Forum Syd 2014-2015 and 2016-2017
In 2014 Novi Ritm was granted money from Forum Syd to work on a project aiming at strengthening young voluntary leaders in Southern Kyrgyzstan and contribute to the development of a long-term platform for engagement amongst young people (where they can bring forth democratic initiatives). The expected results of the project, which after two successful years was renewed for a second two year period, is to increase young people’s skills in conflict resolution (or management), knowledge about their democratic rights and issues of gender/equality. Furthermore young people will have developed a greater will to get involved in society (or their community). As an organization Novi Ritm provides a platform for youth that will enable them to develop their own initiative in order to affect their everyday lives and various local community/societal problems.
The project is planned and conducted through three different sub-goals:
1. Strengthen the capacity of Novi Ritm to enable the operation of a long-term inclusive platform for young people’s engagement in democratic initiatives in and around Osh.
2. Develop a long-term platform of engagement for democratic initiatives amongst young people in Osh.
3. Organize systematic educational-/training-cycles for the target group — linked to democracy, human rights, gender and conflict resolution.
Some of the volunteer leaders and staff of Novi Ritm after a team work session in February 2017
UNSCR 1325 Project — 2016-2017
In 2016 Novi Ritm was granted money from Folke Bernadotteakademin in order to facilitate a project focusing on women’s rights in connection to the UN Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security. The project is planned to run for a year and targets youth in three regions in Southern Kyrgyzstan; Batken, Osh and Jalal-Abad Oblast.
In 2000, the United Nations adopted perhaps the most famous resolution of all time – UNSCR 1325 – which legally binds all member states, including Kyrgyzstan, to implement its content. UNSCR 1325 is the foundation of the UN’s Women Peace and Security Agenda, and it acknowledges not only the specific vulnerability of women and girls in peace and conflict, but it also highlights the importance of including women at all decision-making levels in society.
Kyrgyzstan is considered the most progressive and democratic out of the five post-Soviet Central Asian republics. However, in regards to the realizations of women’s rights and human security, the Kyrgyz republic struggles. Since independence three violent conflicts have occurred, the latest in the Osh region of Southern Kyrgyzstan in 2010. These outbreaks of violence have given strength to two trends of nationalism and retraditionalization, which continues to severely limit women’s freedom and control over their own lives.
In order to implement the UNSCR 1325, all UN member states were required to create a National Action Plan (NAP) outlining achievable goals and measures for one’s country. As of September 2016, only 63 UN member states have created an NAP and Kyrgyzstan is one of the 63! The Kyrgyz NAP has five main goals, and all of them in different ways addressing problems related to security and women’s rights. For instance, the NAP calls for increased support to women and girls who have become victims of violence, reviews of the existing legal framework to make it complaint with the WPS-Agenda, and improved cooperation between state authorities, local governmental bodies and civil society. The existing NAP was supposed to be carried out in the years of 2013 and 2014, but because of lack of will, capacity and allocation of resources these developments have come into a halt.
The UNSCR 1325 Project within Novi Ritm has three main objectives:
1. Organizational and thematic capacity-building within Novi Ritm,
2. Awareness-raising and knowledge building activities in the three regions of Osh, Batken and Jalal-Abad
3. Facilitating peace initiatives and a regional network working together with issues relating to UNSCR 1325.
Exhibition of stencils highlighting women’s rights and domestic violence at cafe Brio in Osh, the result of capacity-building sessions with Viktoria Lomasko.
Trainings in Aravan 18/10 2016
Participant in Novi Ritm’s Academy of Gender Norms 7-12/12 2016