Category: Society
The paradoxes of migration from Tajikistan to Russia: an interview with Dr Elena Borisova
Tajikistan has one of the highest emigration rates globally, with most Tajiks migrating to Russia for work. One million Tajiks are estimated to reside in Russia at any given time,… [...]
The Lexicon of Kazakh Decolonisation
Over thirty years after the Soviet Union’s collapse, colonial influences persist in Kazakhstan. Russian remains widely spoken and serves as the primary language for interethnic communication. As language is a… [...]
When Freedom of Speech Is a Joke: Author of a Satirical News Outlet Detained in Kazakhstan
Temirlan Yensebek, creator and author of “Qaznews24,” an agency of satirical news, has been detained on Saturday in Almaty. He is expected to stand trial under accusations of incitement of… [...]
Night train to Dushanbe – a travelogue of Uzbek-Tajik relations
For many years, relations between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have been fraught with tension. Some analysts even dubbed the ties between the two countries a Central Asian ‘cold war’. But… [...]
Leaving the island: Japarov’s campaign to silence independent media
Since the fall of the Soviet Union, the Kyrgyz Republic has been considered an island of democracy in a largely autocratic region. However, the latest administration has spent the last… [...]
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Hitting the road: the first female bus drivers in Uzbekistan
A recent change in the law allows women to drive buses and heavy vehicles in Uzbekistan. This is a significant step forward for Uzbekistan’s transportation industry, a demonstration of active dedication… [...]
Kazakhstan stops investment agreement with ArcelorMittal after deadly explosion in Kostenko mine takes 46 lives
On the evening of Saturday October 28th, a fire broke out in the Kostenko mine at a depth of 700 metres, followed by an explosion of a methane-air mixture. 201… [...]
“Peace Clubs” are gaining popularity among Kyrgyz youth
The Kyrgyzstan-based non-governmental organization "Institute for Peace and Development" is shaping a new generation of peacebuilders through "Peace Clubs" in more than 150 Kyrgyz schools, contributing to the development of… [...]
Human rights in Tajikistan: Interview with the UN Special Rapporteur
Nine human rights defenders are currently imprisoned for their activities in Tajikistan. In an interview with Novastan, UN Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, Mary Lawlor, explains the reasons for these… [...]
Insecurity, Harrassment, and Lack of Inclusion: Young Women’s Experiences with Safety in Bishkek public spaces
Urban spaces in Bishkek, including pedestrian areas and public transportation, remain uncomfortable for citizens, especially women, leaving them feeling vulnerable and insecure due to a lack of facilities, poor pedestrian… [...]
In Central Asia, the Freedom of Press is in Decline
Almost every year, countries in Central Asia are placed at the bottom of NGO Reporters Without Borders’, annual ranking for the freedom of press. Every country has dropped in ranking,… [...]
“Islands of Soviet power on the steppes”
Out on the Kazakh steppe, in the early days of Soviet rule, so-called red yurts tried to bring the USSR and its communist ideals to those that were most inaccessible… [...]