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Women initiative groups will engage in the budgeting process in 30 ayil okmotus of Osh and Issyk-Kul oblasts. This approach will strengthen women’s involvement in the local decision-making and facilitate their ability to contribute in addressing the critical social issues that are often left out of local budgets.

 

The main goal of the project “Improving Women Activists’ Capacity for Understanding of Budgeting Process at Local Level” is the creation of a sustainable and efficient budgeting mechanism that reflects a consideration of priorities of women in society. Furthermore, the project will help improve budget transparency and involve communities in the process. The project will be implemented by the Public Foundation Door in partnership with Public Unions Dom Zhurnalista (House of Journalists) and Youth of Osh.

Currently, women of Kyrgyzstan often have minimal involvement in local decision-making processes, particularly as it pertains to budgeting. To address this issue, 30 pilot ayil okmotus were selected in Osh and Issyk-Kul oblasts where local financial consultants will review local budgets to determine the extent by which they reflect the priorities of the communities. After that, local women initiative groups will be trained on the essentials of budgeting and take part in local budget consultations with Local Self Governments. These initiative groups will develop their recommendations to be considered in the next year’s budget that will reflect consideration of social needs. In collaboration with members of the initiative groups, local financial consultants will develop an action plan and identify budget priorities for each pilot ayil okmotu.

General recommendations developed during the project implementation will be submitted to the Government Agency for Local Self-Governance and Interethnic Relations and upon approval by the Agency specialists, to all local governments in the Kyrgyz Republic.

This project is supported by the Collaborative Governance Program (CGP) promoting effective collaboration among civil society, the private sector, and the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic, and the private sector of the Kyrgyz Republic. The Program is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID), and implemented by East-West Management Institute (EWMI).