[English] Girls’ Day Conference: Celebrating Sisterhood and Dreams for the Future
We are sharing updates from our residents, Johanna and Susanna, who recently completed their residencies at Novi Ritm, our long-standing partner in Osh, Kyrgyzstan. In this post, they reflect on their experience at Novi Ritm’s Girls’ Day Conference, a powerful celebration of sisterhood and young women’s dreams for the future. Every year on October 11, the world comes together to celebrate International Day of the Girl Child. This special day, declared by the United Nations in 2011, is a call for action to address challenges girls face globally. It is a day to empower girls, advocate for their rights...
Permakultur i praktiken – besök i Kirgizistan
I juni 2024 reste Jona Elfdahl och Etta Säfve, permakulturexperter och konstnärer på Gylleboverket, till Kirgizistan för att träffa CAG:s lokala partner El Too och besöka permakulturprojekt i de norra delarna av landet. Läs deras berättelse nedan. De snöklädda topparna på bergen omger oss när vi ligger i vattnet i den turkosa sjön. Snart går solen ner och vi ska lägga oss i den jurta som är vårt hem för några dagar under vår två veckor långa vistelse i Kirgizistan. Vi är här för att besöka och utbyta erfarenheter och kunskaper med 7 olika platser som med hjälp av...
Folkrörelser hotas när regeringen reformerar biståndet
Folkrörelser hotas när regeringen reformerar biståndet Just nu pågår en attack mot dig och mig, mot folkrörelsen i Sverige. Tidöregeringen vill minska svenska frivilligorganisationers roll i biståndsarbetet. Det skulle få förödande konsekvenser för människor runtom i världen. Civilsamhället i Sverige hotas med kraftigt reducerade statliga resurser till studieförbund, folkhögskolor, kulturverksamhet och nu även folkrörelsebiståndet. Svenskt bistånd är erkänt högkvalitativt och i decennier har svenska civilsamhällesorganisationer och folkrörelser spelat en central roll i arbetet. Nu föreslår regeringen att Sida tar över folkrörelsebiståndet, vilket skulle begränsa civilsamhällets roll och underminera den folkliga förankringen för det svenska bistånd som vi har idag....
[English] Kyrgyzstan’s Parliament passes repressive ‘foreign agent’ bill
Central Asia Solidarity Groups is very concerned about the recent developments around the legislation affecting civil society in Kyrgyzstan as they challenge the efforts to promote a democratic Central Asia with a strong, active, and inclusive civil society. This is a harsh and unjust bill that aims to tightly control the work of civil society, with special scrutiny on those that receive foreign funding. The bill closely resembles the so-called “foreign agents” law of Russia; it is a continued alarming practice that aims to control civic freedoms and independent activism in Kyrgyzstan. The new bill, approved in the third...
[English] Interview with Meerim Omurzakova – one participant in the initiative with Novi Ritm
Featured image: Meerim Omurzakova, second from the right, with Novi Ritm volunteers. Since 2013, Central Asia Solidarity Groups and Novi Ritm have been working together to empower youth, particularly girls and women, in southern Kyrgyzstan. Our shared aim is that the local youth is well-informed about their rights and actively engage in the protection of human rights. This participations is seen as a vital component for cultivating a democratic and inclusive civil society at all levels. Novi Ritm has a mentorship program designed to forge connections between experienced individuals with prior engagement in the organization’s activities and volunteers newly...
Årsmöte och dokument
Vi välkomnar medlemmar och vänner till Centralasiengruppernas årsmöte online, lördagen den 23 mars 2024 kl. 10:00. Årsmötet består av en presentation av CAGs arbete under år 2023, inklusive ekonomi, aktivitetsplan, val av nya styrelseledamöter och ordförande. (Se agendan för mer information). En länk till mötet kommer att delas närmare mötesdatumet. Annual meeting agenda Annual report 2023 Årsredovisning 2023 Annual Plan 2024...
[English] Central Asia Solidarity Groups is looking for new board members
Do you want to contribute to encouraging a democratic Central Asia with a strong, active, and inclusive civil society that contributes to human rights being respected and social justice achieved? The election committee is currently working in order to provide a diverse and competent board for the organization during 2024/2025. We are looking for persons who: – Can dedicate at least 5 hours a month to meetings, with additional time for operational tasks; – Have an interest in the affairs of Central Asia; – Possess experience in any of the following areas: communication and social media, project management and...
[English] Stories of Jamilya Mambetkerimova and Burul Mayrambek kyzy – participants in one initiative
Featured image: Burul Mayrambek kyzy is making a presentation during a study tour in Bokonbaev village CAG’s partnership with ISDS focuses on local communities and decision-makers in Son-Kul to build their capacity with respect to effective use, management, and preservation of natural resources. Burul Mayrambek kyzy and Jamilya Mambetkerimova, participants in the project, shared their experiences with us, providing insights into how this initiative has sparked positive changes within their communities and illustrating the importance of collective action in tackling environmental challenges. Jamilya Mambetkerimova is 47 years old, has six children, and is a deputy of the local council...
Residency opportunity in Kyrgyzstan
Central Asia Solidarity Groups (CAG) is a non-profit, volunteer-run organization located in Malmö, Sweden. Our focus is on thematic areas of climate and environment, democratic youth organizing, gender equality and women’s rights, security and resilience, mainly in Central Asia. We are currently seeking two candidates for a 2- months placement from September to October 2024 with Noviy Ritm, a youth-led organization in Osh, Kyrgyzstan (for more information about the organization click here) The placements has a two-fold focus. First, donor mapping, which involves identifying, researching, and analyzing potential donors that align with the mission of Noviy Ritm. Second, development of strategic organizational...
[English] Human security workshops for Central Asian activists — linking personal and communal well-being
Context: One of the key focuses of CAG’s work is enhancing the security, safety, and resilience of civil society organizations and communities in Central Asia amid the complex challenges facing the region. These challenges range from armed border conflicts, inter-ethnic tensions, low human development indexes, limited natural resources, climate change and environmental degradation. Civil society organizations in the region not only operate in the face of these challenges but also take active measures to address them, aiming to protect the rights of local vulnerable communities and the individuals. However, this commitment often comes at a cost to the personal...