Bishkek, May 30 - Today Mr. Orozbek Sydykov, Deputy Minister of Justice of the Kyrgyz Republic, Ms. Marja Liivala, Head of Monitoring mission of the Finnish delegation and UNDP Deputy Resident Representative Monica Rijal opened the Center for Free Legal Aid (FLA center) for the vulnerable people which need legal protection including women and people with disabilities. The FLA center is located in the premises of the Ministry of Justice of the Kyrgyz Republic.

The main objectives of the FLA centers are to provide free legal aid, legal education, legal information, increasing the level of legal protection of vulnerable groups of population, providing access to justice, assistance in enforcement of rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of citizens, ensuring the right of certain categories of citizens to state-guaranteed legal aid. Free legal aid is provided in the form of legal advice and information by providing oral consultations on legal issues, as well as assistance in drafting legal documents.

 UNDP Deputy Resident Representative Monica Rijal pointed out: “Free legal aid is provided to ensure that opportunities for justice are not denied to any citizen by reason of economic or other disabilities. At UNDP we ensure adherence to the principle

“no one left behind” and provided assistance in opening of 17 FLA centers throughout the country, including one additional center n Bishkek taking into account the density of the population and settlements around Bishkek where internal migrants live.”

The opening of the Centers was made possible with the cooperation of the Ministry of Justice of the Kyrgyz Republic and the United Nations Development Programme in the Kyrgyz Republic within the projects"Towards sustainable access to justice for legal empowerment in the Kyrgyz Republic funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland and  Spotlight Initiative.

Ms. Marja Liivala, Director General of the Department for Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, Head of Monitoring mission noted: “The free legal aid centres are essential in ensuring access to justice for the citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic. Finland is proud to have cooperated with the Ministry of Justice already since 2014 and the work continues. It is vital that legal services are available also to women and the most vulnerable groups, such as persons with disabilities.”

Between 2016 and 2021, with the support of UNDP, 17 FLA centers were opened across the country. A total of 35 such FLA centers are currently operating across Kyrgyzstan, equipped with all the necessary conditions to provide citizens with state-guaranteed legal assistance.

During the opening ceremony Orozbek Sydykov, Deputy Minister of Justice of the Kyrgyz Republic said: “This is a unique, first, country legal aid center. Why is it on the territory of the ministry, here will consult civil servants - lawyers, it will increase accountability in the field of services and increase the number of legal advice provided to citizens".

The FLA center is located at the following address: 32 Molodaya Gvardia boulevard, 1st floor. Consultations are provided by qualified lawyers and attorneys belonging to the GGLA system, according to the established schedule.

Photos from the event: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjzRxYq

***

Contacts for media: Nurzhan Alymkanova, UNDP communications specialist, nurzhan.alymkanova@undp.org