Giving Youth a Voice in Youth Policy

Youth issues are among the most frequent themes in current political discussions. Active participation of youth groups in the April events, both constructive and destructive, and the latest developments in southern Kyrgyzstan reinforce that youth are the most mobile part of society in Kyrgyzstan. To date, the need for an adequate youth policy has been focused primarily at channeling the energy of young people into creative goals and to involve them in the development of the country’s socio-economic life. This document is a description and analysis of the current problems facing young people in Bishkek and the surrounding informal settlements areas (‘novoistroiki’), using information obtained from young people firsthand as the main source. Young people, from various socio-political backgrounds, discussed a number of issues based on responses to a series of questionnaires, focus groups, and working groups organized within the framework of the University of Central Asia project ‘Giving Youth a Voice in Youth Policy’ with the assistance of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).