Kyrgyzstan – Submission to the UN Universal Periodic Review 49th Session, October 2024

Equality Now and its partners – Public Association Bir Duino-Kyrgyzstan, Public Association Union of People with Disabilities Ravenstvo, Public Foundation Positive Dialogue, Public Association Civic Union, and Public Association Ensan Diamond – made the following submission to the UN Universal Periodic Review 49th Session of the UPR Working Group of the Human Rights Council. There is a lack of comprehensive legislation on sexual violence in accordance with international standards. 

What’s included in the submission?

• Sexual violence against women and girls in Kyrgyzstan remains a deeply concerning issue. Official statistics are either unavailable or incomplete, and the true scale of sexual violence in Kyrgyzstan is likely much higher due to underreporting driven by societal stigma, fear of retribution, or lack of trust that perpetrators will be held to account.
• There is a lack of comprehensive legislation on sexual violence in accordance with international standards. 
• Women and girls with disabilities in Kyrgyzstan are particularly vulnerable to sexual violence, especially those living in psychiatric institutions and other care homes. The legal and procedural barriers, compounded by ableist discrimination, hinder their access to justice.
• Kyrgyzstan maintains burdensome and discriminatory evidentiary standards in cases of sexual violence, and this is further exacerbated when the victim has a disability.
• Kyrgyzstan lacks an adequate social support system to help identify, monitor, and support women and girls with disabilities at risk of or experiencing gender-based violence, particularly sexual violence.

Who’s it for?

• UN Universal Periodic Review 49th Session of the UPR Working Group of the Human Rights Council
• Law and policymakers 
• Legal professionals
• Government institutions

Key recommendations

• To introduce a consent-based definition of rape following international human rights standards, 
• To remove burdensome evidentiary standards and abolish discriminatory investigation procedures;
• Put in place comprehensive manuals and guidelines for criminal justice professionals in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) standards, and provide training for law enforcement and judicial officials, health and social workers, and other professionals.