Kyrgyzstan needs more measures to guarantee human rights of minorities

After visiting the landlocked Central Asian country, Fernand de Varennes also welcomed Kyrgyzstan’s continued engagement with international human rights bodies and the adoption of a new human rights action plan.

Despite some progress, Kyrgyzstan needs further measures to guarantee the human rights of minorities, strengthen its democratic institutions and ensure a more inclusive society, according to the UN independent human rights expert on minorities

After visiting the landlocked Central Asian country, Fernand de Varennes also welcomed Kyrgyzstan's continued engagement with international human rights bodies and the adoption of a new human rights action plan.

Moreover, the Special Rapporteur urged the Government to put forward comprehensive human rights legislation, prioritizing new anti-discrimination laws.

He noted the country's significant strides towards ending Statelessness, which mainly affects minorities, and especially minority women and children, adding that Kyrgyzstan this year became the first country to, in effect, outlaw it.

"Nonetheless, discrimination against minorities is persistent in some areas, including with regard to minority political representation and participation in public life", said Mr. de Varennes, highlighting access to civil service jobs, including the police and judiciary, and access to education, especially in minority languages.