Annual International Campaign 16 Days Against Violence started in Kyrgyzstan. The Information Support Department of the Government Office reported.
The number of days was chosen for a reason. The campaign starts on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and ends on December 10 - the International Human Rights Day.
The purpose of the campaign is to increase the intolerance of society to domestic and gender-based violence, to increase understanding and awareness of all forms of violence among compatriots.
"Around the world, the 16 Days Against Violence campaign brings together governments, communities, activists and the public in efforts to stress the urgent need to end violence against women and girls through various events, rallies and campaigns,” the Cabinet noted.
The Government recalled that Kyrgyzstan has ratified a number of UN conventions to combat early marriage and violence against women and children and was one of the first in the CIS to adopt the Law on Social and Legal Protection from Domestic Violence, recognizing family violence as dangerous and unacceptable phenomenon that must be addressed by the relevant state bodies, local authorities and the public. In 2017, the Law on Protection from Family Violence was adopted.
The Kyrgyz Code of Misconduct includes two types of crimes related to domestic violence: Article 75 "Domestic violence” and Article 76 "Failure to comply with the terms of temporary protection order.” They stipulate fines from 15,000 to 60,000 soms, corrective labor of up to two months, and community service from 30 to 60 hours.
The National Strategy for Achieving Gender Equality until 2020 was adopted, which determines the priorities of the state gender policy. A draft resolution, providing for entrusting the Ministry of Labor and Social Development with the function of an authorized state body for coordinating the activities of entities protecting against domestic violence, passed a coordination procedure and is considered by the Cabinet of Ministers.
In the framework of the 16-day campaign against violence, Kyrgyzstan determined priority areas in combating violence against women and girls:
- Implementation, updating or expansion of national action plans to end violence against women and girls;
- Introduction or development of services for women - survivors of violence (for example, assistance lines, specialized medical services, legal support, justice, counseling, temporary shelters);
- Development of information strategies to prevent violence against women and girls, raising public awareness, as well as changing attitude and behavior;
- Role of local governments in mobilizing the community at the local level for joint work on creation of a culture of non-violent behavior in society, creating intolerance to any form of discrimination.
