Emancipation or back to the kitchen? Gender and civil society in Kyrgyzstan
The Kyrgyz state in general and the healthcare system in particular were overwhelmed by the Covid-19 pandemic in the spring...
Commentaries
Narrowing the digital divide in Uzbekistan’s education system: Covid-19 lessons
The Covid-19 pandemic transformed everyday realities overnight, as most services and activities had to be moved online. Education worldwide was...
Invisible migration with visible consequences
Kyrgyzstan’s capital Bishkek is growing fast. While official data indicates only a few thousand ‘visible’ migrants moving from rural areas...
Right to Privacy in Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyz citizens’ right to privacy is at risk. In autumn 2019, Kyrgyz news centered mainly on government plans to install...
How the EU links Central Asia to Afghanistan’s development
In 2019, the European Union (EU) released a new strategy for Central Asia. Whereas the strategy is focused on the...
Potential for EU-Kazakhstan cooperation on women’s empowerment
Women’s empowerment and gender equality feature prominently in the new European Union (EU) Strategy for Central Asia. They are referred...
EU support for security sector reform in Kyrgyzstan
In its new strategy for Central Asia, the European Union (EU) ‘aim(s) to engage with Central Asian countries on the...
Resilience, prosperity and cooperation in Central Asia’s enclaves: a role for the EU?
Bilateral relations between some Central Asian countries have improved over the past few years, among other reasons due to progress...
Going Tajikistan: Mind your step
‘The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes’, Marcel Proust Tajikistan has...
SMEs as the backbone of the economy: a daunting development challenge for Tajikistan
Economic relations between the European Union (EU) and Tajikistan are limited. The trade balance between the two parties over the...
The European market remains a dream for Kyrgyz exporters
In 2016, the European Union (EU) granted Kyrgyzstan Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) status. The new status meant reduced...
Civil society in Uzbekistan: Building from the ground up
Uzbekistan is changing. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has initiated a series of economic and governance reforms, and the country’s new direction...