From 12 to 21 June, sequa conducted a project progress review of the KVP project between the Bildungswerk der Wirtschaft Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in Central Asia. The aim of this project is to strengthen employers' organisations in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, particularly in the area of social partnership. Social partnership refers to cooperation between employers' associations, trade unions and the government to find joint solutions to labour law and social issues and to discuss topics such as the conclusion of general agreements, gender equality in labour relations and the promotion of the green economy.
The results of the project, which was launched in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic and faced many challenges, are encouraging:
Kazakhstan: The visibility of the employers' association PARYZ has increased considerably over the last two years thanks to the support of the project. The association has developed numerous position papers on the Kazakh pension system and the introduction of compulsory accident insurance, which have been submitted for discussion with Kazakhstan's social partners. The industry association KAZLOGISTICS has developed a comprehensive roadmap for general agreements, industry agreements, regional agreements and collective agreements. In addition, a networking platform was established on the initiative of the association, which is used to exchange information with various experts from Germany, Central Asia, Ukraine, Georgia and Armenia on various social partnership topics.
Kyrgyzstan: The employers' association JIA has developed important amendments to Kyrgyzstan's labour law, particularly with regard to working time regulations and social insurance, and submitted them to the Ministry of Labour. Through various measures on the topic of "employment of people with disabilities and job creation", the association was also able to gain a great deal of public recognition and strengthen its position as a leading employers' organisation.
Uzbekistan: The Confederation of Unions of Uzbekistan (CEU) has begun to work intensively on the topics of social entrepreneurship, labour safety and gender equality. Significant progress has been made in the development of legal frameworks, including the adoption of the new Labour Code, which also defines and describes the protection of employers.
The CIP also strengthens regional integration and promotes common standards to support entrepreneurial and social progress in the region. All three project countries have set themselves the ambitious goal of developing a code of conduct for entrepreneurs in Central Asia.
