International Day of People with Disabilities Marked in Kyrgyzstan

On December 3, 2022, the Kyrgyz National Academic Opera and Ballet Theater in Bishkek hosted a public event to mark the International Day of People with Disabilities "Birge kotorgon juk jenil bolot- the burden of moving together is light".

News | 04 December 2022
The event was organized by the Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Migration of the Kyrgyz Republic together with Public Charitable Foundation "Den soolugunun mumkunchulugu chektelgen adamdar - Persons with disabilities", International Labour Organization as well as Public Charitable Foundation "Datka-ayymdar Jamaty".

The main purpose was inclusion of people with disabilities through employment, sports and the arts and to raise public awareness of inclusivity as part of sustainable development.

More than 150 participants such as: local departments of Ministry of Labour, Social Protection and Migration of the Kyrgyz Republic, people with disabilities from all oblast of Kyrgyzstan, as well as deputies of the Parliament (Jogorku Kenesh) of the Kyrgyz Republic Atabek Ikramov, Suyunbek Omurzakov, Marat Murataliev, representatives of other ministries and departments, non-governmental organizations and civil society took part in the event.

In his statement, Minister of Labour, Social Security and Migration, Kudaibergen Bazarbayev noted that “the social sphere is in the focus of government’s attention. For the first time in recent decades, disability benefits, nutrition standards in social institutions have been increased and additional funds have been allocated from the budget. At the same time, we note the active position of people with disabilities who motivate all people and can serve as an example for the whole society."

Olga Koulaeva, Director of the ILO Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, spoke about “important disability issues in the field of education, decent work employment, vocational training system, access to effective social protection”. People with disabilities possess a variety of skills, talent, and they represent a substantial resource for social development and we only need to support them, she said.

According to the one of the people with disabilities from the Talas oblast, Kyrgyzstan “Today's forum once again in support of the Day focusing on disability issues and trends and ways and means by which persons with disabilities and their families are pursuing independent life”.  Also, people with disabilities from the Osh oblast, Kyrgyzstan emphasized the following “It would be good, if state and business would actively promote Inclusive mainstream jobs and ensure participation of persons with disabilities in the decision-making process”.

International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) on 3 December was proclaimed in 1992 by the United Nations General Assembly resolution 47/3.

ILO project “Enhancing disability-inclusiveness of social protection system in Kyrgyzstan” funded by the European Union acted as a partner of this event.