Change is in the air at Eurasia Foundation. Our programs expanded this year, both in size and scope. As a result, our team nearly doubled, bringing fresh perspectives and renewed energy to our internal and external operations. We bid farewell to two long-standing programs but embraced even more new opportunities.  

I’ve thought a lot about Eurasia Foundation’s legacy during this season, reflecting on how our history informs our future. I’ve found that we are able to embrace bold changes because we remain grounded in the mission and values that have guided us for over 30 years. This has been 2024’s theme: maintaining our roots while rising to meet the moment. 

2024 kicked off with the launch of our Ukraine Digital Transformation Activity (DTA). This five-year, $150 million award by USAID and UK Dev expands on the work of our TAPAS project, which ended in June after 8 successful years. DTA builds on this legacy by enhancing Ukraine’s digital capabilities and building resilient systems for a secure, prosperous future. 

DTA met major digitalization milestones in its first year. In May, we joined our partners in the Government of Ukraine to mark the one-year anniversary of the eRecovery program that launched with support from TAPAS. Through eRecovery, nearly 82,000 families have reported damaged or destroyed homes and received compensation for repairs or replacement. In October, TIME Magazine named Diia—Ukraine’s e-services app and portal—one of the year’s best inventions, citing a DTA-supported e-service that allows Ukrainians separated by the war to marry online. And in December, DTA announced that the eQueue service had streamlined over 1.5 million border crossings, facilitating efficient trade and travel between Ukraine and its neighbors in the EU and Moldova. 

I remain humbled by the brilliance and bravery of our Ukrainian colleagues. While they fight tirelessly for their country’s future and build a stronger democracy in the process, our entire team stands alongside them. 

Our Social Innovation in Central Asia (SICA) project also wrapped its final full year of operation. SICA’s impact spanned remote towns and large cities across Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Over five years, changemakers gained the tools to truly transform their communities, guided by support from Eurasia Foundation. They revamped local recycling systems, recovered misplaced public funds, and sparked civic engagement through art. More than 400 young people learned their strengths by leading projects and connecting with change-minded peers. 

Eurasia Foundation provided training and support, but we also gained a lot in return, inspired by the participants’ stories of change. Their stories inspired Eurasia Foundation’s Communications Specialist Jamile Satibaldiyeva to write a play about changemakers in Central Asia. Äuejai, or “airport” in Kazakh, debuted in September at Almaty’s ARTiSHOCK theatre, a fitting final tribute to the resolve and resourcefulness of SICA participants. These stories of change also live on in a StoryMap to inspire future generations of changemakers across the region. 

However, our work in Central Asia is far from over. SICA will continue to support Tajikistan’s burgeoning community of social entrepreneurs in 2025 after heavily supporting the creation of the country’s flagship social entrepreneurship law this year. We are also thrilled to announce a new project, Qadam, to bolster civil society in Kazakhstan. Qadam will continue SICA’s work of amplifying local changemakers, paying special attention to the country’s rural and Kazakh-speaking regions. 

Eurasia Foundation has grown tremendously since the start of this year. Just like the rapidly changing world we inhabit, our organization continues to change in both planned and surprising ways. But our mission—our heart—remains. We listen. We learn. And we do our utmost to give each person the tools to shape their life on their own terms.  

I am proud of our legacy, but prouder still of the future we’re building. Thank you for your continued trust and support. Happy New Year to all! 

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SEAI supports the development of the social entrepreneurship sector and reduces poverty in Uzbekistan by addressing the social and economic challenges faced by marginalized communities. SEIA’s Social Enterprise Incubator assists youth, women, aspiring entrepreneurs, mahallas, and civil society organizations who wish to turn their vision for social entrepreneurship into reality. 

The Incubator will run from October 2024 to March 2025 and include an intensive online training series. Participants will have the opportunity to visit Kazakhstan on a study tour, attend networking events in Tashkent, and participate in a pitching seminar. Five participants will each receive a $15,000 grant to launch or scale up their social enterprise, with ongoing mentoring. Further details on the program are available in Uzbek and in Russian. 

The first cohort will consist of 25 participants. To be considered, you must attend the two online information sessions.  

Interested in attending the online information session and learning more about the Social Enterprise Incubator? Please fill out this form. 

Questions? Contact us at seuz@eurasia.org.

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When Heumann was 5 years old, school officials denied her the right to attend public school, claiming that her wheelchair was a “fire hazard.” Years later, the same school district denied her a teaching license. Heumann sued the school board and became the first wheelchair user to teach in New York. She went on to become an international leader, spurring the creation of critical disability rights legislation like the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Once, when a younger person with a disability asked how she stayed motivated to keep up the fight, Heumann replied, “I still encounter barriers every single day…but at this point, I am just the keeper of the flame. My true passion is to hand it over to youth with disabilities to keep breaking down the barriers.”

Judy passed away one year ago today. But her flame still shines brightly, tended by the many people for whom she paved the way.

Eurasia Foundation has the privilege of working with many of these torchbearers. We partner with social entrepreneurs, educators, and experts with disabilities to champion their ideas for change. We ensure people with disabilities play a leading role in conversations around natural disaster preparedness. And through our Judy Initiative, we equip youth with disabilities to keep breaking down barriers. The initiative unites a new generation of young changemakers with disabilities who will keep Heumann’s message alive and make their own unique mark on the future.

Today, March fourth, we answer the call to “March Forth” in Judy’s memory—to keep pushing for a society that includes, respects, and cherishes everyone. We hope you join us in this mission.

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Yusup Agajanov of Turkmenistan taught English in local villages through his Lights of the Future project. He also trained 20 young people in tour-guiding skills, equipping them for future employment. He is a teacher at Ashgabat’s International School.

Madina Mustafina of Turkmenistan coordinates volunteers and social programs at Yenme. She is a certified trainer and led a project to help young people develop their soft skills. Madina also expanded her environmental expertise through CAYLA’s internship initiative.

Nargiza Rakhmanova of Uzbekistan heads the Sogdiana Women’s Center and has initiated 8 social projects that benefitted 600 people. She inspired a fellow CAYLA alumna to start a civil society organization in Uzbekistan’s Navoi region.

Assylan Smagulov of Kazakhstan founded the organization Voice of Youth and advocates for students’ rights. His project promoting free travel for children in Karaganda has benefitted over 100,000 young people.

Maiya Suyunchaliyeva of Kazakhstan founded the initiatives 4Grants and Tourism and Smart Cities. She manages projects at the Institute of Green and Sustainable Development at Kazakh National Agrarian Research University. Maiya holds various international leadership roles and won the US’s International Visitor Leadership Program in 2021.

Mahmudjon Utkurov of Uzbekistan co-founded the Young Manager program to create professional development opportunities for young people in Uzbekistan. He also led language camps for over 750 participants through Uzbekistan’s Youth Affairs Agency.

Learn more about Eurasia Foundation’s Young Professionals Network and read the CAYLA Ambassador’s full bios on the YPN 2023-2024 page.

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As we enter 2024, Eurasia Foundation is poised at the edge of a new horizon. The last year ushered in exciting changes as our digital governance and disability rights portfolios expanded rapidly, and we amplified the achievements of emerging changemakers on a bigger stage than ever before. These changes do not mark a departure from our work as usual. Instead, they are the culmination of diligence, care, and years-long partnerships with participants, peers, and donors.

Spotlight on Ukraine 

An early highlight of 2023 was Diia in DC. Over 1,000 attendees came to learn about Diia, Ukraine’s e-services platform that connects 19 million Ukrainians with more than 120 government services. Eurasia Foundation’s Transparency and Accountability in Public Administration and Services (TAPAS) project supported the Government of Ukraine to launch many of these e-services and other e-governance solutions aimed at eliminating corruption and fostering public trust. These reforms have proven vital to sustaining Ukrainians during the war. At Diia in DC, USAID Administrator Samantha Power announced that USAID will allocate $650,000 to support countries around the world—including Ecuador, Colombia, and Zambia—to launch Diia-like systems of their own. 

The expansion of TAPAS’s work did not end there. In late December, US Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink announced the Ukraine Digital Transformation Activity—a five-year, $150 million award by USAID and UK Dev. Through this activity, Eurasia Foundation will continue to enhance Ukraine’s digital capabilities, including Diia, and, together with its partners, build resilient systems for a secure, prosperous future. The Digital Transformation Activity expands on TAPAS’s work to promote three core objectives: economic revitalization, transparency in reconstruction, and democratic governance during the ongoing war and beyond. We are deeply proud to carry our partnership with the Government of Ukraine forward.

Centering Disability Rights 

Alongside our digital governance work, our programs promoting disability rights blossomed in 2023. In October, we launched the Judy Initiative in Armenia and Moldova. The program honors the legacy of disability rights trailblazer Judith “Judy” Heumann, a trailblazer and mentor to many young people with disabilities. Through the Judy Initiative, Eurasia Foundation will work with local organizations of people with disabilities, international disability rights experts, and youth experts to amplify the voices of youth with disabilities between ages 18 and 30. 

Our Social Innovation in Central Asia project also adopted a new focus area: supporting natural disaster response led by people with disabilities. This new initiative centers people with disabilities in disaster response planning. The initiative will support people with disabilities and organizations of people with disabilities as they advance practical solutions to disasters impacting Central Asia.

Celebrating Future Leaders 

Another chapter of the Social Innovation in Central Asia project drew to a close. The Central Asia Youth Leadership Academy (CAYLA) welcomed its third and final cohort of young leaders from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, bringing the total number of CAYLA participants to 480 in just three years. As ever, CAYLA offered these young leaders a space to collaborate with like-minded peers and to pilot new project ideas with ongoing mentorship from EF. Before activities concluded, CAYLA graduates elected two “ambassadors” from each participating country. These leaders will strengthen and sustain the CAYLA alumni community far beyond the program’s end. 

We also had the privilege of celebrating emerging leaders at Eurasia Foundation’s Future Changemakers Forum at Ukraine House. The event honored Ukraine’s Ambassador Oksana Markarova for her unwavering commitment to advancing transparent governance in Ukraine. We also welcomed three members of the inaugural cohort of the Fellowship for Women Changemakers from Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.

I am grateful to everyone who helped us navigate new changes and challenges in 2023. We are thrilled to carry this positive momentum into 2024 with you at our side. 

May the new year bring peace and prosperity to you all. Happy New Year! 

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Today’s announcement builds off Eurasia Foundation’s long-standing partnership with USAID, UK Dev, and the Government of Ukraine to advance the nation’s digital transformation.

U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink announced the investment on December 19 at the Diia Summit in Kyiv.

“The next generation of U.S.-Ukraine partnership in digital transformation […] will build on all the great work done so far to create even more services for citizens and businesses that are transparent and efficient,” said Ambassador Brink. “The program we are launching today is so important. It demonstrates that harnessing the power of digital tools and [Ukrainians’] innovation is helping Ukraine win the war and win the future.”

Ukraine, a nation at the epicenter of a transformative geopolitical shift, has emerged as a global leader in leveraging digital technologies for sustainable growth and development. Indeed, since 2014’s Revolution of Dignity, Ukraine has employed far-reaching digital reforms to improve people-centered governance.

“Many of these gov-tech innovations were introduced to increase transparency and efficiency and to combat corruption,” says Robert O’Donovan, Jr., Eurasia Foundation Vice President of Programs and Digital Governance Lead. “But when Russia invaded in February of last year, they also proved vital to the country’s war effort.”

Since Russia launched its brutal war against Ukraine, the challenges facing the country have continued to grow. The human cost has been enormous, and the impact of the war on Ukraine’s economy has been no less dramatic. The country has suffered a significant loss of production potential: millions of jobs have evaporated, logistical routes for businesses are snarled, and labor resources continue to dwindle as working-age individuals emigrate or leave for the frontlines. Ukraine faces a formidable reconstruction effort with over $150 billion in direct infrastructure damage caused by the conflict.

“In the face of these daunting complexities, Eurasia Foundation is proud to partner with USAID and UK Dev to launch the Digital Transformation Activity in Ukraine,” says Lisa Coll, Eurasia Foundation President. “This is a comprehensive, multi-faceted program dedicated to championing a free and prosperous Ukraine.”

“We will be working closely with the Ministry of Digital Transformation, the Ministry of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development, and the Ministry of Economy to make this vision a reality,” says Danylo Molchanov, DTA Chief of Party. “The program will engage with businesses, tech companies, local governments, civil society organizations, educational institutions, and most of all the people of Ukraine.”

To drive economic revitalization, DTA champions investments in digital economic infrastructure. The program will help to simplify and digitize export-related processes, support small- and medium-sized enterprise development, and foster a favorable business environment in Ukraine.

To ensure transparent reconstruction of wartime and post-war Ukraine, DTA promotes the digital management of recovery and reconstruction projects. The program will strengthen the e-procurement ecosystem to enhance oversight of funds and ensure fairness and accountability.

To foster a culture of transparency, accountability, and democratic governance, DTA enhances the availability and usability of open data in anti-corruption efforts. DTA will support the Diia ecosystem to speed the roll-out of new e-services for both people and businesses. The program will also improve digital literacy, ensure equitable access, and foster civic engagement in the digital transformation process.

Together, these reforms aim to create an inclusive, transparent, and efficient digital ecosystem, stimulate economic growth, enhance administrative efficiency, and nurture the citizen-government relationship in Ukraine.

Learn more about the Ukraine Digital Transformation Activity here.

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Eurasia Foundation is a nonprofit international development organization committed to the idea that societies function best when people take responsibility for their own civic and economic prosperity. We envision a future where all people have the opportunity to realize their potential and transform their societies. Since 1992, Eurasia Foundation has equipped forward-thinking people across Europe, Eurasia, Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa with the tools, knowledge, and resources needed to address issues of concern in their communities. Our success showcases the power of a vibrant civil society to drive real and lasting change. Follow us on X, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

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Сьогоднішнє оголошення ґрунтується на багаторічному партнерстві Фонду Євразія з USAID, UK Dev та Урядом України з метою просування цифрової трансформації країни. Про інвестиції повідомила амбасадорка США в Україні Бріджит Брінк 19 грудня під час Diia Summit у Києві.

«Наступне покоління американсько-українського партнерства в цифровій трансформації […] базуватиметься на всій важливій роботі, яка була здійснена раніше, щоб створити ще більше прозорих та ефективних послуг для громадян і бізнесу, – сказала пані Брінк. – Програма, яку ми сьогодні запускаємо, надзвичайно важлива. Це демонструє, що використання потужності цифрових інструментів та [українських] інновацій допомагає Україні виграти війну та виграти майбутнє».

Україна, нація в епіцентрі трансформаційних геополітичних змін, стала світовим лідером у використанні цифрових технологій для сталого зростання та розвитку. Так, після Революції гідності 2014 року Україна провела далекосяжні цифрові реформи, щоб покращити врядування, орієнтоване на людей.

«Багато з цих державно-технічних інновацій були запроваджені для підвищення прозорості й ефективності, а також для боротьби з корупцією, – говорить Роберт О’Донован, віцепрезидент із програмного розвитку та керівник цифрового управління Фонду Євразія. – Але коли Росія вторглася у лютому минулого року, ці інновації виявилися життєво важливими також для військових зусиль країни».

Відколи росія розпочала свою жорстоку війну проти України, виклики, які стоять перед країною, продовжують зростати. Людські втрати – величезні, а вплив війни на економіку України є не менш драматичним. Країна зазнала значних втрат виробничого потенціалу: мільйони робочих місць зникли, логістичні шляхи для бізнесу перевантажені, а трудові ресурси продовжують скорочуватися, оскільки люди працездатного віку емігрують або йдуть на передову. Україна стикається з величезними зусиллями для відновлення, прямий збиток інфраструктури внаслідок війни становить понад 150 мільярдів доларів.

«Перед обличчям цих складнощів Фонд Євразія пишається тим, що співпрацює з USAID і UK Dev, щоб розпочати діяльність проєкту «Підтримка цифрової трансформації в Україні, – каже Ліза Колл, президентка Фонду Євразія. – Це комплексна, багатогранна програма, присвячена відстоюванню вільної та успішної України».

«Ми щільно співпрацюватимемо з Міністерством цифрової трансформації, Міністерством розвитку громад, територій та інфраструктури та Міністерством економіки, щоб втілити це бачення в реальність, – говорить Данило Молчанов, керівник проєкту DTA. – Програма також залучатиме до співпраці бізнес, технологічні компанії, органи місцевого самоврядування, організації громадянського суспільства, навчальні заклади та, перш за все, жителів України».

Щоб стимулювати економічне відновлення, DTA підтримує інвестиції в цифрову економічну інфраструктуру. Програма допоможе спростити та зацифрувати процеси, пов’язані з експортною діяльністю, підтримати розвиток малого та середнього бізнесу та створити сприятливе бізнес-середовище в Україні.

Щоб забезпечити прозору відбудову воєнної та повоєнної України, DTA надаватиме підтримку в реалізації ініціатив для цифрового управління відновленням та відбудовою. Проєкт також зміцнюватиме екосистему електронних закупівель, щоб посилити нагляд за використанням коштів та сприяти доброчесності та підзвітності.

Щоб сприяти розвитку культури прозорості, підзвітності та демократичного управління, DTA покращуватиме доступність і зручність використання відкритих даних у боротьбі з корупцією. DTA підтримуватиме розвиток екосистеми Дія, щоб пришвидшити впровадження нових електронних послуг для громадян і бізнесу. А також має на меті покращити цифрову грамотність, забезпечити рівний доступ та сприяти залученості громадянського суспільства у процеси цифрової трансформації.

Разом ці реформи спрямовані на створення інклюзивної, прозорої та ефективної цифрової екосистеми, стимулювання економічного зростання, удосконалення адміністративної ефективності та розвиток відносин між громадянами та Урядом в Україні.

Дізнайтеся більше про діяльність проєкту «Підтримка цифрової трансформації» тут. 

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Фонд Євразія – неприбуткова міжнародна організація з розвитку, яка віддана ідеї, що суспільства функціонують найкраще, коли люди беруть на себе відповідальність за власне громадянське та економічне процвітання. Ми бачимо майбутнє, де всі люди мають можливість реалізувати свій потенціал і змінити своє суспільство. Починаючи від 1992 року Фонд Євразія забезпечує перспективних людей в Європі, Євразії, Азії, на Близькому Сході та у Північній Африці інструментами, знаннями та ресурсами, необхідними для вирішення проблем, що викликають занепокоєння в їхніх громадах. Наш успіх демонструє силу динамічного громадянського суспільства, яке сприяє справжнім і тривалим змінам. Слідкуйте за Фондом Євразія на X, Facebook, Instagram, та LinkedIn.

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EF’s Chair Pamela L. Spratlen and Chair Emeritus Jan Kalicki presented Ambassador Oksana Markarova with the 2023 Sarah Carey Award. The Sarah Carey Award, named for EF’s long-serving board chair, recognizes leaders who strengthen civil society globally. Eurasia Foundation’s board selected Ambassador Markarova for her unwavering commitment to advancing transparent governance in Ukraine.

Ambassador Markarova has served as Ukraine’s Ambassador to the United States since 2021. She previously served as Ukraine’s First Deputy Minister and Government Commissioner on Investment from 2015 to 2018 and as a Minister of Finance from 2018 to 2020. During her time at the Ministry of Finance, Markarova co-authored Ukraine’s macroeconomic revival program. She also created an ecosystem of government public finance portals based on open data that improved Ukraine’s rank in all major international transparency ratings.

“The reforms [Markarova] introduced—including development of public finance portals that allow civilians to track government spending, as well as the work she has done to attract investment to Ukraine—are squarely in line with the type of initiatives Sarah Carey worked so tirelessly to advance,” said Kalicki.

Ambassador Markarova addressed the audience to share her hopes for Ukraine’s future and to call for continued support. “The battle on the frontlines has not stopped us from a battle inside the country for transparency, for a better Ukraine. I am so proud that Eurasia Foundation and your daughter organization East Europe Foundation have seen from the very beginning that this is something you have to support,” she remarked. “A very important reason why we are fighting and winning is civil society. Please continue doing your excellent work and even do more.”

Next, two alumni of EF’s Sarah Carey Young Professionals Network (YPN) shared their experience in this program. “Just like the Sarah Carey Award, YPN was created to honor Eurasia Foundation’s late board chair Sarah Carey, who was an indispensable advisor to young people interested in the Eurasia region,” said Mark Temnycky, journalist and YPN ’22 alum.

“In the YPN program, I found a varied group of young professionals as passionate as I was about Eurasia and about the critical importance of constantly learning,” shared Catherine Putz, editor of The Diplomat and YPN ’18 alum. “The world does not stand still and neither should our understanding of it.”

Finally, three Women Changemaker Fellows took the stage for a panel discussion moderated by Susan Reichle, EF trustee and president of IYF. These fellows are recipients of the Fellowship for Women Changemakers. With this fellowship, EF supports visionary women leaders advancing projects to cultivate vibrant, responsive, citizen-oriented civil societies globally. Fellows travel to Washington, DC to meet and collaborate with peers and partner organizations, discussing challenges and opportunities for growth.

Saida Alimova, Khalida Azhigulova, and Olha Nos are the first Women Changemaker Fellows to embark on their study tour. Alimova is a case manager at the International Organization for Migration in Uzbekistan who previously worked as a human trafficking hotline operator with a Eurasia Foundation project. Azhigulova is a legal scholar leading the fight against domestic violence in Kazakhstan. She participated in EF’s Policy Research School, an initiative of the Social Innovation in Central Asia project. Nos recently concluded her tenure at Prozorro, Ukraine’s transparent public procurement platform. She was previously a member of DOZORRO, a citizen watchdog network in Ukraine, where she helped monitor and root out corruption. EF supported the Government of Ukraine to strengthen both Prozorro and DOZORRO.

The panelists spoke about the importance of a strong civil society in their respective fields. “Of course, positive changes will come. They are inevitable,” shared Azhigulova. “In my research in 2020, I realized that Ukrainian law is one of the best examples of current legislation against domestic violence globally. I always praise the people of Ukraine for their bravery, because it gives me the bravery to continue my work. I believe that one day we will win this battle.”

The evening closed with a celebratory reception featuring live jazz music performed by Latin Grammy Award winner Bienvenido Dinzey and catered by Ruta, DC’s first Ukrainian restaurant. All proceeds from the event will support Eurasia Foundation’s leadership and exchange programs like YPN and the Fellowship for Women Changemakers.

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Hear from these remarkable leaders and more, including distinguished alumni of Eurasia Foundation’s Young Professionals Network. Then, join us for a celebratory reception with live jazz performed by Latin Grammy Award-winning pianist Bienvenido Dinzey and passed hors d’oeuvres catered by Ruta.

Purchase your ticket or donate online. All proceeds support Eurasia Foundation’s dynamic leadership and exchange work.

2023 Sarah Carey Award: Honoring Ambassador Oksana Markarova

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Ambassador Pickering has served on Eurasia Foundation’s Board of Trustees for over 20 years. He was also president of Eurasia Foundation from 1996 to 1997. In 2012, Ambassador Pickering received EF’s first Sarah Carey Award for his decades of advancing civil society in the Eurasia region through diplomacy and business. His career as a U.S. diplomat has spanned five decades and numerous roles in the U.S. Department of State. He served as ambassador to the Russian Federation, India, Israel, El Salvador, Nigeria, Jordan, and the United Nations. He holds the personal rank of Career Ambassador, the highest in the U.S. Foreign Service. He retired in 2006 as senior vice president of international relations at Boeing International. Ambassador Pickering is vice chairman of Hills & Company.

H.E. Jean-Arthur Régibeau, Ambassador of Belgium, graciously hosted the event at his residence and offered welcoming remarks. “The countries where Eurasia Foundation works are also close to my heart,” he said. “I am familiar with the unique and evolving challenges and also opportunities presented by the region and the importance of the work of organizations like yours.”

EF President Lisa Coll opened the event, remarking on Eurasia Foundation’s evolution since Ambassador Pickering joined the Board in 1997. “Eurasia Foundation looks very different than it did when Tom joined 22 years ago, but our mission remains the same,” she said. “There is no shortage of need for our work and there has never been a more important time for civil society to be heard and for reformist governments to be supported.”

“Tom has guided Eurasia Foundation through major changes in our work, our funding, and our geographic reach,” added Randy Bregman, EF trustee and partner at Dentons. “His wisdom combined with his knowledge was often reassuring in moments of doubt, and his strategic analysis was critical to our success.”

Jill Dougherty—Eurasia Foundation trustee, Global Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, DC, and CNN Contributor—interviewed Ambassador Pickering. Dougherty opened this sprawling conversation by asking “where we are and where we are going” in Eurasian affairs and global events more broadly.

“It is within our capacity to deal with each of these issues,” said Ambassador Pickering, touching on Ukraine and Russia, economic well-being, and more. “We have yet to resolve in our own minds what approaches we believe will work most effectively. Do we look at the world economy as a common concern with common answers, or do we look at it as an unrivaled contention in which the strongest will win? I prefer the former.”

In closing, Ambassador Pickering offered his hopes for Eurasia Foundation’s future. He remarked on the geopolitical challenges facing the organization today and its resilience surmounting challenges of the past. “The most important thing for Eurasia Foundation,” he concluded, “is to keep going, to keep moving.”

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The event’s 30 attendees represented a broad cross-section of civil society organizations (CSOs) from Europe, Central Asia, and the Caucasus. Expert panelists discussed challenges to women’s security and shared tools to help CSOs work and collaborate more effectively. While each attending organization specializes in women’s issues, they offer a wide array of technical expertise spanning anti-trafficking, peacebuilding, rural women’s support, the rights of people with disabilities, and more.

“Violence against women and extremism are issues that each of these organizations address in their daily work,” said Mekhribon Abdullaeva, Program Manager at EF. “This conference is an important venue for these organizations to identify issues and promote their work. It allows them to meet organizations and experts from different countries and develop strategies on how to work together.”

Istanbul is the birthplace of one of the most influential international anti-VAW agreements: the Istanbul Convention. This landmark legislation aimed to uphold women’s rights to safety and security through four pillars: preventing VAW, protecting women and girls, prosecuting perpetrators, and creating cooperative polices. Through I-WAVE, CSOs and experts built on this foundational framework by examining violence against women as a form of violent extremism.

“Unfortunately, violent acts committed against girls and women, a form of extremism based on their gender, is not just a historical challenge,” says Abdullaeva. “It continues in many different forms today. We are here to come up with an action plan for the future, to consolidate our efforts, and continue the fight against all violence and extremism.”

The first two days of I-WAVE provided space for CSOs and international experts to outline key challenges to women’s well-being. Sessions emphasized pathways for civil society organizations to improve their sustainability, communications, and outreach skills.

Abdullaeva moderated the panel “Networking, Outreach and Policy Dialogue,” which focused on tactics for promoting women’s issues and preventing violent extremism through community outreach. Panelists revealed effective practices learned from working with locally led organizations. Nargis Saidova, director of the NGO Gender and Development in Dushanbe, discussed how lobbying and coalition-building can promote women’s issues in Tajikistan. Olga Kalashnyk of La Strada Ukraine presented on the organization’s experience with the La Strada network model. Lyudmila Ulyashina, representing European Humanities University from Norway, shared experience in championing human rights.

Dildora Amirkulova, a consultant from Uzbekistan, chaired another panel on violent extremism as a form of violence against women. This panel brought together experts from Croatia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan to discuss different manifestations of violent extremism in various contexts. Panelists emphasized the need for curricula about countering violence against women in peace and security studies.

The final two days of the forum centered on capacity-building workshops and interactive training to help participants integrate their knowledge into practice. These sessions critically considered whether VAW and extremism are different forms of violence, or intrinsically linked. Participants then explored innovative approaches.

In the end, participating experts and practitioners developed a new agenda to guide outreach and research priorities going forward. Together, I-WAVE’s experts are building a world that is safer for all, with women’s voices leading the way.

The post EF Launches International Conference on Women Against Violence and Extremism appeared first on Eurasia Foundation.

The forum united members of Partnership in Action, a network of civil society organizations (CSOs) fighting human trafficking in Central Asia. This EF-supported coalition connects leading anti-trafficking advocates with peers, experts, media professionals, and government officials in other Central Asian countries to form a robust international taskforce. Twenty-seven network members from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan participated in the forum either in-person or online. 

Every country has a distinct legal framework and limited resources for responding to trafficking within its borders. Yet trafficking in persons is an intrinsically cross-border issue that typically impacts two or more states at once: a country of origin, a destination country, and often countries of transport. Civil society organizations’ flexibility offers a unique opportunity to work across both physical and jurisdictional borders. The more effectively these organizations can connect, communicate, and cooperate, the more effectively they can support survivors.

EF President Lisa Coll and Program Officer Sitora Rozikova traveled to Almaty to attend the forum. “Human trafficking is a terrible and unfortunately growing issue around the world,” Coll said in her opening remarks. “We are here today to learn from each other, to share information, and to discuss how we can continue to collaborate to combat human trafficking.” She emphasized the importance of local leadership in crafting and implementing sustainable anti-trafficking solutions. 

The forum’s sessions centered on developing a unified anti-trafficking strategy across all countries of Central Asia. Over the course of three days, Partnership in Action members refined their mission statements, explored new fundraising strategies, and evaluated the group’s strengths and weaknesses.  

“This forum was essential for the network,” says Khadicha Abysheva, EF expert and founder of legal center for women’s issues Sana Sezim. “All our work aimed at revising our mission, strengthening our unified front, updating our approach, and further developing the network’s priorities.” 

Expert trainers led interactive workshops that emphasized small group brainstorming and broader group discussions. This format encouraged participants to exchange experiences from different countries and civic environments. Together, their ideas coalesced into nuanced and targeted anti-trafficking strategies. 

“Analyzing our operating environments and assessing the network’s opportunities and threats helped me see our collaboration from a different angle, through a new lens,” says Marianna Kurbanova from Istiqbolli Avlod in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. “As a result, I now view our work on a larger, even global scale.”

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