Climatic jumps threaten to aggravate the issue of food security in the country, which is unable to reduce import dependence on strategic types of food by developing its own production.

From exports to imports

In order to assess the level of food security, Kyrgyzstan once defined 9 basic products: bread and bakery products, potatoes, fruits and berries, vegetables and melons, sugar, vegetable oil, milk and dairy products, meat and meat products, eggs.

Inflation on everyday consumption products – flour, vegetable oil and sugar – has hit the wallets of poor citizens, who spend more than half of their income on food. Kyrgyzstan now depends 70% on imported vegetable oil, 40% on sugar and 20% on flour.

If one of the imported products begins to exceed 40% of consumption, domestic production tends to decline, expert Manas Samatov said.

The example of sugar is illustrative: 30 years ago Kyrgyzstan was not only fully self-sufficient in sugar, but also exported it to neighboring republics. The lack of strategic development and control led to a decline in sugar industry production.

“In 2018, we had the highest sugar beet harvest in 30 years, but in that year suppliers brought a large amount of sugar to Kyrgyzstan, and as a result our farmers were unable to sell their products and suffered losses,” Samatov said.

He is convinced that the Ministry of Agriculture should have professional staff with a strategic vision, especially now when it comes to the risks associated with climate change.

Adaptation to climate change

According to statistical data, due to abnormally high temperatures in the summer of last 2023 during the growing season, the gross harvest of wheat decreased by 26.5%, barley – by 32.6%, oilseeds – with 18% less. At the same time, compared to the same date last year, there was a significant increase in the harvest of vegetables – by 8.2% and fruit and berry crops – by 0.8%.

Natalia Kilyazova, head of the Pastures and Forages Department at the Institute of Livestock and Pastures, reported on the development of a National Adaptation Plan (NAP) for climate change in the Kyrgyz Republic. According to Kilyazova now agriculture and irrigation are highlighted as one of the four priority sectors for development.

“Our main task is to create conditions and prepare agriculture as much as possible for climate change to ensure its sustainable functioning and food security,” she said in an interview with Kabar.

New challenges and possibilities

The low vulnerability score and high readiness score of Kyrgyzstan places it in the lower-right quadrant of the ND-GAIN Matrix. Adaptation challenges still exist, but Kyrgyzstan is well positioned to adapt. Kyrgyzstan is the 158th most vulnerable country and the 100th most ready country. https://gain.nd.edu/our-work/country-index/rankings/

Manas Samatov believes that the country has good climatic conditions for growing profitable crops, providing food not only for the domestic market but also has the potential for export. But there is a noticeable gap between farmers who introduce new technologies, equipment and have access to financial resources and those who work the old-fashioned way.

“When a farmer is engaged in unprofitable production – in livestock or crop production – the quality of his life decreases, and there will be no development in the agricultural sector as a whole,” he said.

He believes that Kyrgyzstan needs to analyze the world food market, introduce new technologies and equipment, and, in the context of climate change, study the risks, introduce drip irrigation and conduct information work with farmers.

According to the World Bank, micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises account for 90% of businesses, 60 to 70% of employment and 50% of GDP worldwide. https://www.un.org/en/observances/micro-small-medium-businesses-day

There are 12.6 thousand small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Kyrgyzstan, of which 11,900 are small enterprises and 7,000 are medium-sized. The share of SMEs in GDP amounted to 31.2 percent (in 2022 – 32.3 percent of GDP).

The small and medium-sized businesses play an important role in the economy of the Kyrgyz Republic. Director of the Osh branch of the National Mediation Center,  Avazbek Shamshiev, says that commercial mediation is gradually starting to attract interest from businesses.

He says that a few years ago, two entrepreneurs approached him .

“Two friends were doing business in the neighborhood: one had a car wash, the other had an auto repair business. But after some time, the owner of the car wash died, and the business passed to the son of the deceased. The owner of the car wash filed with the court to demand the law recognize the ownership of the land between the car repair company and the car wash”.

Shamshiev explained that the land was not fenced and was used for the arrival of cars for both entrepreneurs.

Identification of Interests

“During the mediation meetings, I tried to understand the reason why a small plot of land, only 2.5 square- meters, could become the cause of the dispute? What factors provoked the aggravation of relations between the parties? Is the true interest of the parties involved?” says Shamshiev.

Shamshiev began to study the documents and map of the land. And here his experience in water supply projects came in handy – he discovered that a water pipe runs through the disputed area. It became clear that for the owner of a car wash, access to water is the most important factor in the prosperity of the business. But if the owner of the car wash had fenced off the site, he would have closed the entrance to the car repair shop.

“During the mediation, I was able to build a conversation in such a way that the parties could talk about the true reason for the dispute. It turned out that a few months ago, the owner of the car repair shop, repairing the road, blocked the water for several days, but did not notify the owner of the car wash. He saw this as a threat to himself and decided to go to court. This mediation allowed the parties to understand each other and come to an agreement: the owner of the car repair shop will use the drive-in area; the owner of the car wash will use the water. In case of repair of the site, the water pipe, they will notify each other in advance,” Shamshiev said of the results of the mediation agreement.

As part of the second II phase of the EBRD and IDLO project on the development of commercial mediation, Shamshiev was trained in online mediation, and now he can work in a hybrid format.

Dilbar Makismbekova, head of the EBRD IDLO project for the Development of Commercial Mediation, says that mediators play an important role as an alternative resolution to business conflicts.

“The ability to use mediation tools will allow the parties to find a constructive solution. This, in turn, will contribute to the development of small and medium-sized businesses in the country, attracting new investments,” she says.

Within the framework of the second phase of the project, trainings were held for judges to identify mediable cases, mediators were trained to conduct online mediation, and work is also underway to involve businesses in raising awareness of mediation.

“The use of commercial mediation should become a business norm in Kyrgyzstan,” Maksimbekova concluded.

A disagreement between Kyrgyz retail suppliers and a large supermarket chain could have led to protracted and costly litigation, had the dispute not been settled thanks to a mediation procedure supported by IDLO and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

The national Association of Suppliers, Manufacturers and Distributors initiated mediation to defend the interests of one of its members.

At stake was the question of vendor rebate, a form of incentive whereby the supplier re-pays a set percentage rate to the buyer – in this case the supermarkets – for acquiring a certain quantity of goods within a set period.

“Our Association consists mostly of representatives of small and medium-sized businesses that produce or import food and consumer goods,” explained the head of the Association, Gulnara Uskenbaeva.

“Naturally, they work with supermarket chains, but in commercial interactions certain disagreements arise, making both sides unsatisfied. A contentious issue is the percentage of vendor rebate. Supermarkets set the rebate at 10%; these costs are burdensome for entrepreneurs.”

Finding an agreement

According to official data, the volume of retail trade in the Kyrgyz Republic has grown steadily in the past few years, with supermarkets and shopping centers increasingly forming the bulk of turnover.  Traditional markets have seen a sharp decline in trade, as consumers’ preferences and habits change. But even the supermarket chains have to compete fiercely with each other, and some have recently been forced to shut down.

Having taken a course with IDLO and EBRD, Ms. Uskenbaeva was confident mediation could help resolve the dispute. Sergey Ponomarev, an entrepreneur and the director of the Association of Markets, was chosen to act as the mediator. He observed how the parties were looking for solutions in a difficult situation and how, despite their opposing stances, they understood that they needed each other.

“At the very beginning, on one side there was a sense of injustice that unfavorable conditions had been imposed. On the other, perplexity and resentment – why are they counting our money? Each side made its own arguments and counterarguments,” noted Mr. Ponomarev.

But once they began analyzing profitability and comparing data, including from an international audit of the supermarket chain, the parties softened their stances and developed greater flexibility. Which in turn became the key to finding an agreement.

A viable alternative

Business communities all over the world are coming to an understanding that it is much more convenient to resolve disputes through mediation or arbitration. Fred Huston, IDLO’s Country Manager in the Kyrgyz Republic, pointed out that “mediation has its own principles – confidentiality, speed, flexibility – and, most importantly, the decision is made by the parties themselves.”

Legislation passed in 2018 gave impetus to the roll-out of mediation in the Kyrgyz Republic, and mediators have since held their first congress and created a national network. However, commercial mediation is still considered a new institution, and has not yet gained wide popularity in the Kyrgyz business community. Ms. Uskenbaeva claims that “businesses are used to relying on the court to put the last point in the dispute”.

Another factor, according to Mr. Ponomarev, is the lack of information about mediation. “Businesses are not well informed about mediation, so few people turn to mediators. An imbalance has been created between supply and demand. And yet mediation would effectively resolve commercial disputes, preventing possible bankruptcies,” he commented.

To help mediation get off the ground in the country, the IDLO-EBRD project therefore decided to provide support not only by training mediators but also by sensitizing entrepreneurs and representatives of the banking sector. It also covered the cost of mediation to resolve commercial disputes, and mediators have now been successful in 35 cases on issues including labor, real estate and contracting.

https://www.idlo.int/news/highlights/mediation-kyrgyz-supermarket-and-supplier-resolve-dispute

Experts from Kyrgyzstan, Moldova and Ukraine discussed how to increase debt recovery rates based on court decisions.

On May 28, a regular session of DanakerTalkuu was held in Bishkek, during which the local and international experience of enforcement agents was discussed. Nurlan Pirnazarov, the Head of the Department for the Enforcement of Judicial Acts, Valery Pritulyak, an expert from Ukraine, as well as Roman Tolmach and Oksana Novikova, experts from Moldova took part at the event.

According to Nurlan Pirnazarov, almost 60% of court decisions are enforced in Kyrgyzstan. These are mostly the decisions on demolition of illegal buildings, on removal of a child, on eviction, on reinstatement in office, etc.

Enforcement proceedings in Moldova

As Roman Tolmach noted, in Moldova the practice of private enforcement agents was introduced 9 years ago.

“In Moldova, unlike other neighboring states, there are private law enforcement agents only. What urged us to this reorganization? Low wages, non-reimbursement of travel costs and lack of motivation among judicial enforcement agents under the courts to work for the benefit of the state. The conditions have improved after the reform. A bailiff now has become an employer himself, he supervises his employees and pays income tax; creditors do not complain that court decisions are not enforced”, – says Roman Tolmach.

Ukraine’s experience

In Ukraine, there are both public and private enforcement agents. In 2018, in general, enforcement agents (both private and public) collected $176 million in alimony only.

“If the court decision is not enforced, such a decision is nothing but a seeming one. Therefore, bailiffs have a very important task to perform” – V. Pritulyak, Ph.D. in Law,  associate professor, private enforcement agent of the enforcement district of the Odessa region, head of the Ethics Committee of APIU, Ukraine .   

During the discussion, the experts also touched upon other topics and answered the audience’s questions.

International experts are currently located in Bishkek, where they conduct training for enforcement agents under the project of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) in partnership with the Judicial Department.

DanakerTalks is an independent platform promoting the dialogue on the rule of law, law and justice in Kyrgyzstan.

Kalyicha Dzhamankulova

On February 25, the Senior Bureau Official in the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, Ambassador Alice G. Wells, and the Minister of Finance of the Kyrgyz Republic, Baktygul Jeenbaeva, announced the repatriation of stolen assets to the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic arising from the corruption and theft of government funds by the prior regime of Kurmanbek Bakiyev and his son Maxim Bakiyev.

The US Embassy in the Kyrgyz Republic informed that $4.6 million of the $6 million under the forfeiture order has been recovered and will be repatriated to the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic.  The Government of the Kyrgyz Republic plans to use these funds to purchase additional recording equipment for use in the justice sector, water filtering systems for rural areas, and medical technology.

Ambassador Wells’ visit is the latest in a series of visits by senior U.S. government officials aiming to strengthen bilateral relations and identify opportunities to further expand cooperation between the United States and the Kyrgyz Republic.

During her visit, Ambassador Wells discussed strengthening the bilateral relationship with the Presidential Administration’s Foreign Policy Advisor Daniyar Sydykov and Deputy Foreign Minister Azizbek Madmarov from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  The two governments agreed to begin negotiations on a Bilateral Cooperation Agreement and restart Annual Bilateral Consultations this spring.  Ambassador Wells discussed with Kyrgyz officials the peace process in Afghanistan and ways our two countries could support stability and prosperity.  Ambassador Wells also discussed U.S. engagement and policy in Central Asia with members of the American University of Central Asia’s C5+1 Youth Council and journalism students.

Audio-video transcription of Kyrgyz court proceedings allows not only to prevent violations by the participants, but also includes the possibility of remote interrogation of witnesses and suspects, and will reduce the costs associated with escorting, while increasing the speed, availability, and convenience of judicial proceedings for citizens.

On February 15, 2019, the Oktyabr District Court of Bishkek conducted a press tour on the work of audio and video recording of court sessions. The journalists were shown the possibilities of audio and video recordings by contacting district and regional courts of various regions and were informed about the reliability and advantages of the system.

The main purpose of this type of logging is to prevent violations by the participants during court sessions and to ensure the completeness of the minutes of the court session.

The system works in test mode in 73 courtrooms, and by the end of 2019 it, is planned to reach all 159 rooms in 72 local courts.

The press tour was organized by the Judicial Department of the Supreme Court of the Kyrgyz Republic. USAID-IDLO “Trusted Judiciary” Program supported the introduction of the system as well as conducting an event for the media.

In what was once a distant connection, journalists and members of the judiciary in Kyrgyzstan are strengthening ties under IDLO’s project funded by USAID aiming to build public trust.

The judiciary in Kyrgyzstan has often been reluctant to engage with the press, contributing to a significant level of mistrust on the part of the Kyrgyz public and the media.

Due to a lack of specialized training on engaging with the press, judges are not well-equipped to brief journalists in a way that maintains appropriate levels of confidentiality and simultaneously provides substantive information about the work of the courts. While some good investigative reporting has taken place, without greater access to more profound data and statistics, reporting can lack nuance and provide either surface-level or imbalanced information. As a result, there has been little transparency and objective knowledge about the judiciary’s performance, the challenges faced, or progress made, contributing to a lack of trust with the public.

In response to these needs, IDLO is implementing the USAID-funded Increasing Public Trust in the Judiciary (IPTJ) program to facilitate dialogue between the judiciary, the press, civil society and the public at large. The activities aim to encourage the judiciary to increase transparency, advance more accurate and substantive reporting, and improve engagement between all stakeholders involved.

New initiatives under the program are working to build on gains made during the USAID-IDLO Judicial Strengthening Program (JSP), which advanced online publication of judicial decisions and launched a court-TV series as part of its efforts to make the work of the judiciary more accessible. Most recently, the Kyrgyz judiciary has started publishing incidents of alleged out-of-process interferences in judicial activities online.

Building on this outreach, the IPTJ program launched a series of Expert Cafés to connect members of the press, the judiciary and civil society for panel discussions and exchanges, as well as a forum allowing increased access to information for journalists.

Since June 2018, journalists have obtained direct access to experts to get opinions on topics such as the results of the 2014-2018 National Target Program for the Development of the Judiciary – which, with the JSP’s support, resulted in a more than tenfold increase in the judiciary’s budget – various e-justice initiatives, and changes to the Kyrgyz Criminal and Criminal Procedure Codes.

Recently, journalists were given exposure to the new User-Satisfaction Index which measures court users’ satisfaction with the performance of the judiciary and identifies areas for improvement. Following the pilot survey of over 1,000 participants across 5 courts, the judiciary will be able to update its methodology and scale up the index to reach 25 courts, providing a comprehensive overview of public opinion.

“The assessment of the court-user satisfaction can reveal the problems that exist in the system, but are not visible, to eliminate them in the future,” affirmed Judge Galina Shin of the Sverdlov district court of Bishkek.

Judges have also cited benefits to the increased level of exchange with journalists. Since March 2018, the IPTJ has supported training for 44 judges on media outreach from Chui, Osh, Jalalabad, and Batken regions, who are expected to speak and interact more with the media and the public. In September 2018, 15 judges took part in a press tour comprising a corps of 24 journalists, which allowed them to apply their newfound skills and speak to innovations in e-justice.

“The most difficult thing is to explain everything in 30 seconds, keeping in mind that you should be brief, clear, and concise. But when you stand in front of a camera, it can be difficult to say what you want even though if you have public speaking experience,” remarked Judge Azamat Uzakbaev, Chairman of the Alamudun District Court, highlighting the value of the training.

“The press tour provided a great opportunity for me to practice my interview skills and to directly interact with journalists,” he continued. “The knowledge from the training was quite useful. I believe that state bodies must be open to media, within the limits of the law.”

Going forward, the program will continue to hold Expert Cafés to improve the capacity for journalists and the judiciary to engage, with the ultimate aim of building public trust.

An institute of probation appeared in Kyrgyzstan. Probation is a conditional non-execution of the set punishment or a conditional non-imposing of punishment with placement under individual supervision of a special officer (agent, assistant, probation officer) for a certain period. The latter exercises control over the behavior of the supervised, fulfilling certain duties and conditions of probation and ensures the implementation of a corrective course.

What is the Probation? How can this decrease the criminal acts in the country? You can get answers to these and other questions from the following speakers:

  • Aigul Katgeldieva, State Service for Execution of Punishments;
    Cholpon Omurkanova, Supervisory Board of the State Service for Execution of Punishments;
    Kairat Osmonaliev, Intependent Expert;
    Dastanbai Aijigitov, IDLO Advisor.

Date: February 20, 10:00-11:00
Venue: Ololohaus, Victory Business Center, 103 Ibraimov Str.

The branch of the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) in the Kyrgyz Republic announces a competition for the provision of online reporter and SMM specialist services in one person, editing operator, animation video maker and photographer in the city of Bishkek (partial, distance employment) to cover the activities of the judiciary systems, mediators and the legal community of Kyrgyzstan. Below are details for each of them in the Russian language:

Онлайн-репортер и SMM в одном лице

Требования:

  • Опыт работы по написанию новостных материалов;
  • Опыт ведения корпоративных страниц в социальных сетях;
  • Умение работать в сжатые временные сроки;
  • Коммуникабельность, организованность, с отличными навыками самостоятельной и командной работы;
  • Умение писать грамотно, соблюдая грамматические, стилистические и орфографические нормы русского языка.

Обязанности:

  • Написание новостных материалов с мероприятий на русском языке от 2 до 10 раз в месяц (итого от 0.5 до 2.5 рабочих дней в месяц);
  • Написание других видов материалов и/или транскрибирование материалов – 10 материалов в месяц (итого от 5 до 10 рабочих дней в месяц);
  • Введение социальных сетей (по 2 официальных аккаунта в Facebook, Instagram): повышение базы подписчиков через публикацию и распространение постов (4 рабочих часа в неделю, итого 2 рабочих дня в месяц);
  • Предоставление от трех до пяти коротких новостных материалов с мероприятия, согласованного с заказчиком, по стандартам онлайн-изданий;
  • Проведение интервью или обобщение материалов для материалов (интервью, мини-аналитика) качественно и добросовестно;
  • Написание сопровождающих и/или уникальных коротких текстов для публикации в социальных сетях (в сопровождение с визуальными элементами: фотографиями, видео) и продвижение этих постов;
  • Соблюдение деловой, журналистской этики и законов КР;
  • Своевременное предоставление готового материала (в срок, обговоренным с заказчиком) и отснятого (сырого) видео материала.
  • Итого, в месяц от 7.5 до 14.5 рабочих дня в месяц.

Заключение контракта:

Индивидуальный контракт с исполнителем, работающим на основе добровольного патента, будет подписан с 1 марта 2019 года по 1 марта 2020. Оплата будет производиться по факту предоставленных услуг раз в месяц после подписания акта выполненных работ.

Резюме, портфолио (список предыдущих работ с гиперссылкой) и стоимость услуг (за рабочий день) присылайте с пометкой «Онлайн-репортер/SMM» до 18:00 вечера 28 февраля 2019 года по адресу: danakermir@gmail.com


Видео-оператор, монтажер

Требования:

  • Опыт работы по съемке и монтажу репортажных съемок;
  • Коммуникабельность, организованность, умение работать в сжатые временные сроки;
  • Умение самостоятельно снимать интервью/мероприятия без посторонней помощи.

Обязанности видео-оператора/монтажера:

  • Контроль за визуальной составляющей кадра (наличие в видео ключевых партнеров, логотипов и пр. по согласованию с коммуникационным отделом);
  • Дополнительный монтаж при необходимости;
  • Своевременная сдача готового материала (в срок, обговоренным с коммуникационным отделом) и отснятого (сырого) видео материала

Видео-оператору/монтажеру предоставляется:

  • Видеокамера (от одной до двух) на съемки по данному контракту,
  • Возможно предоставление монтажного стола (компьютер) в офисе для видеомонтажа съемок по данному контракту,
  • Информация и доступ к мероприятиям и местам, где необходимо производить съемки.
  • Авторские права на видеопродукцию принадлежат IDLO Kyrgyzstan.

Заключение контракта:

Индивидуальный контракт с исполнителем, работающим на основе добровольного патента, будет подписан с Филиалом Международной организации по праву развития в Кыргызской Республике с 15 февраля по 31 декабря 2019 года. Оплата производится по факту предоставленных услуг раз в месяц после подписания акта выполненных работ.

 

Изготовитель анимационных видеороликов

Основная задача:

  • Создание анимационных роликов на основе готового сценария от заказчика

Требования к видеоролику:

  • Тип: Анимационный видеоролик (2D или 3D)
  • Наполнение ролика: Текстовая и графическая анимация (на специальные ролики могут быть предоставлены имеющиеся видеоматериалы);
  • Цель: Трансляция на телевидении и/или распространение в интернете;
  • Длительность: до 1 минуты;
  • Звуковая дорожка: Готовая музыка/мелодия;
  • Голос: При необходимости может потребоваться голосовое (мужское и/или женское) сопровождение ролика;
  • Язык: кыргызский/русский (стоимость за создание ролика на 1 языке предоставьте отдельно, за перевод этого ролика на основе предоставленного текста – отдельно)

Требования:

  • Опыт работы по изготовлению анимационных роликов;
  • Коммуникабельность, организованность, умение работать в сжатые временные сроки;
  • Умение самостоятельного выполнения задач.

Обязанности изготовителя ролика:

  • Контроль за визуальной составляющей кадра (наличие в видео ключевых партнеров, логотипов и пр. по согласованию с заказчиком);
  • Дополнительный монтаж при необходимости;
  • Своевременная сдача готового материала (в срок, обговоренным с коммуникационным отделом) и отснятого (сырого) видео материала.
  • Соблюдение авторских прав на музыку и графические элементы.

Заключение контракта:

Индивидуальный контракт с исполнителем, работающим на основе добровольного патента, будет подписан с 1 апреля по 31 декабря 2019 года с Филиалом Международной организации по праву развития в Кыргызской Республике. Оплата будет производиться по факту предоставленных услуг раз в месяц после подписания акта выполненных работ.

Резюме, портфолио (список предыдущих работ с гиперссылкой на видео) и стоимость услуг (поминутная стоимость изготовления видеороликов с анимацией) с пометкой в теме письма «Создание анимационного ролика» присылайте до 18:00 вечера 28 февраля 2019 года по адресу: amamykeev@idlo.int


Репортажный и портретный фотограф

Филиал Международной организации по праву развития (IDLO) в Кыргызской Республике объявляет конкурс на предоставление услуг фотографа в городе Бишкек, имеющего опыт репортажных и портретных съемок.

  • Фотосъемка мероприятий (от одного до двух часов) или фотосъемка мест или людей в пределах города Бишкек (от 30 минут до двух часов);
  • Обработка от 10 до 30 фотографий с разных ракурсов и плана.

Требования:

  • Опыт репортажных и портретных съемок;
  • Коммуникабельность, организованность, умение работать в сжатые временные сроки;

Обязанности фотографа:

  • Контроль за визуальной составляющей кадра (наличие ключевых партнеров, логотипов и пр. по согласованию с заказчиком);
  • Своевременная сдача готового материала (в срок, обговоренным с заказчиком) и отснятого (сырого) материала.

Фотографу предоставляется:

  • Фотоаппарат (при необходимости) на съемки по данному контракту,
  • Информация и доступ к мероприятиям и местам, где необходимо производить съемки.
  • Авторские права на фотопродукцию принадлежат IDLO Kyrgyzstan.

Заключение контракта:

Индивидуальный контракт с исполнителем, работающим на основе добровольного патента, будет подписан с 1 марта по 31 декабря 2019 года с Филиалом Международной организации по праву развития в Кыргызской Республике. Оплата будет производиться по факту предоставленных услуг раз в месяц после подписания акта выполненных работ.

Резюме, портфолио (список предыдущих работ с гиперссылкой на фотографии) и стоимость услуг (1. Почасовая стоимость репортажных и портретных фотосъемок (включает обработку) со своим фотоаппаратом, 2. Почасовая стоимость репортажных и портретных фотосъемок (включает обработку) с фотоаппаратом заказчика) присылайте до 18:00 вечера 28 февраля 2019 года по адресу: amamykeev@idlo.int .

The branch of the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) in the Kyrgyz Republic announces a competition among consultants or consultant groups for the provision of services for the development of the draft Judicial Communication System of the Kyrgyz Republic. Please read the announcement in the Russian language below:

Описание:

Судебная система Кыргызской Республики стремится повысить прозрачность, доступность и качество своего взаимодействия с представителями Средств массовой информации, гражданского общества и населения, в связи с чем на данный момент в том числе организованы платформы «ExpertCafé» и Медиа Клуб Верховного суда КР. Учитывая необходимость более широкого взаимодействия и освещения различных независимых субъектов судебной системы и судебных инстанций, в том числе и Верховного суда КР, Конституционной палаты, Совета Судей КР, Совета по отбору судей КР, Дисциплинарной комиссии при Совете судей КР, Судебного департамента, Высшей школы правосудия, объявляется конкурс для разработки единой Коммуникационной стратегии судебной системы Кыргызской Республики.

Задачи включают определение, анализ, обсуждения и разработку Коммуникационной стратегии судебной системы КР иПлана его реализации, содержание которых в том числе включает:

  • Целевые группы и стейкхолдеры;
  • Миссия, цели и задачи;
  • Стратегии коммуникации с целевыми группами и стейкхолдерами;
  • Позиционирование органов судебной власти;
  • Ключевые сообщения для коммуникации с целевыми группами и стейкхолдерами;
  • Ключевые каналы, инструменты и форматы взаимодействия с целевыми группами и стейкхолдерами;
  • Ключевые каналы, инструменты и форматы внутренней коммуникации между ответственными за связи с общественностью лицами и отделами судебных органов;
  • План по реализации Коммуникационной стратегии;
  • Предварительный бюджет реализации Коммуникационной стратегии.

Требования:

  • Опыт разработки Коммуникационных стратегий проектов, государственных органов или международных проектов;
  • Владение русским, кыргызским, и желательно английским языками;
  • Понимание потребностей медиа-сообщества, СМИ и гражданского общества;
  • Понимание работы судебных органов и судебной деятельности;
  • Коммуникабельность, организованность, умение работать в сжатые временные сроки;
  • Умение самостоятельно выполнять работу.

Обязанности консультанта/консультантов:

  • Своевременная сдача черновых материалов, внесение изменений на основе предложений заказчика и партнеров, своевременная сдача итогового документа;
  • Обязательное участие на встречах межведомственной Рабочей группы по разработке Коммуникационной стратегии судебных органов КР, что может включать модерирование, презентации и обсуждения;
  • Индивидуальные и групповые встречи для разработки черновика и обсуждения вариантов стратегии и плана его реализации;
  • Соблюдение правил и внутренней политики Международной организации по праву развития и судебных органов Кыргызской Республики.

Консультанту/консультантам предоставляется:

  • Соответствующие первичные материалы, необходимые для разработки Коммуникационной стратегии и плана его реализации;
  • Доступ ко встречам Рабочей группы по разработке Коммуникационной стратегии судебной системы, а также необходимая контактная информация для организации встреч;
  • Помещения для встреч в органах судебной власти;

Заключение контракта:

Контракт на оказание услуг с исполнителем будет подписан с Филиалом Международной организации по праву развития (IDLO) в Кыргызской Республике после утверждения Рабочей группы руководством судебных органов (предварительно: с 1 марта по 15 апреля 2019 года). Оплата производится по факту предоставленных услуг раз после подписания акта выполненных работ.

Резюме, портфолио (список и примеры предыдущих работ) и стоимость услуг (1. Стоимость услуг на 1 рабочий день или стоимость услуг в целом на выполнение всех задач) с пометкой в теме письма «Разработка коммуникационной стратегии судебных органов» присылайте до 18:00 вечера 28 февраля 2019 года по адресу: amamykeev@idlo.int.

This Lessons Learned Brief explores the power of electronic justice (“e-justice”) to enhance judicial independence and integrity and access to justice, contributing to broader rule of law goals, including Sustainable Development Goal 16 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Drawing on IDLO’s experience in Kyrgyzstan and international literature and practice, the Brief considers the challenges and successes of IDLO’s e-justice programming within the broader international context of e-justice interventions, testing the sustainability of approaches and analyzing ways in which e-justice can support the overall administration of justice.

Download the full report of the “Lessons from E-Justice Programming in Kyrgyzstan” (1.2 MB), or read:

KyrgyzRepublic_E-Justice_Dec2018

Everyone does not want to waste time, money, health, but is forced to do so it if he is mired in litigation on conflicts that failed to resolve peacefully, all sorts of conflicts. Today they happen everywhere. They sometimegivees rise to the irrepressible desire of people for material values. The desire to take, take possession of someone else’s property by deceit, force, cunning and, conversely, inability and unwillingness to listen to the voice of reason, to the rights of the other party, be it a partner, a neighbor, a relative, give rise to all sorts of disputes, and then litigation. Long and exhausting.

Courts are inundated with lawsuits. All certainly want to win the court and get the coveted. Even if it will take years, decades.

The virus of litigation has spread to all segments of the population It is bogged down with business. And this is undoubtedly one of the reasons for hindering the development of the country’s economy, and also the reasons for pushing investors away from the country. No prudent investor would risk putting them into a campaign steeped in litigation. In this situation, it is comforting only that we are not the first and not the last among the countries that have gone through this. Developed countries have passed this for a long time. They learned to control and stop these processes. We just have to do it, drawing on the experience of such countries.

In countries that managed to overcome the economic crisis, first of all, they learned to peacefully settle disputes and conflicts between citizens and commercial organizations. For example, in Singapore, known to the world for its success, advanced commercial organizations created the Association of Mediators and adopted a charter according to which all disputes between them are resolved through mediation.

The development of commercial mediation in Kyrgyzstan seems to be one of the proven effective ways out of stagnation in the country’s economy. And we have all the prerequisites for the development of this effective institution in our country. So, in February of this year, the Law of the Kyrgyz Republic “On Mediation” came into force. The NGO “Republican Community of Mediators” has been created and effectively operates.

The National Mediation Center has prepared hundreds of mediators and continues to prepare them. Recently, the number of mediators who have mastered the secrets, skills and abilities of conducting commercial mediation based on the experience of European countries has been replenished.

A master class on their training took place the other day in Bishkek. A professional mediator, founder and general manager of the Mediation Center in Crajova, the first president of the Union of Romanian Mediation Centers, Konstantin Adi Gavrila, whose consulting services are used by companies, governments, international organizations in solving a wide range of disputes internationally, taught the master class and introduced our mediators to the secrets of a commercial mediation, spoke about the underwater and visible barriers to the resolution of commercial disputes, ways to overcome them. Role-playing games, the analysis of specific cases of resolving commercial disputes from his personal practice, fully helped our mediators to learn well the lessons of commercial mediation. As it turned out, being able to listen and help disputants find a mutually beneficial way to resolve a dispute, when the parties or one of the parties are trying to carefully veil and hide their true commercial or other interests, this is not an easy science, which will have to be thoughtfully and diligently studied. After all, only with perfect mediation tools, certain skills and abilities of the commercial mediation process can help disputants come to common opinion in resolving the subject of the dispute, thereby helping commercial organizations, their owners and employees to save time, money and health.

[This content was automatically translated from the Russian language]

«The responsibility of managers whose agencies sabotage the implementation of judicial and legal reform will be examined with all rigor,» the President of Kyrgyzstan Sooronbai Jeenbekov said today at a working meeting.

According to him, during a meeting of the Council for Judicial Reform in May 2018, the task of speedy implementation of judicial and legal reform was set and instructions to state bodies were given.

«The state will not be able to develop further without a judicial reform. According to Kyrgyzstanis, the most corrupt bodies are the courts and law enforcement agencies. We must radically change the situation. The people expect that judicial and legal reform will be implemented, we must meet the expectations and confidence of citizens. Unfortunately, some government agencies believe that the changes will not follow and everything will remain as before. This will not happen,» said Sooronbai Jeenbekov.

Do not wait for a quiet life until you fulfill all the tasks assigned to you.

Sooronbai Jeenbekov

Participants of the meeting discussed creation of a single register of crimes and misconduct, the probation system, the readiness of the judicial system to work in new conditions (installation of audio and video recording in courtrooms).

The low readiness of the State Penitentiary Service for the implementation of the probation system was noted.

Following the meeting, Sooronbai Jeenbekov instructed to speed up the creation of the single register of crimes and misconduct.

From January 1, 2019, all government agencies should begin work within the register.

At the end of the meeting, Sooronbai Jeenbekov once again reminded about the personal responsibility of the heads of ministries and departments for the implementation of judicial and legal reform.

24.kg

In Kyrgyzstan, judges of local courts are actively studying innovations in criminal law, which will enter into force on January 1, 2019. The first three-day seminar for judges of local courts started on October 17 in the building of the Supreme Court of the Kyrgyz Republic of Bishkek.

Chairman of the Supreme Court of the Kyrgyz Republic Gulbara Kaliyeva drew the attention of judges to the importance of this training and the need for self-study since with the introduction of new codes, both new institutions will appear and judges need to be fully prepared.

“The demands will be high, and the judges must show professionalism and competence,” Kaliyeva emphasized.

The Chairperson encouraged the use of educational materials on the website of the Supreme Court and electronic versions of codes in information systems. She thanked the project of the International Development Law Organization (IDLO), funded by the US government, for facilitating a series of training workshops and publishing 300 copies of all Codes to be handed over to judges.

The director of the IDLO branch in Kyrgyzstan, Fred Houston, emphasized that the training modules of the seminars for judges on innovations in the Criminal Code, the Criminal Procedure Code, the Code of Offenses and the Code of Violations are based on practical skills. Active discussions of the participants will help improve these materials, which will be a guide for all present and future lawyers in the country.

The lecturers at the seminars are judges of the Supreme Court of the Kyrgyz Republic Janyl Mambetaly, Keneshbek Toktomambetov, Askat Sydykov, Chairman of the Bishkek City Court Irina Vorontsova, Judge of the Oktyabrsky District Court Kaysyn Abakirov, Retired Judge Rasiya Eraliyev and Retired Judge and IDLO Counselor Dastanbai Aijigitov.

Within the framework of the project, it is planned to hold eight seminars and train 250 judges of local courts throughout the country. During October-November of this year, five seminars will be held for judges of local courts in Chui, Talas, Issyk-Kul and Naryn oblasts in Bishkek and three seminars in Osh for judges of Osh, Jalal-Abad and Batken oblasts.

[This content was automatically translated from Russian language]

The Supreme Court of the Kyrgyz Republic is now publicizing incidents of alleged out-of-process interferences in judicial activities online. The initiative represents an important measure in the context of the judiciary’s broader efforts to increase transparency and inform the public, and also works to prevent any undue influence or pressure on judges. The decision was first announced in March 2018 and reemphasized during a meeting with the press in August 2018.

To date, 10 letters alleging judicial interference have been made available from members and factions of the Kyrgyz Parliament, representatives of the Presidential Administration and other entities.

“In order to exclude any interference, the Supreme Court and local courts should post on the court’s website all out-of-process requests, including exerting pressures on the judge in any form – bribery, threats and other forms of out-of-process treatment”, said Ms. Ainash Tokbaeva, Chairwoman of the Supreme Court of the Kyrgyz Republic.

The decision to publish such incidents was taken by the Kyrgyz Republic’s Council of Judges with active support of the now-completed USAID-IDLO Judicial Strengthening Program by creating the Supreme Court’s website. Support for this initiative is ongoing through the USAID-IDLO Increasing Public Trust in the Judiciary program in Kyrgyzstan.

Since 2011, IDLO has been working with the Kyrgyz judiciary on reforms relating to budget and judicial financing, as well as training, legal education capacity building for judges. While previous programming in the country included public outreach components, IDLO’s newest efforts focus on the goal of helping the judiciary increase public trust and reversing negative public perceptions of the judiciary through enhanced transparency and public legal awareness initiatives.

“Creating the requirement and a mechanism for judges themselves to report improper meddling has required a strong will from the judiciary and also will require further commitments and solidarity among judges to report any meddling routinely,” commented IDLO’s Kyrgyzstan Country Director, Fred Huston. “These self-help actions really are needed to improve the independence of the judiciary.”

The Supreme Court’s decision and implementing activities since are an important milestone as IDLO’s public trust program continues to work towards increased openness, accountability and public oversight in Kyrgyzstan.

IDLO’s work in Kyrgyzstan reflects its commitment to strengthen institutions and empower people and groups to realize their rights, as envisaged in its Strategy 2020. These efforts align with Sustainable Development Goal 16 to build strong institutions and provide access to justice for all.

IDLO

As with many emerging economies, non-enforcement of court decisions in the Kyrgyz Republic remains a challenge.

Despite the progress achieved by Kyrgyzstan’s judicial system in improving its commercial law capacity, there are lengthy delays in the process and unenforced judgments, particularly when it comes to debtors who hide assets and evade court orders. This can pose obstacles to investor confidence and inhibit economic growth and prosperity.

Strengthening court decision enforcement has become a focus of reform activities across Eastern Europe and Central Asia, as many countries are facing similar challenges.

The effectiveness of bailiffs and other enforcement agents responsible for administering court decisions is being improved in Kyrgyzstan. This follows a 2016 analysis of the system that pointed to the need to build their skills as well as the need for legislative reform. In December 2017, the Kyrgyz Parliament adopted a law on the Status of Court Enforcement Agents and Enforcement Procedure.

“Kyrgyzstan is determined to improve the legislative base of the court enforcement, including the focus on a strategy for improvement of the court enforcement system, introduction of the electronic registries and building the capacity of the Court Department, which is entrusted with the control over the process of implementation of the court decisions,” said, Mr. Maksatbek Yesenaliyev, Deputy Minister of Justice of Kyrgyzstan.

To implement the new law and build a new generation of professional bailiffs, the Court Department is being supported by IDLO and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) who have been working together in Kyrgyzstan since 2005 to enhance the commercial law capacity of the justice system.

Exchange of experiences

As part of its recent project to build the capacity of Kyrgyz bailiffs, undertaken in partnership with EBRD, IDLO organized a visit to Kiev, Ukraine of justice sector professionals, including bailiffs, former judge-trainers and representatives of the Court Department, Ministry of Justice of Kyrgyzstan, High Justice Training Centre of Kyrgyzstan and Administration of the Supreme Court of Kyrgyzstan.

While the aim of the visit was to conduct a Training of Trainers program, the choice to hold the activity in Ukraine rendered the added benefit of fostering dialogue across borders and learning about diverse systems in the region.

“EBRD and IDLO organized this visit for the bailiffs and legal professionals from Kyrgyzstan to create an opportunity for a regional exchange and dissemination of best practices existing in the region. We are happy to bring together both countries, as they have so much in common in their legal and institutional traditions, and hope the exchange will be relevant and useful,” remarked EBRD’s Director of Legal Transitions Program, Mr. Michel Nussbaumer.

Ukraine recently instituted a mixed public-private system of bailiffs. In combination with the state enforcement service, the private bailiff service seen an increase in the efficiency and expediency of enforcing court decisions in the country.

“In the process of judicial reform, we brought changes to the constitution […] as well as introduced new legislation governing the enforcement of judicial decisions,” said Ms. Svitlana Gluschenko, Deputy Minister of Justice of Ukraine.

“We introduced a mixed system of court enforcement bringing the private bailiff system to aid the process that was for years driven by the state enforcement agents. The reforms led to moving Ukraine 17 points in the Doing Business rating of the World Bank.”

Throughout the visit, the bailiffs and other enforcement agents from Kyrgyzstan met Ukrainian professionals involved in the process of court enforcement on the executive and legislative side. Experiences from Moldova – where the bailiff system has been completely privatized – were also shared.

This multi-country perspective allowed Kyrgyz participants to examine various models of bailiff systems implemented by countries experiencing similar challenges. The visit presented a rounded view of success stories and shortcomings, and mechanisms that can be advanced – notably the introduction of an electronic system to track assets, which will be relevant to the Kyrgyz judiciary’s work in the years to come.

“For me the most valuable moment was to see and learn about the Automated Unified Database to register debtors,” commented one Kyrgyz participant. “For the first time in 8-10 years of work, I visited a department where virtually all the work is done electronically, namely electronic access to information about the debtor’s property.”

Echoing the level of value experienced from the visit, another Kyrgyz participant added, “The program was very intense, with almost 12 experts who covered different topics.” He continued: “These experiences need to be adopted in our country.”

As outlined in IDLO’s Strategic Plan 2017 – 2020, the work in Kyrgyzstan reflects one of IDLO’s primary goals to ensure that “laws and policies are fair and institutions are effective, accessible and accountable.” Specifically, IDLO’s core strategic aims are to strengthen the capacity of institutions to uphold justice, and also to support legal and judicial actors to promote economic opportunity and sustainability. As IDLO implements recommendations emerging from the analysis, lessons from the regional exchange can continue to infuse new perspective on solutions and potential opportunities for reform in Kyrgyzstan.

IDLO

Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Education has endorsed IDLO-supported mock court courses, expanding the pioneering curricula to law schools throughout the country.

Developed under the Judicial Strengthening Program funded by the United States Agency for International Development, the courses aim to build the capacity of future legal professionals through improved quality of hands-on legal training.

The mock court program provides students with the opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge to a realistic scenario and enhance the practical skills needed to become effective legal actors in the future. The courses include mock court competitions, where the students are able to simulate a trial by playing different roles and interacting with students from different universities.

“These courses are the most interesting discipline for me. We have had a lot of theory during other classes. Here we not only upgrade our knowledge, but develop our practical skills. We have learned proper conduct during court proceedings, how to write related documents, decisions and acts, how to advance and participate in trials,” commented one fourth-year law student, Klara Nuranova, from the Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University.

“THESE COURSES ARE THE MOST INTERESTING DISCIPLINE FOR ME. WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF THEORY DURING OTHER CLASSES. HERE WE NOT ONLY UPGRADE OUR KNOWLEDGE, BUT DEVELOP OUR PRACTICAL SKILLS.”

Over 500 students from three universities, Kyrgyz National University, International University of Kyrgyzstan and Kyrgyz Russian Slavic University, have been attending mock court courses and participating in competitions since 2014. Now, with the endorsement from the Ministry of Education, materials developed for these courses will be made available to all law schools in Kyrgyzstan.

“We can find everything that we need in the course manuals – references to rules and regulations, court authorities, samples of procedural documents, types of jurisdiction. It is very important to have such condensed information on hand,” continued Nuranova.

What’s more, this innovative and interactive teaching method engages seasoned experts, notably former judges. “We are so proud to be students of such high-level judges and to study with materials developed by experienced professionals,” echoed Nuranova.

Launched in 2011, the IDLO-USAID Judicial Strengthening Program seeks to strengthen judicial independence in Kyrgyzstan through a variety of initiatives relating to judicial financing, e-justice and the legal education system. The mock court courses represent a promising endeavour that focuses on long-term sustainability by engaging youth, the champions of justice of tomorrow.

  • Category: Affiliate – Professional
  • Duty Station: Bishkek

IDLO is engaging a Public Outreach and Communications Expert to support the implementation of projects in the Kyrgyz Republic in the realm of public outreach aimed at improving public trust in the Judiciary. In this position, the Expert will lead the design and implementation of an institutional outreach strategy of the Supreme Court (SC) of the Kyrgyz Republic aimed at improving communication of the court system’s work to national audiences. This will include, but not be limited to, public outreach, communications and stakeholder engagement both on- and off-line via the most appropriate channels with a variety of stakeholders.

The Strategy will aim to not only improve the Judiciary’s public outreach/communications functionality but also to cause a paradigm shift in its relations with, and forming key messages to, the other branches of power, and with civil society, the media, and the general public. An understanding of and ability to identify and prioritize key target audiences, and develop the corresponding strategies for reaching them, and the ability to reach out to and cultivate engagement among new audiences, and generate their interest in judicial reform, will be key to the success in this position. The Expert will also perform general public outreach and communications duties related to IDLO’s programmatic work in Bishkek, as outlined below. The position will require a person who can therefore balance expert support to the SC with program implementation by the IDLO Kyrgyz Republic office.

Under the supervision of the Country Director the Expert will undertake the following:

  • Develop, in collaboration with partner institutions, a broadly conceived institutional Public Outreach strategy, incorporating innovative outreach methods (on- and off-line) to reach identified target audiences;
  • Work in close partnership with the Kyrgyz Judiciary, and regularly liaise with executive and legislative branches of government, local self-governments, civil society, media, academia, the private sector, and the general public, especially the youth;
  • Advise and support the SC Press Service and regional court press secretaries on effective public outreach and communication strategies and marketing of their products to national audiences;
  • Coordinate public outreach activities with partners and target audiences;
  • Develop, implement and maintain communication management and strategic planning tools;
  • Produce and edit key communications and branding materials to be utilized as part of public outreach activities, and advise and support the SC and IDLO project team members on preparing such communications;
  • Set goals and targets for public outreach activities and monitor and evaluate impact;
  • Perform additional duties pertaining to the above as needed and support the IDLO Kyrgyz Republic office with other public outreach and external relations needs as requested.

IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE

Academic qualifications

  • University degree in Communications, External Relations, Public Relations, or in Public Policy, International Relations, Political Science, or a similar field. If the latter, a concentration in communications and/or media would be preferred.

Work experience

  • At least 5 years of professional experience in communications, public outreach, public relations, external relations or related experience in the public or nonprofit sector, preferably in support of the judicial branch of government or otherwise in the justice sector.
  • Experience in public outreach toward the improvement of public trust in state institutions strongly preferred;
  • Experience designing and successfully executing both online and off-line public outreach and engagement strategies to promote dialogue with and between multiple stakeholders, such as civil society, the general public, media, academia and the government.

Languages

  • Professional fluency in Russian and English required; fluency in Kyrgyz strongly preferred;

Technical competencies

  • Excellent oral and written communication skills;
  • Proficiency with multi-media communications, including social media;
  • Ability to engage and grow a broad network of target audiences;
  • Ability to think creatively and engage in innovative approaches to public outreach and communications;
  • Diplomatic demeanor and ability to gain the trust of and work effectively with public sector agencies;
  • Sound organizational and planning skills;

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The selected candidate is expected to start as soon as possible. The duration of the assignment is for 1 year, with the possibility of extension based on performance and availability of resources. This vacancy is open to Kyrgyz nationals, permanent residents or those residents with a valid residency/working permit of the duty station. IDLO Offers competitive remuneration and benefits for locally-recruited employees including a comprehensive leave package and medical insurance.

HOW TO APPLY

  • All interested applicants are encouraged to apply via our website www.idlo.int/jobs and submit the completed IDLO Personal History Form (PHF), resume and cover letter.
  • IDLO is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values diversity in all areas of its operations. We welcome and encourage diverse applications.

DISCLAIMER AND CLOSING DATE

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by the staff member assigned to this work. This is not an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. The Director-General of IDLO reserves the right to amend and change responsibilities or even to cancel the recruitment to meet business and organizational needs as necessary.

Applications will be reviewed an ongoing basis and candidates are advised to apply as soon as possible and no later than March 25, 2018 (23:59 hrs Rome time).

A seminar celebrating the long-awaited entering into force of new legislation has strengthened journalists’ knowledge of mediation as a form of alternative dispute resolution and its benefits for the people of Kyrgyzstan. Organized by IDLO, the workshop was held on February 20, 2018, at the Internews office in Bishkek.

The media will play a crucial role in spreading information about mediation and helping people and businesses resolve their disputes outside court. During the seminar, representatives of a number of media outlets were briefed on mediation principles and participated in interactive sessions to develop news items based on the information learned.

“Article 40 of the Constitution of the Kyrgyz Republic requires that alternative methods of dispute resolution are offered to the citizens of the country. It’s becoming more important to give them the option to avoid lengthy judicial proceedings,” Aida Kurmanbayeva, who heads up the department for legislation concerning the judiciary, law enforcement and municipal bodies at the Ministry of Justice, told seminar participants.

Dilbara Maksimbekova, IDLO Senior Advisor, highlighted the value of public information. “One of our mediation trainings was broadcast on local television,” she said. “This led to a resident calling us and visiting the training. He wanted to try mediation as a way to resolve a dispute he was involved in.”

Legislation on mediation entered into force in Kyrgyzstan on February 11, 2018 after a lengthy and complicated adoption process that was supported by IDLO and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). According to international experts, it reflects best practice from other countries in the region. The Ministry of Justice is now tasked with implementing its provisions and reviewing other legislation for compliance with the new law.

Commercial mediation to support economic development

IDLO and EBRD have been working in Kyrgyzstan to support the country’s economic development through commercial mediation, giving businesses a way to avoid expensive and time-consuming litigation in court. In addition to delivering training in two cities, Bishkek and Osh, IDLO and EBRD are also working with the Ministry of Justice to establish a Mediation Coordination Body. The Body will function as a public regulator, tasked with registering and certifying mediators to ensure their competence.

Fred Huston, IDLO’s Country Director in Kyrgyzstan, explained the role of mediators: “It’s important to note that mediators are not lawyers. They need to have certain skills, but the most important thing is that they know what is fair. A mediator is someone who is well respected, who understands the issue, who knows the context, who is able to identify the source of the problem. The mediated solution doesn’t have to follow the letter of the law, but it must respect the spirit of the law.”

“THE MEDIATED SOLUTION DOESN’T HAVE TO FOLLOW THE LETTER OF THE LAW, BUT IT MUST RESPECT THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW.” – FRED HUSTON, IDLO COUNTRY DIRECTOR IN KYRGYZSTAN

Many people in Kyrgyzstan first came across mediation when ethnic conflict erupted in 2010 in Osh, the southern part of the country near the border with Tajikistan. Local mediation efforts played an important part in facilitating dialogue between different groups, and continue to be cited as people’s first experience with the practice.

IDLO and EBRD have partnered in a number of countries in the Central Asia and Eastern Europe region to promote alternative forms of dispute resolution, particularly for commercial matters. In addition to Kyrgyzstan, recent projects on mediation have been implemented in Mongolia, Montenegro and Tajikistan.

 IDLO