Sumbula, a small municipality in the Kyrgyz Republic¡¯s Batken region, has long been home to Kyrgyz, Tajik, and Uzbek communities whose lives are closely intertwined. However, when armed clashes erupted along the Tajik border in September 2022, the foundation of this multiethnic community was deeply shaken. Trust eroded, relationships were strained, and families, who once relied on one another, were suddenly faced with a uncertainty.
In the aftermath of the unrest, the heavy burden of keeping communities together fell largely on women. They faced significant obstacles, navigating limited economic opportunities and traditional societal roles that historically constrained their public participation. Despite the barriers, the need for survival and peace empowered them to become the glue holding their fractured neighborhoods intact.
Photo above: Kyrgyz, Tajik, and Uzbek communities come together to find climate-smart solutions. Photo below: Local farmer Feiruza at a hydroponics farm.
Planting the seeds of progress
Feiruza¡¯s turning point came through Blossoming Aigul - a UN Peacebuilding Fund-supported initiative that equipped women across Batken with the skills and networks needed to lead.
Through targeted training in gender equality, design thinking, and climate resilience, Feiruza and others found the confidence to address their region's overlapping crises of conflict and climate stress.
Finding climate-smart solutions
Recognizing that economic hardship was fueling local tensions, Feiruza began organizing seminars to openly discuss shared challenges. With livestock rearing central to local household incomes but pastures becoming increasingly scarce, the women needed an innovative approach. Through dialogue, a promising solution emerged: hydroponics¡ªa soil-less, water-efficient farming method capable of thriving despite climate pressures.
Supported by a grant from the peacebuilding initiative, Feiruza and 15 other women established a hydroponic unit. The transformative results not only generated new income and financial stability but also proved the women's capability as community innovators.
Feiruza, Batken, KyrgyzstanEconomic cooperation strengthens not only livelihoods, but also relationships within families. My understanding of social cohesion also changed significantly. I am Tajik myself, and I try to lead by example through my active engagement and openness.¡±
Rebuilding the social fabric
The initiative's most impact went far beyond agricultural earnings; it became a bridge across ethnic divides. Women who previously sat separated by ethnicity began hosting family dialogue sessions at schools and kindergartens.
Today, they celebrate holidays together, have formed an interethnic women¡¯s volleyball team, and have inspired over 50 women in neighboring areas to replicate the farming model. The hydroponics initiative proved that shared economic goals could effectively heal social divisions and foster genuine cooperation in border regions.
Syed Sadiq, UN WomenWomen remain severely underrepresented in peace processes. This must change, and it can change. Here in the Kyrgyz Republic, we see encouraging signs of leadership and political will. When women lead, peace, equality, and progress follow.¡±
Transforming governance
The grassroots success sparked a broader transformation in local governance. Women in Batken have moved from informal, unseen activism into official decision-making roles. What began as an effort to feed livestock transformed into a blueprint for sustainable peacebuilding, proving that when women lead, communities heal.
Today, across seven municipalities, 44 women activists engaged in the initiative have been elected to local councils. In Sumbula alone, women¡¯s representation jumped to 38 per cent, fundamentally reshaping governance to prioritize conflict resolution and resilience.
Photo above: Women join local councils to lead change in Batken.Our partners in peacebuilding in the Kyrgyz Republic
For 20 years, the UN Secretary-General¡¯s Peacebuilding Fund has empowered people to rebuild their communities and countries in the aftermath of conflict and crisis, working with them to build the resilience needed to prevent the recurrence of violence and secure lasting peace.
The initiative was implemented by , the , the Roza Otunbayeva Initiative and local government partners.
UN Peacebuilding initiatives are made possible by the generous contributions of Member States and the indispensable support of implementing partners, including UN agencies and local organizations.