The head of the State Committee for National Security, Kamchybek Tashiev, said that it is necessary to respect and give a “decent life” to women so that they give birth to defenders and defenders of the motherland. Kloop tells why Tashiev’s words are discrimination against women.
The head of the State Committee for National Security made his statement during the announcement of the construction of a new maternity hospital in his native village of Barpy in the Jalal-Abad region on March 6. Here is what Tashiev said:
“If we respect our mothers, sisters, daughters-in-law, if we don’t insult and humiliate them, then they will give birth to sons and daughters who will protect our state and take care of it tomorrow. Humiliating daughters-in-law, making life difficult for daughters, not caring for mothers, we will never achieve better. The reason for the good and carefree life of a strong state is the attitude towards women, namely the attitude of men towards women. We did not understand before, and even if we understood, we did not pay attention to it. There were days when we said: “Ay, this is a woman!” waved their hand. But now we have to change our attitude, we need to respect them and give them a decent life, they [невестки, дочери] give us good children. Then our aksakals will sit at home, not being afraid and believing that these children will protect them. I said a little here to the men as a note, those who understood, understood, and those who did not understand, will understand, I think,” Tashiev said.
Feminist Begayim Zamirbek criticized Tashiev’s words. In her opinion, indeed, on the one hand, they carry the right message that women are not beaten or killed, but at the same time, the head of the State Committee for National Security equates all women to incubators.
“In the context of his words, girls and women have one value, because of which they should not be beaten – incubation. According to Tashiev, the girls of Kyrgyzstan are valuable only as suppliers of soldiers for the war. This treatment of women as a commodity is sexism. It’s like saying that you shouldn’t kill men because they drive minibuses,” says Zamirbek.
According to her, the value and safety of girls and women in Kyrgyzstan should not depend on childbearing functions, but should be guaranteed by default, as in any humane state.
“Otherwise, according to Tashiev’s logic, women can be killed if they do not give birth to children or are out of childbearing age,” the expert concludes.
Sociologist Nurzada Sadyrbekova argues that Tashiev’s words discriminate against women who are not mothers or daughters-in-law and further reinforce gender stereotypes.
“Women do not have to give birth to earn the right to a decent life. And if a woman for various reasons does not want or cannot give birth, then she does not have the right to live with dignity? Notice how often women in our society are subjected to violence, both psychological and physical, due to the inability to give birth to a boy or give birth at all,” Sadyrbekova says.
According to her, it is good that in Kyrgyzstan there is an awareness that women should be treated “humanly”, but this should not be because women can bear a child. Sadyrbekova once again reminds that women deserve a decent life by default, because they are “people”.
Authorities in Kyrgyzstan often state that everything is fine with women’s rights in the country – women have the same rights as men, are protected from domestic violence and any discrimination, and even in parliament they have quotas. But in reality this is not so.
Men still dominate women in the political and economic spheres. For example, gender equality prescribed in the laws is not adhered to even in the parliament and government, and the salaries of women in the country are 25% lower than those of men.
Women in Kyrgyzstan are kidnapped for forced marriage, beaten and raped and killed. Over the past few years, journalists have recorded at least two murders during the kidnapping of women for forced marriage. According to the Women’s Global Peace and Security Index 2021, Kyrgyzstan is the most dangerous country for women in Central Asia.
At the same time, men in power continue to deny these problems, offering sexist initiatives. For example, to forbid girls to wear short skirts or fly abroad without their parents and husband.