Kyrgyzstan

Photo-UNWOMEN/Umatai Dauletova

By the shores of the deep blue Issyk-Kul Lake in the Tian Shan Mountains in north-eastern Kyrgyzstan, the sound of happy adolescent laughter echoes across the normally tranquil Sinegorye resort. In July 2014, more than 40 students and several teachers from seven regions of Kyrgyzstan gathered there to learn skills and deepen their knowledge of gender equality and the empowerment of girls.

Even though Kyrgyzstan has had a female president and women hold 23 percent of the seats in its 120-member parliament, women are still struggling to carve out leadership roles in the legislature and political parties.

But a local women’s group is trying to change that. Formed shortly after the 2005 Tulip Revolution, the Women’s Discussion Club of Kyrgyzstan has played a major role in promoting public policies that benefit women.