LocationsOn the occasion of the International Day of Peace
Peace as an Investment in Development: How Kyrgyzstan Is Building Resilience with UNDP
September 21, 2026
Women's Council in Uzgen, to strengthen peace through the inclusive participation of women and youth
UNDP Kyrgyzstan
Peace begins with simple things: the ability to live and work safely, raise children, access education, develop one’s potential, participate in community life and look to the future with confidence.
But sustainable peace is also the ability of people and communities to manage differences peacefully, participate in decision-making, protect their rights, resolve disputes through dialogue and work together to develop their towns and villages.
There is a simple and profound idea in Kyrgyz culture: “Ынтымак бар жерде — ырыс бар” — where there is harmony and unity, there is prosperity. This idea resonates with the modern understanding of positive peace, which peace and conflict researcher Johan Galtung defined as the presence of justice, trust, opportunities, participation and the ability of society to solve problems together.
Today, the Kyrgyz Republic is pursuing a long-term development course defined by the National Development Programme until 2030, focused on improving people’s well-being, inclusive economic growth and social justice.
For more than 30 years, UNDP has supported the Government in advancing national priorities, strengthening institutions and creating opportunities for people and communities. When institutions are strengthened, access to justice expands, women and young people are able to influence decisions, and communities develop the capacity to engage in dialogue and resolve disputes peacefully, the conditions for sustainable development are strengthened.
In this work, the Women, Peace and Security and Youth, Peace and Security agendas, human rights, social cohesion and the prevention of violent extremism serve as complementary tools towards a shared goal: more resilient, inclusive and people-centred development in Kyrgyzstan.
According to the Global Peace Index, Kyrgyzstan ranked 61st among 163 countries in 2026, moving up 30 positions compared with 2022.
These results cannot be attributed to the work of a single organization or project. The Global Peace Index reflects a combination of factors, including societal safety and security, ongoing conflicts and militarization. Its dynamics provide an important international context for national efforts to strengthen peace and resilience.
Peace is not only an outcome of development. It is also a condition that allows development to continue.
UNDP’s portfolio in Kyrgyzstan brings together social cohesion, local governance, human rights, access to justice, mediation, gender equality, youth participation and human capital development.
Since 2023, UNDP has supported Kyrgyzstan in strengthening an “infrastructure for peace” — a network of institutions, skills and mechanisms that enable the Government and communities to engage in dialogue, prevent conflicts and jointly find solutions.
Today, Public Consultative Councils operate in 23 multi-ethnic districts. A total of 347 people participate in their work, including 31% women and 35% representatives of ethnic minorities.
For sustainable peace, people need opportunities to develop. This is a practical dimension of the human security approach. Women and young people have a particularly important role to play.
UNDP supports the participation of women and young people in local development, public consultative mechanisms, mediation and decision-making.
In 2025, UNDP-supported regional development initiatives reached 20 settlements across seven regions, home to more than 1.28 million young people. Through regional and municipal mechanisms, an estimated 12,000–25,000 young people and women are engaged annually in development programmes, entrepreneurship and civic initiatives.
The partnership with Japan demonstrates how this model can deliver concrete results. Since 2020, more than 4,000 young people have received training in entrepreneurship, local governance and conflict prevention; more than 225 jobs have been created, and $325,000 has been mobilized for youth initiatives.
In this way, investment in young people and women becomes an investment in human capital, employment, regional development, social cohesion and societal resilience at the same time.
In Kyrgyzstan, UNDP, together with the Ministry of Justice, supports the development of the state-guaranteed legal aid system.
In 2025, 55,235 people received such assistance, including 27,792 women; 70% of cases were completed. Digital tools are being developed, the 114 hotline is operating, and the legal aid network and mobile “Bus of Solidarity” format are expanding.
Through its long-term partnership with Finland, UNDP supported the development of the State Programme for the Development of State-Guaranteed Legal Aid for 2024–2028, introduced digital solutions, and helped the system gradually move towards national financing and institutional sustainability.
Since 2010, the UN Peacebuilding Fund has invested more than $50 million in Kyrgyzstan, supporting the transition from post-conflict recovery towards conflict prevention, stronger social cohesion and resilience.
This is an example of how support can gradually become a national mechanism that continues to operate beyond an individual project cycle.
Since 2023, UNDP has supported the development of the Danaker mediation network, promoting a culture of dialogue, peaceful resolution of differences and social cohesion.
In 2026, the Constituent Congress of the Chamber of Mediators of the Kyrgyz Republic was held. The establishment of the Chamber was another example of institutionalization — the creation of a national professional mechanism capable of developing independently as part of the legal system.
UNDP places particular emphasis on institutionalization, national leadership and scaling solutions.
Projects can address a specific problem, but investment in an institution can strengthen a system’s ability to address similar challenges in the future. Results of cooperation with government institutions include:
- Investment in mediation supports access to justice.
- Investment in young people supports human capital, employment and resilience.
- Investment in women’s participation strengthens social cohesion and the quality of local development.
- Investment in human rights strengthens inclusion and people’s ability to access public services.
- Investment in social cohesion helps protect development gains from future shocks.
The International Day of Peace is an opportunity to view peace as a condition that makes development possible.
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