CURRENT PROJECTS

1. Bishkek Press Club

Project is supported by the Open Society Institute, the OSCE Centre in Bishkek, the UK Embassy in Astana and the UK Department for International Development. 
Bishkek Press Club is media project of Institute for public policy. The project is aimed to assist the development of professional journalism and provide for the mechanisms of constructive cooperation between media, government institutions, and the representatives of civil society.

The Bishkek Press club supports journalists by providing information resources and trainings for young specialists. The BPC is a meeting place for all participants of socio-political dialogue. As an independent establishment, the BPC advocates pluralism of opinions and views by giving an opportunity to express different positions on important issues through press-conferences, roundtables, and publications. The BPC provides access to publicly significant information through online distribution of reliable news throughout Kyrgyzstan and the region on its web site, and also conducts a monitoring of foreign media publications.

The BPC is implementing journalistic projects aimed on capacity building of young and acting journalists through interactive training programs. Since establishment BPC has realized the range of projects directed on improvement of journalism in the Kyrgyzstan:

• Strengthening capacity of journalism instructors of universities in Kyrgyzstan
• Strengthening the capacity of parliamentary journalists
• Promoting quality journalism in remote areas of Kyrgyzstan
• Building economic journalism in Kyrgyzstan
• School of journalists security
• Increasing transparency of the Kyrgyz Parliament
• Capacity building of independent mass media in Kyrgyzstan
• Increasing transparency of foreign policy in Kyrgyzstan
• Bridging media and public policy-making in Kyrgyzstan

BPC have realized two projects in cooperation with National TV and Radio Corporation:
• Capacity building for journalists and editors of the Kyrgyz State TV and Radio Broadcasting Corporation
• Professional training for newly recruited journalists for the Kyrgyz National TV and Radio Company

For more, please check the website of the Bishkek Press Club at http://www.bpc.kg.

2. Democratic Governance and Rule of Law

Project is supported by Open Society Institute

This project aims to develop an understanding and appreciation of the concept of rule of law by policy making agencies of the Kyrgyz Republic. Towards achieving this goal, the IPP is deliver three services that would target policy making agencies and relevant public actors:
• The training component aimed at cultivating the value of rule of law among selected representatives of policy making agencies;
• The policy component focused on providing expert assistance to policy makers via organizing expert discussions on relevant policy issues;
• The public awareness component aimed at informing interested public about policy issues under discussion via regular bimonthly newsletter;
Also, the project will fund publication of a book by experts on state of policy making in Kyrgyzstan, the challenges for establishing rule-based policy process and possible ways to contribute to establishing the rule of law in policy making in Kyrgyzstan. The project also envisages publication of an edited book, preliminary titled "Democracy and Informal Politics: State of Policy-Making in Kyrgyzstan."

COMPLETED PROJECTS

1. Policy debate and good governance

Project was supported by the United Kingdom Embassy in Almaty and DFID
 The project aimed to build up capacity of selected representatives of governmental agencies, parliament members and political parties of various political orientations to engage in a process of open dialogue on the most pressing issues in the country, generating wider public policy debate. Fifteen project participants, selected among young officials working in ministries, the presidential administration, the parliament and political parties of pro-governmental, opposition and centrist orientations were delivered intensive trainings on good governance, open dialogue and informed policy debate. In the course of the project, series of roundtable discussions and policy debates were held on critical issues of public concern. The project strengthens agencies, decision-makers and institutions that these participants represent.

2. Capacity building for political parties in Kyrgyzstan

Project was supported by the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Bishkek
The project "Capacity building for political parties" financed by the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Bishkek, was implemented by the Institute for Public Policy (IPP) from November 20, 2005 to February 28, 2006.
The project aimed to facilitate the process of political transition following the March 24 events in Kyrgyzstan and contribute to creation of a multiparty, issue- and platform-based democracy in the country by providing non-political, technical and institutional support to existing and emerging political parties and movements. For this purpose, twenty project participants were to be selected among young representatives of the most active political parties and movements in the country. In the course of the project, they passed through series of intensive seminars, lectures and workshops designed to deliver practical tools of party building. A special set of roundtables on most pressing political and social issues with participation of all interested sides gave the participants an opportunity to appreciate the necessity of open and healthy dialogue between different political groups. Upon the completion of the project, participants representing various political groups have gained common understanding of opportunities and dangers of the current political situation in the country and are able hold open communication between each other.

3. Promoting voter awareness among university students

The project was supported by the OSCE Centre in Bishkek
This short-term project aimed at promoting voter awareness among selected active student leaders of Bishkek universities. The project is deemed very important given the extent to which student body is used for various political purposes, especially during the election campaigns. With more than 200 thousand university students Kyrgyzstan ranks sixth in the world in terms of the ratio of students to overall population. The majority of students is aged 18-22, and has no or little voting experience. This makes student population, a key constituent part of electorate in the country, vulnerable for all sorts of political manipulation.
The project selected twenty five leaders of the student body from different universities and took them through series of intensive trainings on civic education and personal capacity building, meetings with politicians, academics, researchers, and roundtable discussions on most pressing political issues of these days. Overall, the project achieved its goal of increasing civic awareness of these young leaders, build-up their personal capacity and equip them with knowledge and skills for further multiplication of the project idea

4. Building-up local capacity for political analysis in Kyrgyzstan 
 

Project is supported by OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
The project's main goal is to build-up local capacity for political research and analysis in Kyrgyzstan, to ensure better targeted research/analysis and to increase its impact on policy-makers. In light of the significant processes unfolding in the country, the lack of local quality research and analysis capacity has been getting more visible. For these purposes, it is important to invest in local policy research and analysis to ensure better targeted research/analysis and to increase its impact on policy-makers. The project envisaged hiring policy research fellows, trainings for political science and journalism students, workshops for political parties, conduction of nation-wide surveys and preparing qualitative research works on their basis.

5. Increasing youth involvement in public policy discussions in Kyrgyzstan

Project is supported by the National Endowment for Democracy
The project pursued the goals of improved policy-making, effective governance and open and transparent dialogue on public policy issues with increased involvement of youth by offering unique educational opportunities for select groups of university students in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
The project promoted strong involvement of rural youth studying in capital city in policy-making and discussion and enables them to engage in a process of open dialogue on the most pressing issues in the country, generating wider public policy debate. In the course of the project, series of roundtable discussions and policy debates have been held on critical issues of public concern. Participants also have been delivered intensive trainings aimed at providing knowledge and skills necessary for current and future performance related to goals of good governance, open dialogue and informed policy debate. By examining a range of sample critical issues existing in the country, project participants are expected to understand the importance of policy alternatives, analysis and making of informed choices through discussion in daily decision-making.