The nature of Kyrgyzstan always amazes tourists with its picturesque mountain peaks, crystal lakes and rare species of plants and animals. However, in recent years, the healthy ecosystem and biodiversity of our country become vulnerable under the global threats such as climate change, pollution, plastic consumption and so on. Despite human activity is the root cause of the ongoing environmental issues, we also have the power to save our nature. Local communities in Kyrgyzstan make their own contributions to the conservation of biodiversity in the region. This article will outline women’s role and impact on local environmental initiatives.

Historically, women in Kyrgyzstan have been assigned to certain roles, such as a taking care of the house and being a good mother and wife. However nowadays, female representatives of the Kyrgyz society do not limit their roles and make their contributions to every sphere of life. Hence, women here are at the forefront of biodiversity conservation in the country. There many stories showing the commitment and perseverance of the local women to improve the environmental situation in the region. One of them is the story of a local women’s group called “Jypar” in the village of Krasnaya Rechka, east of Bishkek.

In this village, women identify economic empowerment as an urgent priority. A women’s group called “Jypar” is helping migrants integrate into the community and gain economic independence through sharing traditional knowledge about the area’s ecological wealth. The project involves young women from families that fled civil war in Tajikistan and have found it difficult to integrate, especially since traditional patriarchal ideas are strong in their community. Women are often prevented from going to work by men in the community and have little say in household decision-making.

As part of the project, migrant women in Krasnaya Rechka were supported in planting over 100 fruit bushes and medicinal herbs, including blackcurrant, calendula, chamomile and mint. The plants will be used to make traditional soaps and other home-made cosmetics containing only natural ingredients grown in the women’s own gardens. These methods of production are based on traditional knowledge that has been preserved in the area for many generations.

Thanks to the success of this project, women’s groups from other villages are now turning to Krasnaya Rechka for advice and their experiences, as well as to share seeds and seedlings of the plants and medicinal herbs that the women grew (Global Forest Coalition).

By learning a new skill, migrant women in Krasnaya Rechka were able to become more integrated into the community and at the same time become more self-reliant. The additional income from the home-made cosmetics helped the women to feel more confident and working together has increased the sense of solidarity between them. Such actions strengthen the belief that much can be achieved by working together and also build the power of women’s groups to strive for gender, environmental and economic justice despite the challenges they face.