Living with Dignity: Preventing Violence Against Women and Girls in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. Year 2

The literature suggests that young women in Central Asia face high risks of experiencing violence, including sexual and gender-based violence. In contexts of economic and financial insecurity, as well as high levels of social tension or violent conflict, these risks increase. In Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, SGBV is rooted in traditional, patriarchal, generational, and gerontocratic gender norms. This project has been designed in response to these realities and is based on consultation with donors and co-designed with local partners and stakeholders in SGBV prevention in both Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. The project will use the Living With Dignity (LwD) methodology, an evidence-based, family-level intervention which looks to address harmful gender norms and reduce SGBV through behavioural change and family economic empowerment, which has been successfully implemented in Tajikistan, Nepal, and Myanmar, and has applicability to the context in Kyrgyzstan. It has a proven record of lowering incidence of SGBV, transforming prohibitive patriarchal norms, improving family economies and women’s savings and decision making, and contributing to more cohesive communities. This project will, for the first time, adapt the methodology to urban areas, and help to facilitate national civil society movements on SGBV prevention, in collaboration with ongoing initiatives (such as UN FPA’s work with religious communities and the Spotlight Initiative) and contribute to processes dedicated towards making SGBV prevention policy more effective.