Human Development as the Focus of Local Self-Governance: HERE AND NOW! UN House, 160 Chui Avenue, Bishkek 720040, Kyrgyz Republic tel.: +996 312 611 213, fax: +996 312 611 217, www.undp.kg 720040 Кыргыз Республикасы, Бишкек ш., Чуй пр. 160, БУУнун YйY тел.: +996 312 611 213, факс: +996 312 611 217, www.undp.kg 720040 Кыргызская Республика, пр. Чуй 160, Дом ООН NATIONAL HUMAN DEVELOPMENT REPORT OF THE KYRGYZ REPUBLIC 2012 тел.: +996 312 611 213, факс: +996 312 611 217, www.undp.kg This cover page symbolizes the role of local government as a basic part of the system of governance in the Kyrgyz Republic, which is the closest to people. It represents a tight link between the local government and conditions for human development, including the traditions and origin of power in Kyrgyz- stan, which is vested in its people.The author of the original poster, which was used to develop this publication’s cover, Aibek Eshaliev, is a participant of a contest of posters and photographs entitled ‘Live here and now!’ organized in 2011 by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the Kyrgyz Republic and by the Soros–Kyrgyzstan Foundation and the Development Policy Institute (as part of the “Voice of citizens and local government account- ability: the budget process” project sponsored by the Government of Switzerland). This contest provided an opportunity for all residents in Kyrgyzstan – regardless of their age, sex, ethnic origin and place of residence – to visualize their attitude of the local government, their expectations and role in local community development, and human development through the prism of the local government. The information campaign to promote the National Human Development Reportin the KyrgyzRepublic for 2012 began in 2011 and will go on until the end of 2013. This campaign includes television programmes, e-mails, articles, presentations, lectures and poster and photograph contests. This Report is published in Kyrgyz, Russian and English, and is a serves as a channel for the idea of human development in the whole territory of Kyrgyzstan and worldwide. This Report persuasively proves the existence of a direct correlation between local government and the level of human development in the Kyrgyz Republic. This Report, for the first time, considers the local government not only as part of the governance system, but also as the environment for human development. PREPARATION GROUP FOR THE NATIONAL HUMAN DEVELOPMENT REPORT FOR 2012 The main partner for UNDP in the Kyrgyz Republic in the process of writing of this Report was the Development Policy Institute (hereinafter – DPI) in Kyrgyzstan. The report writing process was an open one, it involved experts from Kyrgyzstan and abroad. DPI authors’ group prepared the text of the Report, calculated the indices and coordinated and processed the survey data for the population and local government. The Group of Experts helped to prepare the Report and provided valuable critical remarks. The UNDP Regional Centre in Bratislava provided valuable methodological assistance, in particular, in the calculation of the indices at the local level. The text of this Report was reviewed by the Group of Experts, coordinators and UNDP Project Managers in Kyrgyzstan, as well as bythe UNDP Regional Centre in Bratislava. Head of the Authors’ Group: Nadezhjda DOBRETSOVA, Chairman of the Board of DPI Authors Group from DPI: Anarbek ISMAILOV Tolobek OMURALIEV Sabina GRADVAL Bekbolot BEKIEV Ulara NARUSBAEVA ZulfiaKOCHORBAEVA Group of Experts: Raisa PLESOVSKIKH Bolot ASANAKULOV Suiunbek SURDYBAEV Dinara ALDASHEVA Asia TARANCHIEVA Evgenia BOIKO Consultations provided by: Mikhail PELEAH, the UNDP Regional Bureau in Bratislava for Europe and CIS countries Coordinated by: Damira Sulpieva Reviewed by: The UNDP Regional Bureau in Bratislava for Europe and CIS countries, Human Development Office headed by Andrei IVANOV Information and communication: Nadezhjda DOBRETSOVA, DPI Jyldyz KUVATOVA, UNDP Kyrgyzstan Kairatbek MURZAKIMOV, UNDP Kyrgyzstan Nurgul JAMANKULOVA, DPI Preparation, editing, translation, budget, administering: Natalia ANDRIANOVA Kutmanbek BIYALIEV Jyldyz KUVATOVA Lyubov CHELNOKOVA Tursuniaz DOSALIEV Pall Jonathan OTTO Analysis and policy recommendations of this Report do not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations, the United Nations Development Programme, its programmes/ projects or the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic. The Report is an independent publication commissioned by UNDP. The research and writing of the Report was a collaborative effort by the group of authors, a group of experts and consultants, as well as the result of discussions with government representa- tives of the national and provincial levels, nongovernmental organizations, local self-governance, local communities and mass media held during its research and development phase. © UNDP in the Kyrgyz Republic, 2013. All rights reserved. Reference to the UNDP is required in citing, reproduction and translation. Human Development as the Focus of Local Self-Governance: HERE AND NOW! National Human Development Report of the Kyrgyz Republic 2012 National Human Development Report of the Kyrgyz Republic 2012 communities and local self-government (LSG) FOREWORD bodies are yet to be solved. In this regard, it is encouraging that the Constitution of the Kyrgyz The 5 May 2013 marks the 20th anniversary of Republic, which was passed by a nationwide independent Kyrgyzstan’s adoption of its first referendum in 2010, and the National Sustain- constitution, which defined the basic principles, able Development Strategy for 2013-2017 powers and rights of local self-government. approved by President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Almazbek Atambaev, on 21 January 2013, While paying special attention to the role of incorporated the priorities related to LSGs’ and local self-government and local communities in local community development. the assistance and provision of sustainable hu- man development, the United Nations Develop- This Report is a comprehensive analytical study ment Programme (UNDP) in the Kyrgyz Republic of various aspects of LSGs’ work in Kyrgyzstan. has been implementing different programmes During its preparation, the opinions of local and projects for over 15 years. UNDP has used community members, LSG representatives, civil a wide range of measures and actions – at society organizations and public structures national and local levels – related to the social were considered. Along with the use of exten- mobilization of the population for development sive statistical material prepared by the Nation- of local self-government and local communi- al Statistics Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic ties, eradication of poverty and inequality, and using modern methods, the Report’s authors increasing the people’s living standards. were able to conduct a qualitative analysis of the situation and make analytical conclusions During this time, UNDP provided diverse as- on further directions of LSG development. sistance to the country for ongoing reforms in these areas, the development of national The notions of local self-government and hu- strategies and programmes, and their regula- man development are interconnected in the tory support. Multiple self-help groups have Report. This is an important finding, which con- been formed and supported, grants allocated vincingly demonstrated that people and their for resolving local communities’ priority issues, personal needs and development opportuni- including the rehabilitation and development ties are at the centre of local self-government. of the local social infrastructure; supported Such an approach, conducted for the first time individual entrepreneurship, provided solutions in Kyrgyzstan, enables us to view LSG in a new regarding ecological challenges and increased light – not just as governance structure, which local communities’ and local self-governments’ is aimed to decide on a range of issues, but also readiness for the prevention and elimina- as an environment and important condition for tion of the consequences of natural disasters, human development. Such an approach brings increased the capacity of local authorities, LSG, its role and significance in the processes of introduced Information and Communication sustainable development in the whole country Technologies (ICT) in the work of aiyl okmotus to a new level. This also opens up new horizons (village administrations), and involved women for the legislative and institutional develop- and youth in the development processes, ment of local self-government. among other initiatives. The development of the Report, which involved Following the tragic June 2010 events in many LSG experts in Kyrgyzstan, allowed, for southern Kyrgyzstan, UNDP, together with the first time, the formulation of the Vision of other UN agencies, provided urgent assistance LSG-2020 and 2030. This Vision allows for the to affected persons and local communities and development and implementation of further helped to restore peace and good neighborly comprehensive reforms in the area of LSG, the relations among people. Representatives of elaboration and realization of policy measures, local communities, non-governmental orga- as well as an evaluation of the quality of the nizations, local and central public authorities decisions adopted and results achieved by civil directly participated in this work based on a society. broad-based partnership. This Report consists of four chapters. Chapter I All the above mentioned work, as well as other, provides