Round table “Impact of the state of emergency on the protection of victims of domestic violence: current situation and prospects”.

On April 30, 2020, a round table “Impact of the state of emergency on the protection of victims of domestic violence: current situation and prospects” was held.

The round table was organized by the Program “Rule of Law in the Kyrgyz Republic – Phase 2” together with the project “DatkaIyim – Advancing Gender Equality in a new way”, implemented by the NGO “Agency for Social Technologies” and the Center for Creative Development Danilo Dolci with the financial support of the European Union.

The round table was discussed the current situation with domestic violence in a state of emergency, and legal protection of victims of gender crimes and misdemeanors.

Zulfiya Kochorbaeva, Director of the “Agency of Social Technologies” in her presentation “Review of the situation with domestic violence in a state of emergency” noted that in Kyrgyzstan, against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and under conditions of emergency, there is an increase in cases of domestic violence. Thus, in the period from January to March 2020, the growth in cases of domestic violence, compared to the same period in 2019, was 65%. According to the Association of Crisis Centers, 354 cases of domestic violence were registered in the period from March 25 to April 9, 2020, which is more than 2 times more than in the same period last year.

At the same time, it is important to note that about 95% of cases of domestic violence are committed against women.

The experts noted that under the state of emergency, victims of domestic/gender violence face multiple difficulties in obtaining legal, psychological, and other types of assistance.

The participants of the Roundtable discussed the importance of developing mechanisms and actions to protect and defend victims of gender crimes and misdemeanors, which are necessary to improve the current situation.