Madinabonu Salaidinova is a feminist activist from Osh, Kyrgyz Republic. She has been a staff member of the feminist youth-led organization "Novi Ritm" since 2018 and is currently the Chairperson of the Board of that organization. Madinabonu has been a coordinator of an informal network of human rights NGOs which operates in the southern part of the country since October 2022. She is a member of the informal network Young Voices of Central Asia which was founded in November 2022. In 2021 and 2022,  Madinabonu was involved in developing research projects to highlight the impact of armed border conflicts to girls and women and to analyze the level of security of human rights defenders in Kyrgyzstan.

IVLP Impact Award Project: Academy of Gender Norms

This project developed civic engagement, gender sensitivity and legal literacy among young people in southern Kyrgyzstan. A group of 26 young people ages 16-35 from the regions of Osh, Batken and Jalal-Abad were selected from among 234 applicants to participate in a five-day camp where they engaged in activities and educational sessions on DEIA, gender norms and stereotypes, civic activism, community mobilization and community-based problem solving. Participants also developed an audio podcast about gender inequality in Kyrgyzstan and seven social media publications about what gender equality is, what stereotypes exist, and how to fight them. Thirty-three paintings and an art installation were created to foster discussion about topics such as independence, traditions and gender norms that limit girls in education. The participants from the Jalal-Abad area organized a training for 18 of their peers about human rights in the context of gender equality. Participants in the Osh area organized a conference on Human Rights Day involving 50 young people, with a focus on GBV prevention and reporting procedures.

"The coolest 5 days and 4 nights, which helped me to find my community, and to realize once again how important it is to be among your own…where there is motivation and goals for further movement. I am so glad that I came to this camp and had a great time here, I got a lot of useful information." - Camp Participant

IVLP Exchange Experience 

Madinabonu participated in the IVLP Project A Global Moment in Time- Reflections on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility, organized by the U.S. Department of State and Meridian International Center in partnership with WorldBoston.

Madinabonu's exchange experience led to the development of her IVLP Impact Award Project: "After participating in the online sessions and visiting the U.S., I began to think more about the importance of using equity to work with diversity. I realized that I wanted as many young people as possible to be able to start thinking about the need for inclusive approaches."

U.S. Communities Visited

Washington, DC; Boston, MA

Country: Kyrgyzstan 

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