Central Asia

A lake in the scenic Pamir mountains.

Tajikistan: Women Mountain Guides Scale New Peaks

An almost unheard job for a woman in the conservative Central Asian country.

8 Mar 22

Actor Saikal Zhumalieva and her co-writers brought the idea for It’s Like This in My World to Theatre 705.

Kyrgyzstan’s Feminist Theatre

Bishkek centre provides rare platform to explore social issues from new perspectives.

8 Mar 22

A woman holds a sign that reads, "Thanks feminism for my rights."

Kazakstan: Fighting to March

Attempts to hold an annual rally has become a highly symbolic tradition for the feminist movement.

8 Mar 22

Tumbling Russian Rouble Leaves Kyrgyzstan Trembling

A weak currency and high inflation spells trouble for the Central Asian country’s economy.

3 Mar 22

Nursultan Nazarbayev ruled Kazakstan between 1991 and 2019. Over three decades the former president and his inner circle, accused of corruption and nepotism, have built a cult of personality around him. © elbasy.kz

Kazakstan: Nazarbayev’s Fading Personality Cult

Since 1991, the ex-leader has become identified with the state itself, but his status is now crumbling.

11 Feb 22

Prominent Kyrgyz investigative journalist Bolot Temirov as he was arrested in the office of the outlet he founded, Terminov Live, on January 22. © Kloop.kg

Kyrgyz Authorities Arrest Investigative Journalist

Case highlights growing pressures on free expression in Central Asian state.

2 Feb 22

A view of central Kazakstan's capital Nur-Sultan, with the 105-metre tall Baiterek tower on the horizon. Previously known as Astana, meaning "capital city" in Kazakh, the city of 1 million was renamed on 20 March 2019 as a tribute to the long-ruling Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, shortly after his resignation. © Leon Neal - Pool/Getty Images

Kazakstan: Will Nur-Sultan City Be Renamed?

Calls for reinstatement of “Astana” as ex-leader continues to be blamed for legacy of corruption and inequality.

31 Jan 22

Rubbish pile up on the side of the village’s muddy, unpaved streets. Residents complain that when it is dry, the roads are dusty and when it rains, they are muddy. Taxi drivers are unwilling to take passengers here. © CABAR

Kazak Villages Struggle with Poverty

In Nur-Sultan, glitzy shopping malls and swanky hotels mirror Kazakstan's vast natural resources. In the outskirts, villages with no running water and basic services tell a different story of poverty and inequality.

26 Jan 22

The impoverished village of Prigorodny lies 10 kilometres from the shiny centre of Kazakstan's capital Nur-Sultan. The country's deep inequality has driven the most serious unrest the oil-rich Central Asian nation faced in decades. © CABAR

Kazakstan: Economically Successful, Socially Unequal

Vast natural resources have made a select few rich while millions of Kazaks struggle to make ends meet.

20 Jan 22

President Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev giving a speech in the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

What Next for Kazakstan?

Leadership promises economic reforms – but does not stint on criticism of elite.

14 Jan 22

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Central Asia

Tajikistan: Women Mountain Guides Scale New Peaks

Kyrgyzstan’s Feminist Theatre

Kazakstan: Fighting to March

Tumbling Russian Rouble Leaves Kyrgyzstan Trembling

Kazakstan: Nazarbayev’s Fading Personality Cult

Kyrgyz Authorities Arrest Investigative Journalist

Kazakstan: Will Nur-Sultan City Be Renamed?

Kazak Villages Struggle with Poverty

Kazakstan: Economically Successful, Socially Unequal

What Next for Kazakstan?

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