EWMI is partnering with the Ministry of Justice, the Supreme Court and civil society in the Kyrgyz Republic to implement a new, five-year justice support and gender equality program entitled “Ukuk Bulagy,” which means “source of rights” in Kyrgyz.  Funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Ukuk Bulagy focuses on improving citizens’ satisfaction with their justice system by strengthening the transparency and accountability of the judiciary and key governmental institutions. The project is guided by three cross-cutting principles: 1) people-centered justice, 2) gender equality and women’s empowerment, and 3) learning and adaptation.  

Through its activities, Ukuk Bulagy will work to strengthen judicial independence, optimize the quality and efficiency of justice and legal services, enhance collaboration between the judiciary and the public, and bolster open and accountable governance in the Kyrgyz Republic. Ukuk Bulagy ultimately aims to support a judiciary that is more responsive to the needs of Kyrgyz citizens—including the needs of women, youth, and vulnerable groups—and through this responsiveness, increases citizens’ trust and confidence in the judicial system.

EWMI has joined forces with a number of innovative local partners to achieve these goals, including the Kyrgyz Association of Women Judges, the Civil Initiative for Internet Policy, and  Youth of Osh. Ukuk Bulagy will also leverage the international expertise of the Danish Institute for Human Rights, the Center for Court Innovation, and George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs toward the project’s objectives.