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Democracy, Human Rights and Governance

Language: English | Kyrgyz | Russian
USAID, through the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, sponsoring the Summer School of Democracy for school students
USAID, through the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, has been sponsoring the Summer School of Democracy for high school students of Kyrgyzstan since 2000, promoting civic education and youth leadership.
IFES

USAID partners with the people and the government of the Kyrgyz Republic to improve the country's economy, governance, health and education so families can build better lives.

USAID has supported Kyrgyzstan’s transition from a Soviet republic to an independent democratic state since the early 1990s. During this time, Kyrgyzstan has oscillated between periods of authoritarianism, which ended in two revolutions (in 2005 and 2010), followed by the introduction of a working parliamentary system and a concerted effort to embrace transparency, accountability and openness throughout the government. During these tumultuous times, USAID has been a stalwart supporter of Kyrgyzstan’s civil society fundamental role in holding government accountable, advocating for reform, providing professional public policy input, and working as a service delivery partner with government. Following the April 2010 revolution, USAID rapidly expanded its democracy and governance assistance to Kyrgyzstan to support the country’s democratic transition.  Today, we assist actors and institutions working to protect democratic institutions, support human rights, and hold fair elections.

USAID works to improve the accountability, inclusiveness, and effectiveness of political processes, policy formation, and service delivery in close partnership with Kyrgyzstan’s civil society, government, and the international community. Following the 2010 revolution, USAID was ready to support Parliament even before the first session of the newly elected Parliament was held. This program has ranged from assistance in drafting legislation, to committee organization and support, media outreach, and improved management and development of the Parliament’s human resources.  Today, we support a range of government and civil society partners, particularly those responsible for service delivery, in identifying performance solutions that can help their institutions work better.

Improving citizen access to justice and the rule of law in Kyrgyzstan is vital to the country's stability and prosperity. We support reforms within the courts aimed to reduce corruption and improve fairness for all parties; this includes fair and open selection of judges and public access to court decisions. We also support human rights defenders and organizations working to monitor human rights abuses and advocate for the protection of rights.

USAID also has provided significant support to the flourishing media sector to help ensure that people have access to reliable and diverse sources of information. As these sectors evolve and mature, we will pursue new avenues of engagement with both civil society and the media to enhance their roles in the democratic process.

USAID Democracy, Human Rights and Governance programs: 

CLOSED PROJECTS: