Regions and Countries

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p. 13 of 20 BACK | NEXT I. Country Performance Assessment II. Country Operational Strategy III. Sector Strategies A. Agriculture and Rural Development B. Infrastructure C. Social Infrastructure and Environment D. Governance Dimensions of ADB Operations E. Gender Dimensions of ADB Operations F. Private Sector Operations IV. Regional Cooperation V. Donor Activities and Aid Coordination VI. Cofinancing and Catalyzing External Resources VII. ADB’s Operational Program VIII. Economic and Sector Work Program IX. Local Cost Financing

Country Assistance Plans - Kyrgyz Republic : III. Sector Strategies

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E. Gender Dimensions of ADB Operations

39. When the Kyrgyz Republic was part of the Soviet Union, inroads had been made in equal opportunity for female participation in the labor force. This was supported by guaranteed equal access to education, a complete childcare system, and the availability of extraordinary maternity and prenatal benefits and care facilities. With independence, the cost of maintaining the extensive social care system became untenable and led to erosion of some institutions that supported gender equality. Through an increasing number of projects aimed at poverty reduction and improving the living standards of the poor, ADB will mitigate some of negative impacts on women of economic transition. The ongoing ADB-financed Social Services Delivery and Finance Project is assisting central and local governments to rationalize the costs and delivery of social services. To address the increasing incidence of poverty and unemployment accompanying transition, ADB has developed a project on Skills and Entrepreneurship Development. This project will focus on formal education and training, non-formal skills development, and entrepreneurship supported by the nascent private sector; the active participation of women is expected to be a special feature of project design. A Community- Based Infrastructure Services Sector Project, which was approved in 2000, will particularly benefit women and children from water supply improvements since collection and storage of water is mainly their responsibility. Women’s role in child care will be made easier through better health of children expected from a safe, portable, piped water supply. Under the project, women’s organizations will be involved in leadership development and for regular participation in local governments, water user councils, and water sewage agencies. At the sector level, ADB conducted a study on the impact of transition on women titled Women and Gender Relations: The Kyrgyz Republic in Transition. The report provides ADB with gender-related interventions in specific sectors with implications for future ADB programming and project activities.

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