November 3-4 – EU-UNDP New Legal Framework Project in partnership with OSCE/ODIHR, Soros Foundation-Kyrgyzstan, OHCHR, Venice Commission and GIZ assisted in organizing several meetings to help improve the work of the Council on Selection of Judges and work out solutions for overcoming problems faced the Council. Several international experts took part in the meetings. Part of these activities was an educational training on “Strengthening of independence of judicial system through procedure of selection of judges” for members of the Council and its Secretariat as well as national experts. Five international experts from Russia, Estonia, Denmark, Lithuania and two national specialists were invited for the training. Learn more from Gulmira Mamatkerimova, Project Manager ( gm@dgov.undp.kg).
November 9 – Members of Parliament, representatives of the President’s Office, government, international and donor organizations, civil society and heads of local self-governments (LSG) from the regions took part in Parliamentary hearings on fiscal decentralization. Participants discussed current state of fiscal decentralization in the country, impediments in this process, reasons behind its stagnation, 2007 reform results and ways to promote fiscal decentralization, which is vital to development of local self-governance. Participants decided to create a working group to develop suggestions and amendments to the draft law “On republican budget of 2012”. The discussions were organized with assistance of the UNDP DGP, Soros Foundation, Development Policy Institute (DPI), “Alliance for budget transparency” and UNEP. It was organized in close collaboration with the Parliament committee on budget and finance. Learn more from Damira Sulpieva, DGP LSG component coordinator, (ds@dgov.undp.kg).
November 19-14 – Twenty five youths from around Kyrgyzstan took part in a four day workshop “New Leaders – Positive Changes”. The project aims to improve youth’s capacity by promoting their ideas and their participation in social, economic and political reforms of Kyrgyzstan through training of analytical skills, enhancement of critical thinking and promotion of youth in decision making. Following the end of their study, participants of the project have a unique opportunity to develop their individual and professional skills with the assistance of experienced mentors. The project is organized by Zhasa.kg project of the International Youth Foundation, funded by USAID, DGP Youth Project with the support of and Youth Program of "Soros-Kyrgyzstan". Learn more from Nazira Satyvaldiyeva, Youth Program Coordinator (Nazira@youth.undp.kg).
November 28 – Upon a request of the National Agency on Local Self Governance, UNDP Democratic Governance Programme assisted in organizing two one-day seminars for newly elected heads of local self-governments. 169 heads of LSGs participated in seminars which took place in Bishkek and Osh cities on November 11 and 28. Representatives of different government structures, ministries and agencies were invited to the seminars where they responded to all questions newly elected heads of LSGs. One of the central topic of the seminars was effective local self-governance and ways to improve it. Learn more from Damira Sulpieva, DGP LSG component coordinator (ds@dgov.undp.kg).
