Programme

Protecting children

Every child has the right to live free from violence, exploitation and abuse

mother holds her child
UNICEF Kazakhstan
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The challenge

While there are clear signs that the use of violent discipline towards children is in decline in Kyrgyzstan, the overall numbers remain alarming. According to the 2023 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS), 65 per cent of children in Kyrgyzstan experience violent discipline in their homes. While psychological aggression is the most common form of violent discipline, around 37 per cent of children are exposed to physical punishment.

Violence against children can have a devastating effect on their well-being. Children and adolescents that are victims of violence are more likely to engage in health-harming behaviours, and to have mental and physical health problems. 

They are less likely to learn at school. Such children have difficulty forming trusting and caring relationships with others as adults. Moreover, they are more likely to be perpetrators of violence themselves.

Another important issue is child marriage. Although there has been a steady decline in this harmful practice in Kyrgyzstan, MICS data show that nearly one in every ten women aged 20 -24 years old was married before the age of 18. Around 7 per cent of girls aged between 15 and 19 years old are currently married.

In Kyrgyzstan, officially reported cases of sexual violence against children are low: in 2018 there were 138 reported cases, in 2020 there were 236, and in 2022 there were 162. It is well known that sexual violence against children is underreported due to the shame and fear that children feel – in most cases the perpetrator is known to the child. Additional barriers include victim blaming and shaming, which children may overhear in family and community conversations or from the news.

Figures from the Ministry of Labour, Social Welfare and Migration show that almost 10,000 children are living in residential institutions (2023 figures). Many of these are children with disabilities, who end up in a residential institution because their families see no other option. For families struggling with poverty or seeking support for a child with a disability, a residential institution may be the only visible local social service that they can turn to

children at a ruined house
UNICEF Kyrgyzstan

The number of prison sentences imposed on juveniles in Kyrgyzstan has decreased by 92 per cent in almost two decades: from 178 in 2005 to 13 in March 2024. This is a direct result of legislative amendments affecting children in conflict with the law. However, there are still challenges related to laws governing child diversion, an approach aimed at redirecting youth from the justice system through supervision and support. Reintegration of children in conflict with the law back into their communities is another major issue that is exacerbated by the lack of community or municipal-level social services.

The number of children affected by migration is high: as of 2018, there were 99,000 children both of whose parents who had migrated, and for 277,000 children one parent had migrated. MICS 2023 showed that 48.8 per cent of women aged 15–49 have migrated (within or outside the country) in the past 10 years.

Global evidence shows that violent discipline in the home is correlated with intimate partner violence. This means that addressing child protection goes together with addressing gender-based violence.

The solution

UNICEF is working to improve Kyrgyzstan’s legal and policy frameworks, ensuring they align with international standards like the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. Part of this involves resolving legal contradictions that affect the implementation of child diversion programmes.

Efforts are also being made to clarify the laws that define the roles and responsibilities of various categories of social workers. UNICEF is collaborating with the Kyrgyz Government on childcare reforms aimed at keeping children with their families or in family-like settings. Additionally, social care services are being incorporated into a new social protection plan to address both the social and the economic needs of families.

Finally, UNICEF is helping to develop a long-term vision for Kyrgyzstan's child protection system, mapping out what it should look like over the next decade to guide future policy decisions.

Coordination is critical, and there are positive examples of government-led coordination and monitoring mechanisms to support reintegration processes that can be considered best practice. UNICEF advocates that these mechanisms be extended to coordinate and support all interventions for children in difficult life situations.

father is taking a selfie with his daughter
UNICEF Kyrgyzstan

UNICEF is focused on building a strong social welfare system in Kyrgyzstan by advocating more trained social workers. These professionals will provide crucial support to children and families facing difficult situations, such as those affected by violence against girls, boys, and women; children affected by migration or child labour; children in conflict with the law; children needing alternative care; and children with disabilities. Special attention is given to addressing intimate partner violence, particularly at municipal level.

UNICEF is also working to promote social work as a valued career choice, pushing for fair salaries that reflect the importance of the profession. At the same time, practical, skills-based training is being developed for para-professionals, such as social assistants for the elderly and persons with disabilities, and social pedagogues, who currently lack formal training.

Additionally, efforts are underway to ensure that the police, prosecutors and legal professionals are well-trained in applying child-friendly approaches. This includes creating supportive courtrooms and legal procedures to help child victims and witnesses navigate the justice system.

UNICEF is promoting community-led solutions to tackle harmful social and gender norms that contribute to violence and child marriage. A key focus is on changing attitudes towards girls and their futures, and overcoming the shame and fear of reporting abuse, which is often made worse by victim blaming and shaming.

To further support communities, UNICEF is helping to introduce mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) services at local level. These services are intended to provide accessible care for those in need.

In addition, parenting support is being strengthened for families with children of all ages. This includes addressing new challenges, such as the risks of online violence, to ensure that parents are better equipped to protect and guide their children.

Resources

These resources are just a small selection of the materials on the topic.

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