Two Little Girls 

KYRGYSTAN

The Kyrgyz Republic (or Kyrgyzstan) is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labour, and for women and children subjected to sex trafficking. Kyrgyzstani men, women, and children are subjected to forced labour primarily in Russia and Kazakhstan, and to a lesser extent in Turkey and other Eastern European countries.

They are also subjected to forced labour within the country’s agricultural, forestry, construction, and textile industries, as well as in domestic service and child care. Kyrgyzstani women are subjected to forced prostitution abroad, reportedly in Turkey, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Russia, and Kazakhstan, as well as within the country. Small numbers of women and children from Uzbekistan are subjected to sex trafficking in Kyrgyzstan. Some men and women from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan transit the Kyrgyz Republic as they migrate to Russia, the UAE, and Turkey, where they subsequently become victims of sex and labour trafficking. Kyrgyzstani boys and girls are subjected to sex trafficking and forced labour, including the forced selling and distribution of drugs, within the country.

NGOs report that some schools in the south of the country cancel classes in autumn to send children to pick cotton, and other schools require children to harvest tobacco on school grounds. Street children who engage in begging and children engaged in domestic work (often in the homes of extended family members) are vulnerable to human trafficking.

Kyrgyzstan is rated as a Tier 2 Country by the US Department of State’s 2014 Trafficking in Persons Report indicating that the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so.

‘Kyrgyzstani women are subjected to forced prostitution abroad, reportedly in Turkey, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Russia, and Kazakhstan, as well as within the country’

Human Rights Movement: Bir Duino Kyrgyzstan (BDK)

The nonprofit organization officially named, “Human Rights Movement: Bir Duino Kyrgyzstan” is the successor of the NGO “Citizens Against Corruption” (CAC ) , which was founded in May 2000, after the creation of the first coalition “For Democracy and Civil Society” in December 1998. Since the establishment of the NGO “Citizens Against Corruption” employees of the organization made a great contribution to the development of the human rights movement in Kyrgyzstan.
BDK was established for implementation of civic, political, cultural, economic rights and other socially useful purposes, utilizing the tools of monitoring and analysis for the evaluation of human rights in Kyrgyzstan. To achieve this aim of creating an effective monitoring system to evaluate the status of human rights, BDK seeks to increase civic participation amongst youth and marginalized populations through utilizing existing frameworks laid out by the Constitution of the Kyrgyz Republic.

The mission of the “Human Rights Movement: Bir Duino – Kyrgyzstan” is the protection of human rights with specific attention given to the freedom of association, defending the political space for the Human Right Defenders (HRDs) in Kyrgyzstan through culture and arts.

The main purpose is to facilitate practical implementation of humanitarian articles of the Helsinki Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in 1975, other international legal instruments developed for its implementation as well as all other obligations of Kyrgyzstan in the field of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Main principles

BDK work is guided by the following four agreed principles:
• Integrity and transparency
• Diversity of ideas and perspectives
• Innovation
• Sustainable development

Core values

• Commitment to the protection and promotion of human rights
• Building capacity of staff and volunteers working with Bir Duino and its solidarity network
• Professionalism in the promotion and protection of human rights
• Educating and spreading awareness on civic participation and responsibility

KEY CAMPAIGN ACHIEVEMENTS

  • In 2014 Human Rights Movement: Bir Duino Kyrgyzstan (BDK) organised the 8th edition of its annual documentary film festival on human rights from October 7-11, 2014. In addition to the festival in Bishkek, Bir Duino organised a regional bus tour to screen films from the festival programme in the rural areas of Kyrgyzstan. The Regional Bus Tour took place from September 5th to 15th across Kyrgyzstan, visiting 21 locations screening the festival films alongside discussions on the year’s festival theme, “Right to Development.”
  • The Two Little Girls animation was translated into Kyrgyz and shown in 21 villages across the country during September. In addition the film was also included as a special programme of the film festival in Bishkek in October. On each day of the festival Two Little Girls was shown during the morning, afternoon and evening programme.  Human Trafficking was also included as a disscussion point during the Round Table Event on Human Rights with an additional film screening. 
  • Bus Tour: 180 school children 50/50 split boys and girls (age range 11-24); 467 young people (11-24) with a split of 70/30; 467 older people age of 25-64 with a split of 70/30.
  • Human Rights Film Festival: 4838 total of which 2867 were women and 1971 were men 3895 of which were 11-24 age range with 943 were 25-64

We will post updates and information about the campaign as it progresses. For further information about the campaign please email emma@twolittlegirls.org