Protecting the Rights of Kyrgyz and other Central Asian Migrants

Project Protecting the Rights of Kyrgyz and other Central Asian Migrants: Utilizing policy analysis, building capacity, and facilitating policy reforms

Donor: Open Society Foundation

Duration: Stage II. November 1, 2013 – October 31, 2014

Goal: Enhanced migration policy framework targeted at effective protection of Kyrgyz labor migrants’ rights based on strengthened capacity of the relevant Government bodies and civil society organizations to initiate and develop coherent policies on migration using participatory approaches.

Short Description: The TSPC Project aims to assist in targeted capacity development of migration state bodies and bring its expertise and experience into the formulation of an effective migration policy document. Assuming that better protection of Kyrgyz labor migrants’ rights can be achieved through a series of comprehensive and coordinated activities, the project will operate in the following spheres: (1) capacity building of government officials and relevant stakeholders in developing effective migration policy in Kyrgyzstan; (2) policy analysis with the focus on the impact of entering the Customs Union on migration processes in Kyrgyzstan; and (3) development of a labor migration strategy with a focus on labor migrants’ rights protection.

Public Service Announcement Video

-in Russian

-in Kyrgyz

On May 2^ndand 3^rd, 2014, the TSPC together with the Civic Partnership Platform (CPP) "Central Asia on the Move" organized training in Issik - Kul within its project “Protecting the Rights of Kyrgyz and other Central Asian Migrants: Utilizing policy analysis, building capacity, and facilitating policy reforms”. International trainers were invited to conduct training. The training was organized for Ministry of Labor, Migration and Youth staff and NGO representatives.

- Press-release

- Program

- Participants list

- Training materials

On June 12, 2014, at Hyatt Regency Bishkek, the Tian Shan Policy Center at the American University of Central Asia (TSPC of AUCA), jointly with the Civic Partnership Platform (CPP) "Central Asia on the Move" held an International Conference "Assessment of the impact of the Kyrgyz Republic's integration in the Customs Union on the country's socioeconomic situation." The goals of the Conference were to present the results of the research conducted by its organizers and discuss the impact of Kyrgyzstan's entrance to the Customs Union on its economy and external labor migration processes.

The Conference brought together prominent political leaders, experts from the State institutions and agencies, international organizations, educational institutions, civil society organizations and think tanks from Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan to discuss possible positive and negative impacts of our country's joining the Customs Union. Alongside the core research, the Conference presented research work undertaken under the TSPC AUCA project on protecting the rights of labor migrants - an analysis of the systemic and non-systemic education for external labor migrants of Kyrgyzstan, as well as an analysis of the risks and impacts of migration on social aspects of public life in our country. The research had been done by international and national experts with the technical support and assistance of the Open Society Institute's Program International Migration Initiative, DCA Central Asia, ICCO Cooperation and Bread for the World.

- Program

Video recording of discussion on research results on Kyrgyzstan’s joining the Customs Union aired live at Kyrgyz National Television.

-Part I

- Part II

The Research titled “Kyrgyzstan's Accession to the Customs Union: Possible impacts on the economy and migration processes of the country”.

- English

- Russian

- Kyrgyz