For more than two decades, the Kumtor Gold Mine has been at the centre of Kyrgyzstan’s ambition to mineral wealth and economic growth. This has long caused friction between proponents of prioritising the economy on the one hand, and the generations bearing the brunt of the ecological impacts of the mine on the other. Justice [ Read more ]

For this month’s e-newsletter, FORUM-ASIA talked with Tolekan Ismailova, Chairperson of Bir Duino-Kyrgyzstan, FORUM-ASIA member in Kyrgyzstan. In this interview, Tolekan shared with us her human rights journey from her childhood and her experiences of working as a women human rights defender in a patriarchal society.  How did you become involved with human rights? And how [ Read more ]

Tolekan Ismailova, Chairman of FORUM-ASIA’s member Bir Duino-Kyrgyzstan delivered a speech at the Seventh International Conference ‘Women at Peace Table – More Justice for All’ organised in Armenia. The conference was held in conjunction with the annual ‘Young Women’s Peace Award’ ceremony where the work of outstanding women peacebuilders was recognised and the important role of women [ Read more ]

FORUM-ASIA’s member in Kyrgyzstan Bir Duino-Kyrgyzstan released a report on the ‘Situation of human rights defenders and legal prosecution.’ The report highlights the intensifying persecution of human rights organisations and human rights defenders actively protecting the civil and political rights of citizens, ethnic minorities, religious practitioners and LGBTI groups in Kyrgyzstan. Activists and civil society, including representatives [ Read more ]