Crisis Prevention and Recovery

Key statistics

The early years of Kyrgyzstan’s transition to independence were marked by significant economic losses, which culminated into a poverty rate of more than 55 percent of the population by 1999. Reforms since then have produced positive indicators of growth, but nearly 40 percent of the population still lives in poverty.

Women still face economic and social marginalization. Estimates indicate that post-transition, up to 50 percent of all unemployed Kyrgyz were women. The percentage of women in formal decision-making bodies also dropped by half, from 30 percent of seats to 15 percent, due to the elimination of quotas.

Political and ethnic tensions, sources of frequent and violent clashes in the past, persist and occasionally spill over into neighboring countries.

The country faces important risks of natural disasters: seismic activity indicates that more than 3,000 earthquakes happen annually in Kyrgyzstan, in addition to another 200-300 floods, landslides and other natural events.

Key issues

Poverty reduction remains a priority. Investments in the agricultural sector can help farmers boost production, generating local and national revenue, supporting livelihoods and local economies, and decreasing dependence on food imports. Community-based micro-credit programmes can help strengthen women’s economic status and revive the private sector. Initiatives that support alternative energies and maintain current energy supplies can also create jobs, reduce poverty and mitigate environmental destruction.

Each year, floods, landslides, earthquakes and other disasters cause an estimated US $35 million in damages alone. Investing in disaster risk reduction will not only save lives but also preserve livelihoods and development gains.

Conflict prevention initiatives also protect lives and investments. Strengthening skills in mediation and conflict management can decrease violence between communities and help them share scarce natural resources and energy supplies, such as water.

UNDP in Action

• Worked with the Government to identify and develop equitable poverty reduction strategies that address the needs of both men and women in the formal and informal job sectors; helped initiate area-based development plans that include micro-credit loans for small business and local enterprises; and, facilitated vocational skills and technology training opportunities for youth and women;

• Supported local communities in poverty reduction initiatives that create livelihood opportunities and restore land and water for use in agricultural and food production sectors;

• Helped communities build infrastructure for sustainable energy use;

• Provided support to local-level projects with the potential to defuse tensions and promote cooperation among ethnic groups; trained and mobilized local authorities and civil society organizations to locally resolve disputes and achieve consensus; and

• Provided support in the development of local disaster management plans to minimize the risks associated with natural disasters, such as floods and earthquakes; and facilitated the training of local rural rescue teams in emergency assistance.