieving each strategic mission goal, specifically promoting 
democratic governance and creating a healthier, better educated 
population.  This project would continue the critical work of Sezim, 
by expanding professional services to victims of domestic violence 
in all regions of Kyrgyzstan. 
 
The Public Affairs Section is part of a weekly interagency 
assistance working group, which coordinates all assistance 
initiatives. 
 
GFOELLER