Uzbekistan
 | #YoshStan: Raising Youth Voices in Local Decision-MakingSearch for Common Ground (Search) implemented #YoshStan: Raising Youth Voices in Local Decision-Making funded by the European Union from April 2020 to May 2022 in collaboration with its local partner in Uzbekistan, Hamroh. YoshStan aims to contribute to promoting youth-oriented services in Andijan oblast through collaboration between youth […] |
 | Roadmap – #YoshStan: Raising Youth Voices in Local Decision-Making – April 2022In Uzbekistan, Search implemented with its local partner Hamroh the project “#YoshStan: Raising Youth Voices in Local Decision-Making” between April 2020 and May 2022. Funded by the European Union, this project aimed to promote youth-oriented services in Andijan oblast through collaboration between youth CSOs and Local Authorities. Twelve youths from seven different mahallas received funding and mentoring to develop and implement a social project to address the needs of the youths in their communities. Recipient offered free courses to equip young people in their communities with practical skills from languages, to sewing, to IT and hairdressing skills, as well as other services to children and young adults such as football masterclasses and free childcare for low-income parents. Overall, these projects reached 467 young people and children, among the most vulnerable in their communities. Thanks to YoshStan, the youth of Andijan strengthened their skills and confidence in their ability to contribute to the community and address creatively and collaboratively some of the challenges they face. YoshStan increased trust and collaboration between youth and local authorities who supported the implementation of young people’s projects. Youths are now recognized as reliable counterparts. This roadmap has been compiled to inform the implementation of youth initiatives at the local government level. This roadmap is based on the learning generated through the implementation of this project. It combines insights from local authorities, YoshStan youth and youth CSOs, NGOs, and representatives of relevant state agencies. |
| Final Evaluation – #YoshStan: Raising Youth Voices in Local Decision-Making activity in Uzbekistan – June 2022The “#YoshStan: Raising Youth Voices in Local Decision-Making” project is the EU supported, a 24-month program which aims to strengthen the collaboration between youth CSOs and local authorities in the target areas of Asaka raion in Andijan Oblast to contribute to inclusive governance. Projects started in October 2019 and ended in April 2022. The project was based on the intervention logic that if civil society and local governments collaborate to promote youth-inclusive decision making, and if a supportive social environment for youth participation is fostered at the community level, then more inclusive youth policies will lead to enhanced governance and development at the local level. The project successfully facilitated the cooperation between youth and local authorities in target communities and provided a basis for youth involvement in decision-making processes. First, separate and joint trainings were conducted for youth and local authorities to enhance their cooperation by increasing youth awareness about the roles of different local authorities and by improving the skills of local authorities when working with youth. Second, town-hall meetings served as a discussion platform between local authorities and youth, where youth had a chance to explain their needs and grievances. Such events increased the confidence of youth in communication with local authorities and non-governmental organizations and on the other hand, local authorities reported greater confidence in strengthening youth policies. Project activities enhanced cooperation between youth CSOs and local authorities during the activities of mini-grants where youth closely cooperated with local authorities in implementing their projects. Youth showed strong motivation and aspiration to contribute to community wellbeing which in turn improved the attitude of local governments to youths’ initiatives. As it was noted by respondents, youth demonstrated their potential to participate in local decision-making processes which increased attention of local authorities towards their needs. Thus, trust between youth and local governments was improved. |
| Final Evaluation – Prevention of Violent Extremism in Central Asian Countries Through Strengthening Social Cohesion Among Labour Migrants, Returnees – June 2022The Prevention of Violent Extremism in Central Asian Countries Through Strengthening Social Cohesion Among Labour Migrants, Returnees, and their Families Project was implemented by Search for Common Group (Search) and its partners in three countries (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan) from February 2020 to June 2022. It had two main components. Within the first component, the project aimed at enhancing the social cohesion and resilience of labour migrants to violent extremism (VE) by capacitating key state and non-state actors. The second component of the project focused on rehabilitation and reintegration mechanisms for returnees from conflict zones by capacitating key actors in case analysis, management, and monitoring at the individual and community levels. Rehabilitation and reintegration of returnees from the conflict zones is a recent phenomenon in Central Asia. The project created a unique opportunity for Central Asian countries to exchange their knowledge and best practices in this field. The final evaluation has identified the project interventions as relevant to the context of government and civil society efforts in providing rehabilitation and reintegration support to returnees and working on the issues of labour migrants. |
| Final Evaluation – Enabling Central Asians to Protect Religious Freedom as a Preventative Approach to Addressing Violent Extremism – March 2022The project Enabling Central Asians to Protect Religious Freedom as a Preventative Approach to Addressing Violent Extremism was implemented in four Central Asia countries: Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan. The project was funded by DRL. This report presents the evaluation findings of the project Protect to Prevent: Enabling Central Asians to Protect Religious Freedom as a Preventative Approach to Addressing Violent Extremism implemented by the Search for Common Ground (Search) Central Asia, in partnership with IDEA Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan), Center for Human Rights Protection Kylym Shamy (Kyrgyzstan), Marifatnoki (Tajikistan) and Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law (Kazakhstan). The project has applied a dual level approach to effectively respond to violent extremism in a whole-of-society manner; targeting both state and inter-state level, and community level in 6 target locations, two in each country: Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. The action’s overall aim was to prevent radicalization that leads to violence by strengthening society’s capacity (state and non-state actors) to reduce discrimination on religious grounds in Central Asia. The evaluation was performed by an independent evaluator between February-April 2022 using a mix of quantitative and qualitative methods and on principles of action research. The analysis consisted of a review of project related documents and external policy and research papers related to religious radicalization in four target countries. |
 | National Women’s Business Agendas for Central AsiaOur vision is a world in which women and girls enjoy equality, freedom from violence and poverty, and meaningful inclusion in the processes that shape their communities, nations, and international affairs… |
| Central and South Asia Strategy SummarySearch for Common Ground’s strategy for “Central and South Asia,” focuses on the dynamics within and around five countries – Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Developed in 2019, this strategy focuses on our approach for our work in the conflict geography which is made up of three interlocking conflict systems: Afghanistan’s recurring and ongoing war; social and political divisions in Pakistan, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on Afghanistan’s border; and the conflicts of the Ferghana Valley and beyond in Central Asia. |