KYRGYZSTAN TODAY Policy briefs on - Department of Geography

Social Development as the spokesperson). However, the law was initially drafted in
close cooperation with civil society members who do not have the right of legislative
initiative.
The draft Law on the Commissioning of Social Services was submitted to the
Parliament in 2006 and was passed in its first reading, on 11 January 2008. The text of
the draft law was amended following a proposal by a group of members of the current
Parliament, and the amendments included suggestions from civil society members.
Later, the amended draft law– a product of the combined efforts of MPs, the Ministry
of Labor and Social Protection, and civil society– was passed by the Parliament of the
Kyrgyz Republic on 5 June 2008 and was then signed by its President on 21 July 2008.
The legislative process in this case continued for two years, and experts claim that the
document’s quality improved considerably after it was revised by the members of the
fourth Parliament (post-December 2007). This probably reflected the fact that the current
Parliament includes members who represent civil society, and who thus initiated and
proposed valuable suggestions for ensuring the transparency of state support for social
services.
As a result, the Law of the Kyrgyz Republic on the Commissioning of Social
Services, a product of successful social partnership between members of government
bodies (the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, the Parliament, and the Government
of Kyrgyzstan) and civil society organizations, now incorporates several important
features, including:
• the country’s budget will provide funding for projects related to commissioning
social services (the same right granted to local self-governance bodies);
• projects to address social issues will be selected on a competitive basis (50 percent
of the tender board will be comprised of civil society representatives);
• non-profit organizations who win competitive tenders will receive grants from
government and local self-governance bodies to implement social programs, etc.
Conclusions
• Overall, there is a satisfactory level of social consensus, and the perception
by the government and NGOs of reform strategies and methods of addressing
social issues. In view of significant consolidation between government bodies
and civil society, the Government of Kyrgyzstan recently established an office
responsible for working with non-governmental organizations. At a local level,
the resources of local self-governance bodies (aiyl okmotu) are being used at a
higher rate. For example, 472 aiyl okmotu now engage 1,700 aiyl bashchysy (elders)
who are elected by local communities.
• Opportunities available to stakeholders, including NGOs, have been expanded
considerably: they have more chances for making their voices heard and
participating in social policies and decisions. This is evidenced by the importance
and popularity of public hearings– organized both by the government and by
NGOs– to discuss draft laws that pertain to the socio-economic sphere. Nearly
all government programs are now produced with the significant involvement of
civil society. At all levels, the expert community recognizes that, when drafting is
done by only one party (either a government body or a civil society organization)
the result is a lopsided document that does little to reflect reality.
• In 2008, the efficiency and effectiveness of partnership efforts in the social
sphere was considered good by 52 experts from all parts of the country: 60
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