The official launch of the Zero VAWG (Zero Violence Against Women and Girls) initiative took place in Bishkek, aimed at zero tolerance for violence against women and girls. This project is implemented with the support of the European Union and UN Women, with the goal of strengthening national mechanisms for the prevention of gender-based violence in Kyrgyzstan.
At the ceremony, which gathered representatives from the government, UN systems, the European Union, as well as civil society organizations and the private sector, the initiative was signed.
The Zero VAWG initiative will operate for three years, from November 2025 to October 2028. The total budget of the project is 3.119 million US dollars, of which 2.5 million euros are provided by the European Union, and 200 thousand dollars by UN Women.
As noted during the event, a key focus of the project is to strengthen the capacity of women's and youth organizations, which play an important role in preventing and responding to cases of violence against women and girls. The initiative plans to support at least 140 such organizations and implement the "Zero VAWG Community" model at both local and national levels.
The project is expected to have a positive impact on over 1,200 organizations and reach 6,000 participants across the country, including the cities of Bishkek and Osh, as well as more than 20 central institutions.
During the presentation of the initiative, UN Women highlighted several key areas of Zero VAWG:
prevention of gender-based violence;
increasing access to services for victims;
developing coordinated response mechanisms at the community level;
using digital tools to shape new social norms and prevent violence.
The theory of change of the initiative suggests that developing leadership skills in women's and youth organizations, their collaborative work within the "Zero VAWG Community" model, as well as the implementation of digital solutions will contribute to a more effective fight against gender-based violence and the strengthening of human rights.
Welcoming speeches at the ceremony were delivered by the Deputy Minister of Labor, Social Security and Migration of the Kyrgyz Republic Ainura Orozbaeva, the Ambassador of the European Union to Kyrgyzstan Remi Duflo, the UN Resident Coordinator in the country Antje Grave, and the Country Representative of UN Women Dr. Sadik Sayed.
The long-term goal of the Zero VAWG initiative is to protect human rights, combat gender-based violence, and empower women's and youth organizations in the Kyrgyz Republic.
