On 3 and 4 November 2025, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), in partnership with the research institute of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Auswärtige Politik (DGAP) and the OSCE Academy, co-organized a two-day policy dialogue titled “Gender and Youth in Water & Energy: Building Inclusive Futures for Central Asia.” The event gathered representatives from various international institutions, research, the development and non-governmental sector to explore the themes of gender equality and youth engagement in the governance of water and energy resources in Central Asia.
The event began with a poster walk and networking session, moderated by Ms. Katinka Lorenzen from PIK. Participants took part in icebreaker activities, project showcases, and brief presentations by diverse organizations, with Dr. Burulcha Sulaimanova, Head of the Research and Training Department, presenting the OSCE Academy.
The official opening featured welcoming remarks by Dr. Caroline Milow of GIZ, Ms. Stefanie Wesch, from PIK, and Dr. Pal Dunay, Director of the OSCE Academy.
Mr. Hugh Riddell, country representative of the World Bank Group in Kyrgyzstan, delivered a keynote speech. He called the attention to that the participation of women in the country’s economy is still relatively low, representing 52% whereas 78% of men participate in the economy. For further economic development female labor force participation is essential.
Mr. Riddell called the attention to that the financing of energy and water related activities is on the rise at the expense of the reduction of the Bank’s participation in funding healthcare, educational, and social activities. It reflects that responsibility for those areas can be taken by the state. Kyrgyzstan has been going through significant development; less people are in poverty and employment has increased by 300,000. This new identification of funding priorities is also understandable due to the severe environmental changes in which the Narin, Chui and Talas rivers will lose 80% of their water due to the disappearance of glaciers. This will result in water stress in water rich Kyrgyzstan.
Projects of the World Bank Group strongly focus upon individual countries whereas regional ones represent a weaker side of its activities. There would be reason for fostering regional development when for instance Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan conclude annual informal agreements on electricity distribution. It would be welcome and should be fostered that agreements be formal, and multi-annual. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan would like to share the advantages of the Kambarata-1 project as well, realized on the territory of Kyrgyzstan.
Following the opening session, Dr. Sulaimanova and Ms. Shohida Tulieva co-moderated a thematic panel discussion focused on International Gender and Climate Policy in Central Asia. In addition to inter-state cooperation, it would also be necessary to move cooperation down from the national level to the level of regions. However, this may face resistance due to continuing centralization tendencies in several Central Asian states in an area of strategic importance, like water.
Throughout the two days, participants engaged in thematic sessions, and interactive discussions focused on climate risks and social vulnerabilities in Central Asia. During the thematic sessions several non-governmental organizations presented their efforts and achievements. It was a shared quest to connect the scientific and practical aspects of their work that requires the increase of expertise of the civil society sector in the area where they carry out their work.
The following session was moderated by Stefanie Wesch, PIK, and included inputs from network representatives such as the Women in Water Management Network, Drops of the Future Workshop Series and Women in Energy Network.
The first day was finalized by Dr. Milena Latinovic from GFZ, who presented World Café and talked about “Barriers and opportunities for gender and youth leadership in energy and water governance.”
On the second day, keynote presentations were delivered by Dr. Caroline Milow, GIZ, on gender mainstreaming in the Central Asian water sector. Dr. Milow emphasized that the participation of women continues to be limited by their limited access to financing, including credits, and their often disadvantageous situation as far as property rights and by social traditions while women have wider array of responsibilities in their families, managing the household combined with professional engagement. Without gender mainstreaming in the water sector of Central Asia, the changes are even weaker to address the 6 Celsius temperatures increase in Central Asia by the end of the 21st century. Mr. Baktybek Kainazarov, Head of Office of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) called the attention to the demographic dividend of Kyrgyzstan as well as of some other Central Asian countries where the population in active age is higher than those of children and the elderly. This is a fact of which many other states suffering from labor shortage may take advantage.
The policy dialogue concluded with a Fishbowl Discussion moderated by Ms. Wesch, identifying the next steps for regional cooperation and inclusive governance.
The closing remarks were delivered by H.E. Ambassador Dr. Volker Frobarth, Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek. Ambassador Frobarth, with his long-standing expertise in water management related matters of Central Asia both at GIZ and the OSCE, called the attention to that in Disaster Risk Reduction, water data are more transparently shared than in the water sector proper. The pertinence of water issues will increase further not only due to environmental change but also due to three other factors: industrialization, the continuing fast increase of population and increasing affluence in Central Asia, all three showing in the direction of growing demand for water. He also pointed to that different ministries are dealing with various aspects of water issues in Central Asia. In some countries the nitch of water ministries is confined to irrigation and agricultural cultivation while water-based electricity generation, access to potable water, belong to another portfolio.