Miroslav Jenča meets members of Kyrgyz Women’s Peace Network

The UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Central Asia and the head of the UN Centre for Preventive Diplomacy Miroslav Jenča has discussed women’s peacemaking and peacebuilding efforts in Kyrgyzstan with the representatives of Women’s Peace Network in the course of his visit to Osh.
During the meeting Women’s Peace Network members briefed about activities of women peacemakers during and after conflict, namely about assistance to the victims and victims of violence, participation in dialogue and reconciliation processes, assistance in distribution and delivery of humanitarian aid.
“…Having listened to your briefings about your work, I would call each of you "a hero", - Mr Jenča said following the briefings from WPN members.
In the course of the meeting women activists also shared their plans to promote peaceful elections. This issue acquires greater importance prior to the forthcoming presidential election in Kyrgyzstan to be held on October 30 this year.
Mr Jenča stressed upon the importance of peace and stability for holding successful presidential election in Kyrgyzstan during his meeting with Kyrgyz Prime Minister Almazbek Atambayev in May this year:
“Peace and stability are necessary for successful holding of presidential election in Kyrgyzstan,” – Mr Jenča said, 24.kg reports.
According to Miroslav Jenča, peacebuilding efforts of Kyrgyz women are of great importance for the whole region.
“The role of women in peace-building in Kyrgyzstan has great significance not only to the extent of their village, their oblast or country, it is important for the peaceful development of the whole region. This is especially noteworthy when the whole world, the role of women in peacebuilding processes has been widely recognized”, - he said to WPN members.
In May 2011 Women’s Peace Network, which was launched in September 2010, started implementation of 11 projects aimed at enhancement of interethnic consent in Batken, Jalal-Abad and Osh regions of Kyrgyzstan funded by Rural Development Fund and United Nations Peacebuilding Fund.
“Women's initiatives support in peace building has a special place in all UN activities. In Kyrgyzstan, with the assistance of the UN Peacebuilding Fund in the near future new projects in the field of peacekeeping and conflict prevention will be launched. These projects will be implemented in the framework of "Peace Building Strategy" - a special program of UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy"- said Mr. Jenca