Friends and partners in Central Asia

Founded in 2014, Novi Ritm is an organization by and for young people which functions as a platform for youth with different backgrounds to explore and discuss social issues, develop ideas and implement their own projects. The organization conducts its activities in the form of lectures, workshops, campaigns and camps through non-formal education for youth in the fields of: human rights, gender equality, environmental justice, social entrepreneurship and conflict prevention.

Osh, Kyrgyzstan

Institute for Sustainable Development Strategy is a non-governmental organization established in 2012. The organization's mission is to promote sustainable development by identifying and implementing traditional and innovative approaches to local and national environmental, economic, and social problems, as well as to provide financial, organizational, informational, and other support for local community activities and initiatives aimed at developing and improving their living standards. The organization’s vision is strong local communities in Kyrgyzstan that are environmentally, socially and economically sustainable with strong local traditions based on continued intergenerational exchange.

Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

The public foundation El-Too was established in 2001 and intended to provide alternative perspectives and sources of income. El-Too has 20 years of experience in promoting and developing community-based ecotourism, raising awareness about sustainable uses of natural resources among the local population, introduction of energy-efficient technologies, community-initiated micro reserves and permaculture practices, sustainable livelihood and food security in the Issyk-Kul region of Kyrgyzstan.

Bokonbaevo, North-East Kyrgyzstan

Little Earth is an environmental, non-profit, public organization, formed in 1997 by a group of young activists with a creative approach to solving traditional environmental problems, with many years experience of work in the field of sustainable energy and community mobilization. Little Earth aims to make people more receptive to environmental and sustainable development issues, increase communities' role and participation in their solution. They want to preserve what they love and admire for future generations - the unique nature of Tajikistan and the planet Earth.

Tajikistan

Nemolchi.uz is a small-scale initiative set up in 2017 to give a voice to women and girls affected by gender-based violence in Uzbekistan. The initiative is made up of a web platform, which provides advice on what people can do if they experience domestic violence or other types of abuse, and also functions as a tool by which women and girls can share their own experiences. The purpose of NeMolchi.uz is to break the culture of silence, shame and gender-based violence.

Tashkent, Uzbekistan

In line with the feminist motto of personal being political, and inspired by grassroots organizing principles, BFI works on advocating women rights issues and the feminist agenda through media, education, innovative approaches and public events.

Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

The annual FemAgora feminist festival took place online for the first time from August 25 to September 30, 2020. The festival featured events and workshops, as well as special art and teaching materials and aimed to highlight the activities of women and the gender situation, to solidarize feminist initiatives in Central Asia, which became especially important during the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on the life of especially vulnerable groups and communities.

Central Asia

Labrys is one of the major LGBT organizations in Kyrgyzstan, which has been actively promoting human rights, providing services for LGBT people and organizing mobilizations for LGBT people and their parents, as well as engaging in local and international advocacy for 17 years. It could be immediate assistance, such as basic services which should be provided by the state, legal, medical and social services, but also support groups and workshops for self acceptance, empowerment and activism.

Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

Public Foundation of Girls with Disabilities Nazik Kyz works to improve the quality of life of women and girls with disabilities in Kyrgyzstan. Many of the girls and women the group works with are internal migrants who rely on selling crafts and souvenirs to support themselves. The global pandemic has eradicated any opportunity for these girls and women to lead an independent life as they can no longer earn a living this way. Public Foundation of Girls with Disabilities Nazik Kyz works with these girls and women to help them adapt, learning new skills needed for online work such as English language and copywriting, and also master new technologies so that they can earn a living working online.

Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

Public Foundation Notabene is one of the first analytical centers in the field of law and human rights analysis in Tajikistan which aims to promote the principles of human rights and increasing the capacity of civil society organizations to conduct human rights-based activities.

Dushanbe, Tajikistan

Bir Duino Kyrgyzstan (BDK) was founded in 2000 and aims to promote civil, political, cultural and economic rights and other social objectives, using monitoring and analysis tools for human rights evaluation in Kyrgyzstan. To achieve the goal of creating an effective monitoring system, targeted at human rights evaluation, BDK seeks to increase civil participation among youth and marginalized groups of population using the existing frameworks laid out by the Constitution of the Kyrgyz Republic.

Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

The Association Shyrak was established in 2001 by the initiative of ten women with musculoskeletal illnesses. The objectives of the organization are: activation of women with disabilities by informing them, training and integration, consolidation disabled women organizations of power in the Republic of Kazakhstan and Central Asia, promoting the interests of women with disabilities in all advisory bodies, the protection of the rights of women with disabilities, the development of political leadership, increase in active life position, overcoming stereotypes to the issue of disability in the society, the development of gender equality, the work of news on reproductive rights of women with disabilities, diversity and equality, cooperation and development.

Almaty, Kazakhstan

Center for the Protection of Children (CPC) is a Non-Governmental Organization founded in 1998 with the important mission to make a valuable contribution to poverty reduction amongst working whether or not homeless street children. CPC stands up for the children's rights according to the Convention of the Rights of the Child (UN 1989). In close cooperation with other NGOs CPC informs and instructs the authorities and 'the public' to make them aware of the problems of the street children.

Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

Girls in rural areas of Kyrgyzstan are the most targeted victims of bride-kidnapping, child marriages, and gender discrimination. Village Girl Project is the first girls' empowerment project in Kyrgyzstan initiated and organized by the local college students in Bishkek with an aim to empower girls in rural areas to realize their boundless potential and inspire them to strive for their dream lives. Over two years of their empowering journey, they have impacted over a hundred girls not only in Kyrgyzstan but also in Tajikistan.

Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyz Indigo is a public association that supports LGBTI community in Kyrgyzstan. Its activities are aimed at the formation of a healthy lifestyle, LGBTI, strengthening of psychological health, capacity development, providing shelters in Bishkek and Osh city and protection of the rights of LGBTI. "Kyrgyz Indigo" was founded in 2009 in Bishkek and has conducted trainings on such topics as leadership and activism, HIV, AIDS, STI, hepatitis, tuberculosis and living a healthy lifestyle. Also, the initiative group conducted outreach work, peer-to-peer consultations on safe sex and sexual health.

Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

Group 705 represents a group of young artists working in modern art, theater, street action, animation and cinema. In their performances, they combine the tactics and approaches of contemporary art and theater that have developed in Central Asia. Theater helps them to come together, talk about their lives, strongly disagree with injustice, manifest their hopes and cope with personal experiences.

Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

Adil Soz Foundation is a Kazakh non-governmental organization which deals with addressing corruption in Kazakhstani law and politics. Its main goal is the establishment of an open civil society in Kazakhstan and free, objective and progressive journalism. The foundation attempts to protect journalists from government interference based on civil rights and freedom of speech, which is currently an issue in Kazakhstan.

Almaty, Kazakhstan