On 4-6 March 2025, the Border Management Programme in Central Asia (BOMCA 10), which is funded by the European Union (EU), successfully conducted a regional workshop “Women for Development of Central Asian Border Regions” in Bukhara, Uzbekistan. This initiative underscores the EU’s commitment to enhancing gender equality and empowering female professionals within state agencies across Central Asia.
In the Central Asian region, women remain underrepresented in state institutions, especially in border communities, where female state officials make up only a small percentage of the workforce. To empower women and ensure the transfer of essential skills to the most underrepresented, the workshop brought together 20 female representatives from key state agencies, including border and customs services, law enforcement, migration authorities, and human rights institutions from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
Participants engaged in sessions designed to enhance interpersonal and professional skills, address gender-related workplace challenges and foster cross-border collaboration. The event also provided a valuable platform for networking and sharing best practices among women working in border communities. “This workshop was a unique opportunity to connect with colleagues from across the region, share experiences and gain practical skills to navigate challenges in our field. I particularly appreciated how the workshop fostered cross-sector collaboration, providing us with valuable insights on advancing gender inclusivity in border regions” – said Ms. Dana Sagynbek, State Revenue Committee of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Kazakhstan, one of the participants of the workshop.
This activity marks the culmination of BOMCA 10’s sub-component focused on enhancing the capacity of state institutions working in border regions. By empowering female civil officials and enhancing their ability to address the needs of border communities, the EU aims to promote sustainable development and enhance security in Central Asian border areas.///BOMCA, 6 March 2025