S. Sharshek
Kyrgyzstan

THE ROLE OF YOUTH NGOS IN MODERN SOCIETY
IN FORMER SOVIET COUNTRIES, PARTICULARLY
IN KYRGYZSTAN

    Kyrgyzstan is one of the country in Central Asia regions with population of 4 908 000 people. The information given by the State Statistic Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic 71% of the population is children and youth till 35 years old. It is more 50% of the able to work population. Women are more 51% of the population, take into account that 65% of the population of Kyrgyzstan live in villages. Although a level education of the population shows 98%, on practice, especially villages lacking rights and economic knowledge on international standarts. As since Kyrgyzstan is one of former Soviet countries and still the system of education is no adapted yet completly to new international standarts, most population have only general knowledge concerning such simple things as the principles of bulding a state, direction and function the branch of authority, market economy, civil society institutes etc. Also it is necessary to take into consideration the social and economic situation in the country. The Government of the Kyrgyz Republic has acknowledged oficcially that the level of poverty consists of 60% of the population but according the information given by independent experts, the poverty has reached 80% of the population. The index of corruption - the information given by "Transparency International" Kyrgyzstan - takes the 87th place from 99 countries of the world.
    Kyrgyzstan is a President Republic with the Two Houses of Parliament (25% of the Legislative Assembly of Parliament is elected by the party lists), with polipolitical systems (31 poltical parties, 500 electronic and publish Mass Media, 2200 non-governamental organizations). The laws "About Political Parties", "About non-profit organizations", "About Mass Media" and new Election Code accepted in 1999. But the past Election to local "kenesh" (local parliamenties), the Jogorku Kenesh (Kyrgyz Parliament) and President of Kyrgyzstan was estimated as non democratic and non appropriate to the international standarts by OSCE and NDI USA. At present the bill "About Ombudsman Institute" is working out in the Parliament.
    The legislative base of Kyrgyzstan provides independent and free development for all institutes of civil society but there is a lot of economic, political methods of pressing by the Government. As since most of village people don’t know about international standarts of development and has less political culture, all the society is not ready to take economic and political reforms consciounessly. Activity of the political parties and Mass Media is developed only at the Capital level. That is why during the last elections the communist parties won with more than 40% votes of electorats. Unfortunately, the level of participation of young people in past elections proccess was very less. Also no one don’t from independent Mass Media cover all regions of Kyrgyzstan except for National (State) TV and Radio Company.
    There are more than 2200 non - governmental organizations registrated by the Ministry of Justice of the Kyrgyz Republic, but unfortunately only 35-40% of them really work. NGOs don’t present consuldiring forces in the society and on the whole directed to receiving grants. Formal associations, coalitions, forums, unions of NGO realy don’t present opinions of all NGOs of Kyrgyzstan, they present personal positions leaders of these organizations.
    The most quantity of NGO are women’s and child’s NGOs because of the priority of this direction in activity of International Organizations in 1998-99. The least quantity of NGOs are the youth NGOs, as since almost programmes for supporting the youth NGO haven’t been occured in Kyrgyzstan. Also many youth NGOs haven’t experience, connections, financial and material help both from state structures and international organizations.
    The State Committee on tourism, sport and youth politics by its activities includes three priority spheres and unfortunately the youth issue is the lastest in the development in this list. The last 2000 year was declared as "Youth and education year " by President of KR, but serios steps for creation the condition for development of the youth hasn’t been done. The State programme (for youth) "Jashtyk (Youth)" which was accepted last year, wasn’t carried out because of absence of the condition for realization.
    At the same time there is activization of religious and exstremist party like "Hisbut-Tahir" in the southern regions of Kyrgyzstan, and it throws the population, democratic way of development the country. Also it is necessary to take into account that in Kyrgyz community there is still strong traditional relations between men and women, between parents and children, especially in the southern regions. Here I would like to note that the exstremists are involving first young peoples to their positions.
    Traditional relations are concerning to relations developing between youth and adults in community, in all general educational organizations, in courts and family do not promote development self-person and self-development. Education for them is when father’s opinion perceives by other members of family as law, very typical for many families in Kyrgyzstan. It is in turn reflected in the further formation both youth and mutual relations in community as well as in work and daily life.
    All social and economic difficulties were reflected, first of all, on vulnerable level of the population, that is on children and youth. It proves level of growth of children's and teenage criminality, alcohol, drugs, illiteracy, death rate and other parameters among children and youth. Menacing scales of unemployment both in cities and in villages has resulted in strong external and internal migration. Shortage the young staff especially in regions undoubtedly is reflected in modern perception occurring processes both inside the country and abroad by society. Taking into account the above-stated theses, many other factors and parameters of various sociological research, rating and reports the international organizations can make conclusion that the youth is submitted to itself and represents the group of risk. It is that 71 % of the population consist of youth, and practically, Kyrgyzstan is the youngest country regarding demographic parameters.
    The legal illiteracy and economic unreadiness of the population have resulted that many state and national programmes of last years were not clear, definite and perceived by the population, in outcome this programmes were not realized. At present Kyrgyzstan is one of the pilot countries for realization the programme Comprehensive Development Framework (CDF) Kyrgyzstan for 2001-2010 offered by World Bank and International Currency Fund and during one year the CDF program for Kyrgyzstan is developed. The wide discussion concerning the program among non - governmental sector has shown that through in the purposes and tasks indicate partnership of state structures with civil society, practically mechanisms parity intercooperation of three spheres are not reflected in matrixes steps: the state, business - structures and civil society. There are no reflected position and participation of political parties, national minority, which by the way make 38% of the population, and certainly, nothing about the role and participation of youth, youth groups, NG? etc., in the CDF programme.
    Ahead of time when it is necessary to ascertain that without effective and wide participation of all institutes of civil society and population in any program, can not be perceived by society and realized completely. Several conditions are necessary for this purpose: 1. Comprehension by the Government a role and place the institutes of civil society and readiness to paritet cooperation; 2. Improvement of the legislation and joint development mechanisms of interaction; 3. Readiness of the simple population to accept fastening reforms from above. Even in case of performance the first two conditions, while at the present the most of population is not yet ready consciously to apprehend all at once, as there are no mechanisms of distribution and tools of involving them in these processes.
    Complex economic and political situation in Kyrgyzstan does not create conditions for high-grade development a civil society and we need financial support from international community. This help is necessary, as there have preconditions for further growth of non - governmental sector, it is the best legislative base in NIS by this present, introduction institute of Ombudsman, development the CDF programme and NG?'s participation in the preparation, attempt of consolidation and compromise on important urgent problems all institutes of civil society inside themselves, gradual elaboration and introduction of mechanisms of cooperation with official authority and methods of lobbying interests of the aimed groups. The place in this process, although small, is occupied by youth NG?'s.
    In this connection I consider that it is urgent to create the Independent Youth Coordination Centre of NGOs with network of subsidaries in all disctricts for coordination efforts youth NG?'s, groups, communities, active participation and influence in process of acceptance political decisions in all levels of authority from local authority, to the National Parliament and the Government. In this sense the help from International community for the youth initiatives during the next years allows to bring up and to rise new generation young modern politics men and women, really realizing all trouble and best parties transformations and reforms. Unfortunately, senior generation adapt difficultly for new conditions and only state on hearing the preference, but in practice does not undertake anything for change of society or does not know how it make.
    The youth on the contrary tries to understand essence of reforms and to bring advantage for contribution. The basic activity of our NGOs directs to provide information and education to new principles of youth just because it is necessary for them to give bases of human rights, democracy and open society, to learn their practical methods of introduction them in life. Together with them we try to develop ways and methods of lobbying youth interests, intercooperation with all structures of authority and certainly, first of all protect both own rights and people rights. In implementation the strategy of our NGOs during two years in this direction now I became a member of Public-Consultation Board under the Chairman of Legislative Assembly of Kyrgyz Parliament which consists of famous lawyers, academic-scientists, businessmen, leaders of mass media and NGOs. Also I am a member of Public Board NGOs under the Administration of President KR and a member of Public Commission on development the National Program "Human Rights" till 2010.
    Now the Center of Youth Initiatives "Jash Ordo" is developing some projects directed to promote regional young peoples and NGOs. One of them is the project which allows to open the Youth Coordination Centres of NGO in all regional centres, where it will be the possible to receive any legal and economic information. It will be place, where youth can meet and discuss their problems together, ways of their decision, share opinions and experience with other through Internet, think up and realize youth ideas and initiatives.
    Realization of complex seminars during the first year in all areas will allow to define features of each region, the population, to invite the most active representatives and persons for participating in acceptance decisions at local level. It will also allow them to look at problem of human rights in the environment, and to try to reach comprehension a complexity and development of joint ways for decision problems. Besides the training reveals local leaders, with whom will be adjusted communication and cooperation in the future.
    Project will allow to open about five - ten professional youth NG? in the future in every region of Kyrgyzstan, which will be united in youth movement and really can influence both people consciousness, and on acceptance decisions by the authorities. Therefore it is necessary to prepare the ground as active youth NG?'s, then the League of Youth NG?'s really working and assisting to society.
    Also under the project opening youth telestudio is supposed, where there will be developed and issued social rollers, telecasts, debate and tv - show. All teleproduction will be submitted to all metropolitan and regional broadcasting companies and under contract will be issued in ether. Besides there will work consulting group investigating the level of development of the youth, human right status, especially children, youth and women in all regions, prepare alternative independent report, recommendation for improvement. The leaflets, booklets, brochure about human rights, democracy and open society on Russian and Kyrgyz languages for the population, training, seminars, debate, disputs, round table or conference would be allow the participants to understand the problem better and to deepen the knowledge, to increase political and legal consciousness.