The project was successfully finished in September 2018. This website is no longer updated.

The project “Strengthening Civil Society Participation in Public Councils in Kyrgyzstan” is implemented in partnership between the Gustav-Stresemann-Institut e.V. (GSI), Bonn, Germany and the Human Rights Advisory Board (HRAB), Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

The overall objective of the action is to assist in strengthening the respect of the Rule of Law in the Kyrgyz Republic by promoting transparency and accountability measures leading to a more sustainable and inclusive performance of Public Councils.

The action will initiate and support public-private partnership initiatives, to reach better public understanding about the role of Public Councils, and to create opportunities for citizens to interact with Public Councils.

The aim is to promote a culture of responsibility and civic engagement and hereby improve the interaction of Public Councils with civil society organizations and media.

By doing so the project increases credibility and ability of the Public Councils to act as “citizens’ ambassadors”.

The project was started in September 2016 and will last for 24 months and has the following components:

1. Preparation phase: mobilization, partner planning meeting, coordination with 4 ongoing Rule of Law projects, meetings with stakeholders, project implementation plan, kick-off meeting, inception report.
2. Surveys in regions (country-wide) & analysis of PCs functionalities on central and regional levels; interviews with citizens, PCs members and state body representatives in order to collect feedback and recommendations.
3. Legal component: Lawyers working group; revision of existing legislation related to PCs and other civil initiatives, drafting of legal regulations, dialogue with stakeholders, lobby for ratification.
4. Training and consultation programme, dialogue platforms for Public Councils on central & regional levels, central/ regional/municipal authorities, local self-government bodies, CSOs & media (country-wide).
5. Public relation component; training of media (journalists), media training for CSOs, visibility actions (press conferences, radio/ TV broadcastings, online, incl. the project website www.gsi-projects.eu/public-councils).
6. Sub-granting component; up-to 10 projects of PCs in partnership with CSO and/or media financed, public-private partnership supported.
7. Organising 2 forums for PCs (one in December 2016, one at the end of the project).