For Every Child in Kyrgyzstan
30 years ago, the Kyrgyz Republic joined the Convention for the Rights of the Child and established cooperation with UNICEF
Commitment to protect the rights of children
The Kyrgyz Republic acceded to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) on 12 January 1994. By joining this international agreement on childhood, Kyrgyzstan expressed its commitment to upholding the highest international standards for children's rights, including their protection, education and well-being.
Kyrgyzstan has worked to align its national laws with the principles and the provisions of the Convention and addressed many challenges that affect the safety and wellbeing of children. During these three decades, the country has made notable progress in reducing child mortality, enhancing access to education, and many other areas.
UNICEF in Kyrgyzstan
Cooperation between the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic and UNICEF began in February 1992, when the government formally invited the organization to collaborate to address the country's child welfare needs. This partnership was officially cemented on 26 October 1994 with the endorsement of the Basic Cooperation Agreement, establishing a strong foundation for long-term cooperation aimed at improving the lives of children in Kyrgyzstan.
Over the past three decades, UNICEF has implemented six cooperation programmes addressing the most pressing issues for children. The current, seventh, Country Programme of cooperation builds on the successes of previous efforts, continuing to prioritize key areas such as education, social protection, child protection, health care, and reducing the inequalities experienced by vulnerable children.
By partnering with the government, civil society, international partners, and businesses, UNICEF ensures that children across Kyrgyzstan have access to the essential services and support they need to thrive.
Years of progress for every child
Ensuring a healthy start
Health care has been a key priority for UNICEF throughout its three decades of work in Kyrgyzstan. The cooperation programmes have addressed numerous issues, including maternal health, child mortality, prevention of infectious diseases, medicine shortages, and strengthening of health-care systems.
In recent years, UNICEF has supported the training of thousands of health-care workers, equipping them with the skills and knowledge they need to tackle emerging health threats. Immunization campaigns have been instrumental in halting the spread of dangerous infectious diseases such as measles and polio. Notably, there have been no recorded cases of diphtheria in the last 30 years.
These collective efforts have led to a significant reduction in child mortality in Kyrgyzstan – an impressive decrease of nearly 75 per cent compared to 1990 – and 95 per cent vaccination coverage has played a vital role in enabling this progress.
Helping children to learn
The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) recognizes education as a fundamental right for every child. Kyrgyzstan has consistently maintained high rates of formal school attendance. However, economic hardships and the demands of evolving markets have introduced new challenges to the country’s education system. UNICEF has been a key partner in addressing these issues.
We have supported the renovation of dozens of schools nationwide, trained thousands of teachers and education specialists, and facilitated the connection of schools to the internet, equipping them with modern information technologies. UNICEF has worked closely with the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic to develop policies and strategies that have enabled the education system to adapt to the demands of the twenty-first century.
Throughout the years, UNICEF has also focused on helping children access early education, which is vital for their success at school and later in life.
This collaborative approach has ensured that Kyrgyzstan’s children are continuing to receive quality education, and has contributed to some remarkable results. In the last 20 years, the number of children between the ages of 3 and 5 enrolled in formal early education institutions has doubled from 19 per cent to 39 per cent (MICS 2004 and MICS 2023).
Protecting children
By joining the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Kyrgyzstan committed to protecting children from violence, abuse, exploitation, and neglect. Over the past 30 years, the country has made significant progress in fulfilling these commitments. UNICEF has supported the government to establish a sustainable system for child protection, working closely with child protection authorities. This effort has included reforming the policy and legal framework, enhancing social and child protection services, and promoting changes in societal norms and attitudes.
In 2006, UNICEF supported Kyrgyzstan in adopting a Child Code, to ensure that the rights of children are reflected in the country’s legal system. Later the Code was amended to include a special chapter on child protection. All criminal and civic legislation was subsequently amended to be in line with the new provisions of the Child Code.
This legislation has been a key milestone in ensuring stronger legal protections for children and improving the child protection system for all children across the country.
Research and data
Reliable data are crucial for the development and implementation of programmes aimed at improving the wellbeing of children. Over the past 30 years, UNICEF has led and supported a range of studies, research, and reports that have built a substantial body of knowledge about children in Kyrgyzstan.
This wealth of information enables the country to monitor progress in key areas such as health care, education, and social protection. Notable contributions include major studies like the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, alongside more focused publications such as UNICEF’s report on school violence.