A study on violence against women and girls and its legal and policy regulation in Central Asia

Abstract

This article explores gender-based violence against women and girls (VAWG) and its legal and policy regulation in the Central Asian (CA) region, and sets the question: how do the domestic laws and gender policies in four CA countries (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan) address different forms of VAWG, and what gaps exist in their implementation? To answer this question, the article explores and identifies VAWG existing in four CA states, and their legal and policy regulation. The overview covers common VAWG instances: domestic violence, trafficking in women, and others, followed by the specific forms of VAWG, prescribed by the traditional practices, such as bride-kidnapping, 'kelinism' and early marriages. Apart from normative analysis, the study was substantiated by semi-structured interviews with gender experts providing insights on the regulation of VAWG in CA.