Unlocking the Potential for Sustainable Peace in the Ferghana Valley: Key Role of Women in Conflict Resolution

This policy brief highlights the essential role of women in peacebuilding and conflict resolution in the Ferghana Valley, a region spanning Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Grounded in consultation led by Foundation for Tolerance International in Kyrgyzstan, Istigbolli Avlod in Uzbekistan, and Association of Scientist and Technology Intelligence in Tajikistan - it reflects the voices of over 900 participants across the three countries, offering evidence-based recommendations for advancing women’s meaningful participation in security and peace processes in the region. 

Despite commitments to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, women from border communities still face barriers to being effectively included in peacebuilding efforts. The brief addresses these barriers, such as cultural preconceptions and economic dependence, while also recognising their historical and ongoing contributions to resolving conflicts and rebuilding border communities. 

As the security landscape in the Ferghana Valley remains complex, the brief calls on international partners and their governments to 

• support women’s peacebuilding work, including through facilitating intergenerational dialogues and developing dedicated support programmes for young women and girls,
• amplify investment in women’s economic security, inclusion and participation as part of peacebuilding programmes, 
• create awareness raising programmes aimed at challenging gender stereotypes within societies, including programmes aimed at women and young women to build their confidence,
• invest in strengthening the social infrastructure of villages to provide better childcare support and enable women to participate in public life more actively,
• provide sustained access to long-term psychosocial support programmes for women and men in the border areas,
• continue to strengthen local government bodies and increase the representation of different generations of women at this level of decision-making.

These recommendations aim to empower women and address the region's complex dynamics, ultimately building sustainable peace in the Ferghana Valley.