On 1-2 October 2015, SIPRI co-hosted the inaugural Life in Kyrgyzstan Conference in Bishkek jointly with the University of Central Asia (UCA), the International Security and Development Center (ISDC), and the World Bank. The conference brought together more than 40 international and regional speakers who gathered to exchange research and promote evidence-based policymaking. The two-day event was attended by over 100 participants from the public, private and non-profit sectors, including key voices within academic institutions, government agencies and civil society actors.
The conference included invited plenary talks and topical sessions on labor markets, gender, migration, poverty, health, security and integration processes in Central Asia. It also featured a presentation of the results of the research project Gender and Employment in Central Asia: Evidence from Panel Data carried out in 2013-2015 by an international consortium of research institutions with the support of the Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) and the Department for International Development (DfID). Of the 35 papers presented and discussed at the conference, 13 were based on the data from the Life in Kyrgyzstan Study, which demonstrates the relevance and potential impact on the country policymaking.
Programme:
Thursday, October 1, 2015
08:30-09:00 | Registration
09:00-09:30 | Welcome remarks
- Bohdan Krawchenko (University of Central Asia)
- Jean-Michel Happi (World Bank)
- Tilman Brück (ISDC and IGZ)
- Damir Esenaliev (SIPRI)
09:30-10:30 | Plenary Session A: Gender and Employment Nexus - Policies and Stakeholders Perspectives
Moderator and discussant: Bohdan Krawchenko
- Aidai Kurmanova, Ministry of Economy of the Kyrgyz Republic
- Jamilya Imankulova, El Group Consulting
- Kathryn Anderson, Vanderbilt University
10:30-11:00 | Coffee Break
11:00-12:30 | Plenary Session B: Highlights from the "Gender and Employment in Central Asia" Project
Moderator: Tilman Brück
- Nurbek Jenish: "The Effect of Salary Increases on Female Labour Supply in Kyrgyzstan: The Case of Teachers and Medical Workers"
- Kathryn Anderson, Damir Esenaliev, Emily Lawler: "Gender Earnings Inequality After the 2010 Revolution: Evidence from the Life in Kyrgyzstan Surveys, 2010-2013"
- Damir Esenaliev, Neil Ferguson: "Weighting the Obvious: Indexing Job Quality and the Impact of 'Bad Jobs' on Well-being in Kyrgyzstan"
12:30 – 13:30 | Lunch PARALLEL SESSIONS
13:30 - 15:00 | Session C: Welfare, Social Protection and Labour Supply in Central Asia
Moderator: Roman Mogilevskii
- Armando Barrientos, Alma Kudebayeva: "Social Assistance Transfers and Women’s Labour Supply in Kyrgyzstan"
- Franziska Gassmann and Lorena Z. Trindade: "The Effect of Means-tested Social Transfers on Labor Supply: An Empirical Analysis of Welfare Dependence in the Kyrgyz Republic"
- Irina Lukashova, Nikolay Mokrousov, Olga Berezhnaya: "Differentiation of the State Support to Poor Families with Children in the Kyrgyz Republic
13:30 - 15:00 | Session D: Everyday Security Practices in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan
Moderator: Hafiz Boboyorov
- Nina Bagdasarova, Ulan Dzhakypov: "The Idea of Security Among People Suffering from Armed Conflict and People Who Assist Them"
- Joomart Sulaimanov: "Political Dimensions of Security Beliefs in Public Discourses Five Years after the Osh Events"
- Hafiz Boboyorov: "Everyday Security Practices: the Case Study of Tajikistan"
15:00-15:30 | Coffee Break
15:30-17:00 | Session E: Labour Markets, Risk and Gender Attitudes
Moderator: Nurgul Ukueva
- Kanat Tilekeev: "Gender Attitudes and Labor Market Outcomes in Kyrgyzstan"
- Sophia Kan, Susan Steiner: "Labour Force Participation of Women Left Behind in Tajikistan"
- Raziiakhan Abdieva, Kamalbek Karymshakov,Burulcha Sulaimanova: "Determinants of Risk Tolerance: Empirical Evidence from Kyrgyzstan"
15:30-17:00 | Session F: Regional Integration Issues
Moderator: Damir Esenaliev
- James Thurlow, Roman Mogilevskii: "Kyrgyzstan's Accession to the EAEU:Measuring Economy-Wide Impacts and Uncertainties"
- Roman Mogilevskii, Nazgul Abdrazakova:"Assessment of the Kyrgyz Import Changes after the EAEU Accession"
- Kristina Bekenova: "The New Silk Road: Geopolitics and the Socio-Economic Development of Kazakhstan"
17:00-20:00 | Reception (and award of the student research prize)
Friday, October 2, 2015
08:30-09:00 | Registration
09:00-10:30 | Session G: Mobility and Welfare
Moderator: Saida Ismailakhunova
- Anita Guelfi, Sarosh Sattar: "Poverty and Economic Mobility in the Kyrgyz Republic: Some Insights from the Life in Kyrgyzstan Survey" . Presented by Saida Ismailakhunova
- Judy Yang: "Labour Migration and Welfare in the Kyrgyz Republic"
- Alma Kudebayeva: "Chronic Poverty in Kazakhstan"
09:00-10:30 | Session H: Food Security and Diversity in Central Asia
Moderator: Kamiljon Akramov
- Alexander Saak: "Team Provision of Non-Verifiable Quality with an Application to Dairy Supply Chains in Kyrgyzstan"
- Kamiljon Akramov, Mehrab Malek, Saima Zaman: "Agricultural Diversity, Dietary Diversity and Nutritional Outcomes in Central Asia"
- Jannina Viljakainen, Begayim Alykeeva, Bermet Tazhibaeva, Roseanna Avento: "Fish in School Menus in the Kyrgyz Republic"
10:30-11:00 | Coffee Break
11:00 - 12:30 | Session I: Micro-data in Central Asia: Issues and Gaps
Moderator: Tilman Brück
- Roman Mogilevskii: "Socio-Economic Data in Central Asia"
- Galina Samohleb: "Collecting KIHS for 12 years: Lessons and Issues"
- Shamsia Ibragimova: "Experience with Collecting Panel Data in Kyrgyzstan"
11:00 - 12:30 | Session J: Fisheries and Aquaculture Development in the Kyrgyz Republic
Moderator: Oleg Dosaev
- Roseanna Avento, Jannina Viljakainen, Bermet Tazhibaeva, Thomas Shipton: "Developing Fisheries and Aquaculture in the Kyrgyz Republic through Improved Training and Education"
- Bermet Tazhibaeva, Roseanna Avento: "Enhancing the Fish Supply Chain in the Kyrgyz Republic"
- Heimo Mikkola: "Does Human-Mediated Dispersal of Fish Species Explain the Loss of Fish Production of the Lake Issyk-Kul in the Kyrgyz Republic?"
12:30 – 13:30 | Lunch
13:30-14:30 | Session K: Food Prices and Welfare
Moderator: Armando Barrientos
- Mira Bierbaum, Aibek Baibagysh Uulu: "Food Prices and Household Welfare" . Presented by Franziska Gassmann
- Jarilkasin Ilyasov, Kamiljon Akramov: "Fuel to Food: Evidence of Price Pass-Through in Kyrgyzstan"
13:30 - 14:30 | Session L: Impact Evaluation of Peacebuilding Projects in Kyrgyzstan
Moderator: Peter Naderer
- Damir Esenaliev, Kanat Tilekeyev: "Impact Evaluation of the 'Social Cohesion through Community-based Development' Project"
- Anastasia Aladysheva, Asel Kuttubaeva, Bakhrom Mirkasimov: "Impact Evaluation of the LivingSidebySide® Peacebuilding Training Program"
14:30-15:00 | Coffee Break
15:00-16:00 | Session M: Household Decisions and Child Health
Moderator: Kathryn Anderson
- Charles Becker, Bakhrom Mirkasimov, Susan Steiner: "Forced Marriages and Birth Weight: Consequences of Bride Kidnapping in Kyrgyzstan"
- Anastasia Aladysheva, Tilman Brück: "Intrafamily Decision-Making and its Impact on Child Health"
15:00-16:00 | Session N: Local Development Challenges
Moderator: Damir Bisembin
- Tchoro Seyitov, Akylai Muktarbek kyzy: "Microfinance Deposit Products: Assessment of Demand and Promotion Issues"
- Damir Esenaliev, Gregory Kisunko: "Local Budget Transparency and Participation: Evidence from the Kyrgyz Republic"
16:00-16:30 | Closing Session