Update: Read the press release the ECC released Oct. 13 condemning recent disturbing public statements made by certain politicians.

Statements on the importance of genuine, competitive elections, the need for election observation and follow up were presented last week on behalf of the United States by Patrick Merloe, NDI’s director of electoral programs, at the Human Dimension Implementation Meeting (HDIM) of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Warsaw, Poland.

As Kyrgyzstan prepares for presidential elections Oct. 30, unemployment and corruption are top issues for voters in Central Asia’s first parliamentary democracy. According to recent focus group research, Kyrgyz generally have a positive view of the current government thanks to steps it has taken to improve living standards, including wage increases for teachers, doctors and civil service employees; lower utility costs; and lower interest rates for farmers.

Men still hold most of the power in Kazakhstan, despite a commitment by the government that women will hold 30 percent of decision-making roles at all levels of government by 2016. 

Only 11 percent of parliamentarians are female. And while women make up 58 percent of the civil service — and about 52 percent of the population — less than 9 percent of them hold high-level positions. In local governments, 10 percent of decision-making positions are held by women.