On December 5, 2024, Svetlana Dzardanova, a human rights and corruption researcher at Freedom for Eurasia, participated in an event held at the OSCE Academy in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, as part of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign. Organized by the Central Asian Alliance to End Gender-Based Violence (CA Alliance) in partnership with the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative, the event brought together experts, representatives from UN Women, and students from across Central Asia to address urgent issues related to gender-based violence (GBV).
During a session moderated by Dr. Pal Dunay, Interim Director of the OSCE Academy, Ms. Dzardanova delivered a presentation titled “Shame Must Change Sides: The Role of the Media in Shifting Public Attitudes Towards GBV and Femicide.” She underscored the media’s critical role in raising awareness about femicide and combating harmful gender stereotypes. Ms. Dzardanova also shared preliminary findings from the research project Data4Women: Expanding the Existing Database to Tackle Femicides in Uzbekistan, supported by ECA UN Women and the School of Data Kyrgyzstan,[1] highlighting the importance of collaborative action and evidence-based policy development.
The event agenda featured the screening of the Gorgona documentary, which raises awareness about sexual violence. Participants discussed strategies for combating GBV, explored ways to contribute personally to ending violence against women, and emphasized the need for strengthened regional cooperation. Freedom for Eurasia remains committed to advocating against GBV through international collaboration, research-based initiatives, and raising public awareness to promote a safer and more just society.
[1] Research results to be soon publicly available. To learn more please see research snapshot at: https://eca.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/2024-09/Snapshot-Femicide-research-in-Central-Asia_final.pdf
