COLLAPSE OF SOVIET UNION: EFFETCS ON THE LIVES OF WOMEN IN CENTRAL

ASIA

Ibrahim KoncakInternational Ataturk Alatoo University

To what extend transition period changed the lives of women in

Kyrgyzstan?• New challenges new opportunities• Fast adaptation to new

environment • Housewives to become traders• Women in education • Women in workplace• Women in politics• Debates on the role and status of

women

New challenges, new opportunities• Systemic changes and wars

aroused challenges and new opportunities.• American Civil war paved the way

to equality for African Americans. Second World War opened the doors of factories and offices to women in the west. The collapse of the Soviet Union opened the borders to women doing trade.

New challenges, new opportunities

• Economic crises following the breakup enforced women to get new identities. From women of the house, mother of the children to family keeper, income provider. • How about the husbands?• They were in deep depression and

had difficulty to adapt new situation.• For some women opportunity for

others failure, destitute and lost of face in family and society.

Fats adaptation to new setting

• Women adapted fast to new needs as they desperately needed to take care of their family and children. • Additional jobs• In bazaars they started selling

things they did not need at home• Opened small shops by selling

jewelry • Started doing cross-border trade

Housewives to become traders and business women

• Stories from the respondents;• “ I was working as a doctor and we could not get our salary for

eleven months. I went to bazaar to sell the things we did not need. Then we built a small shop (kamok) with what could find and started mini-business but it was not enough and I started going Pamir and Tajikistan for trade in winter months. There were many women doing the same business. We did not declare all money as we were robbed by officials. They would search everything and take it if they find. Men could not tolerate the harassment of the officials or what they called themselves so women took the business. Officials would not press too much on women.

Housewives to become traders and business women

• In early years of independence, one could see many women carrying bags bigger than themselves through borders and airports.• Independence had its cost and

ordinary women as well as men were the once to bear the burden.

Women in higher education

• Last ten years, more female students study at higher educational institutions than male students and ratio getting higher.

Women in education

2011/2012 2012/2013 2013/2014 2014/2015 2015/20160

50000

100000

150000

200000

250000

300000

Graph 1. Number of Studets at Higher Education 2011-2016

Total Male Female

Women in Workplace• Though there are more female

students in higher education, the number of women compared with men in workplace is considerably less according to last two year’s statistical data.• Last two years, the number of the

women in workplace shortened in number whereas the number of the male employee has risen.

Women in Workplace

Total Female Male Total Female Male2014 2015

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

160,000

180,000

200,000

Graph 2. Employees Distribution in Kyrgyzstan 2014-2015

Kyrgyz Republic Small Medium Large

Women in politics

• Compared with other Central Asian countries, the number of female in politics and political offices is higher in Kyrgyzstan. • Still Kyrgyzstan is far away as all other

states in the world to rich the desired number of women in parliament and other high level public offices. • For a perceived patriarchal country,

the women employ important offices in Jurisdiction and other spheres in the state.

Women in politics

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 20150

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

Graph 3. Number of the MPs in the Parliament of Kyrgyzstan 2002-2015

Total Male Female

Debates on the role and status of women

Debates on the role and status of women

• There is furious debate in society on the role and status of women.• The debate is based on; • Nationalism • Religion

What changed?• The characteristics of Post-Soviet period on women’s lives;• There is diversity in beliefs, norms and way of conduct on the pendulum from

religion to tradition and modernity or westernization. Which is symbolized in garment.• More women in education and “less in working place”.• Less women in politics but more compared with other states in the region.• There is considerable swap of roles housewife vs. househusband • Women are more free in workplace and business• There has been change in traditional family structure • There is debate going on the role and place of women in society • There is cautious approach to gender politics in the society

Thanks for your attention!