7 December, 2023, Bishkek - The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) handed over the art panel "Creating Together," created by 16 women and girls, to the National Historical Museum. The art panel was developed to explore the experiences of multiple discriminations faced by women and girls with disabilities. 

In the "Creating Together" process, women and girls with various disability experiences, along with their mothers, grandmothers, and sisters, came together to express their experiences of multiple discrimination based on gender, disability, age, nationality, language, and other factors through personal stories in collaborative art. 

The artistic panel is done in a modern style. "Tush kiyiz" is a skillfully embroidered wall hanging, traditionally used to decorate the central wall of a room or yurt in Kyrgyzstan. It reflects the worldview of the people, and in Kyrgyz culture, special significance is attached to symbols and images on felt. 

Jyldyz Bakashova, the director of the National Historical Museum, stated at the art panel handover ceremony: "The museum houses over 300,000 art objects, and we are pleased to receive this panel as a gift symbolizing equality and inclusion. Today, I witness the emergence of Disability Arts in the country.” 

Tolkunbek Isakov, Deputy Chairman of the Council of Persons with Disabilities under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic, stated: "It is very important in Kyrgyzstan to create conditions for people with disabilities for their full participation in the life of society, including in the arts." 

The composition of the panel resembles a tablecloth, demonstrating that in the process of creating this artwork, women come together to re-evaluate individual and collective experiences and share their stories with honesty. 

Each plate represents the story of a woman or a group of women involved in creating the artwork. On each improvised plate, there are drawings, embroideries, and kurak (traditional Kyrgyz patchwork) made by the girls and women during a workshop conducted by the art curator Manshuk Yesdaulet. 

Manshuk Yesdaulet shared insights into the creation of the panel: "Each participant had her own message: about love, patience, and inner strength. I believe that while an ordinary person can live without love, a person with a disability cannot. It is only through love, support, and responsibility that a person with a disability can live. It is both a lot and very little at the same time. Our “tush kiyiz” is a wall hanging traditionally placed on the central wall. It reflects a person's worldview, and in Kyrgyz culture, symbols on the “tush kiyiz” carry great significance." 

One of the participants in the art panel, Nishana Zheenaliyeva, depicted on her plate the symbol of an open-winged flying bird. As a mother, athlete, director, and active creative individual, she encourages other girls to participate in various fields and fight against stigmatization. According to Nishana, the path to overcoming the stigma of disability should begin from within. "I used to hide my hands from others for a long time, feeling discomfort and embarrassment. However, I decided to stop using specially sewn gloves and get rid of those feelings. I associate the change in self-perception with the flutter of wings and, consequently, with living a vibrant life." 

This creative work was presented as part of the campaign "16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence" (November 15–December 10) and is connected to the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (December 3).  

UNDP expresses deep gratitude to the creators of the art panel: Manshuk Yesdaulet, Aliya and Oksana Yuldasheva, Victoria Biryukova and Olga Polyakhova, Aiperi Aralbaeva, Nishana Zheenaliyeva, Rabiga and Aidai Imankulova, Aliya Turdieva, Jyldyz Sadykova, Elida Tolomushova, and Aychurok Kulmirzaeva, Anastasia Kolodyazhnaya, Zarina Kokombaeva, Lilyana Dakiyeva, Altynai Botalieva, and Ayna Maatkerymova. 

The project "Creating Together" was developed in the context of campaigns against gender-based violence and for the rights of people with disabilities. UNDP in the Kyrgyz Republic hopes that the art panno will help raise awareness about the vast world of disability and the challenges faced by women and girls with disabilities. 

It is worth noting that annually, from 25 November to 10 December, a civil society campaign is held to eliminate violence against women. On the initiative of the United Nations General Assembly, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities is observed annually on 3 December. 

The General Assembly has called on all states and international organizations to take measures aimed at involving people with disabilities in society, mobilizing public support to address the issues they face, and drawing public attention to creating an accessible and inclusive environment.