Mission to Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan
2 - 10 March 2007
The APCD dispatched a mission team to Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan from 2-10 March 2007 to create a sub-regional mechanism on disability and development. Due to time constraint and transportation difficulties, the mission was unable to include Tajikistan.
Kyrgyzstan
The APCD mission paid courtesy calls to the Office of the Prime Minister in Kyrgyzstan, where Mr. Stalbek Asakeev, Expert of the Social Department and the Minister expressed a willingness to support a Seminar on Capacity- Building for Self-Help Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (CBSHOD) in Central Asia in the future and to invite three other countries.
The mission team visited self-help organizations,
including the Independent Association of Disabled Women
(Ms. Asipa Musaeva); the Union of Young Disabled People
(Mr. Shamyrbek Ydyrysov); the Association of Parents of
Disabled Children (Ms. Tamara K. Dyikanbayeva); a blind
lawyer (Mr. Tolkunbek Isakov), who organized legal support
services for persons with disabilities called "Independent Life"
with 13 organizations to promote human rights and
advocacy for PWDs; and the Young Disabled People's
Movement (Mr. Mirbek Asangariev). The Public Fund DAO
(Mr. Alexander Dubina) in Tokmok City, is a grass-root
organization to promote civil rights for PWDs and
cooperation with other civil rights movement groups.
The Mission also visited the Children's Rehabilitation Center and Public Mental Health Center (Ms. Aigul Kyzalakova), that coordinates social and legal support for persons with psychiatric disabilities, and also the Association of Deaf and Blind (Mr. Kalyk Mambetakunov).
There are many self-help organizations (SHOs), as well as community-based self-help groups in Kyrgyzstan, that are seeking a more inclusive society and social security based on human rights. APCD is encouraging all SHOs to unite, support each other and form a National Assembly to promote a barrier-free and right-based society.
APCD is seeking the possibility of holding a Central Asia CBSHOD in Bishkek in the future and would support the organization of a Preparation Committee including all stakeholders if CBSHOD would be held in Kyrgyzstan. The expected outcome would be a National Assembly of cross-disabilities of self-help organizations, as well as the supporters.
JICA Resident Representative in Kyrgyzstan, Mr. Satoshi Nakano, expressed keen interest in supporting disability and development by inviting a JICA Expert for 2-3 years who would collaborate with APCD/CBSHOD.
The Mission Team also visited the Japan Center, which conducts computer courses for persons with a hearing disability. The Mission also met the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteer, who was assigned to the National Rehabilitation Center and the Special Education Center for information exchange.
Uzbekistan
In Uzbekistan, the Mission Team visited the Ministry for Labour and Social Protection of Population and met the Minister and high-ranking Government Officials, including the Vice-Minister and discussed possible collaboration with APCD in the future.
The APCD team visited an associate organization, the Youth Social-Legal Rehabilitation Center for Disabled People - Millennium, which organized several self-help organizations related to persons with a physical disability, blindness, women with disabilities and, youth and culture groups of persons with disabilities. Ms. Mahmadkulova Guljahon organized a half-day session of information exchange with those stakeholders. The National NGO Association showed a keen interest to cooperate with APCD. All non-governmental organizations have to be members of the National NGO Association to report their activities.
The Mission Team visited the World Vision Japan (Mr. Hans Bederski) to exchange information on the community-based rehabilitation in Tashkent, which will be supported by the JICA grass-root partnership program for three years.
Finally, the Mission Team visited the Japan Center to observe computer courses for deaf persons. The JICA Resident Representative, Mr.Noriaki Nishiyama, agreed to support the APCD Project and seek the possibility of translating the APCD Newsletters into the Russian language once a year since most of the Central Asians are unable to read English. This is APCD homework for future information support with local languages.
