ODIHR Women’s Power Breakfast highlights the important role of women in protecting women’s rights and security in Central Asia

The role of women in strengthening peace and security and the human rights of women in Central Asia were the topics of discussion at the annual Women’s Power Breakfast organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in Warsaw on 5 October 2023. The breakfast took place at the margins of the Warsaw Human Dimension Conference, convened by the OSCE Chairpersonship of North Macedonia with ODIHR’s support.

“The human rights of women and girls are at the heart of the Women, Peace and Security agenda. It is about the right of women and girls to live free from violence, including during conflicts and crises,” said ODIHR Director Matteo Mecacci, who also stressed the crucial role of civil society in upholding women’s rights and security.

Speakers included Fatmire Isaki, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, North Macedonia, as well as women human rights defenders from Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan and international experts from the UN and OSCE, who discussed the importance of supporting women from civil society and women human rights defenders in their work.

“Women often find themselves marginalized and excluded from positions of influence and power, which hinders their ability to advocate for their rights effectively,” said Aiman Umarova, a panellist and defence attorney from Kazakhstan. “Traditional gender norms and stereotypes still prevail, relegating women to a secondary status in society”.

ODIHR has been active in promoting women’s public and political participation across the OSCE region and has developed a number of tools to assist governments, parliaments, security sector institutions and civil society in this process.