A/HRC/17/41 of workers due to their departure, dismissals or inability to continue working due to injuries that they had sustained. 59. More than half of those employed in Kyrgyzstan work in the agricultural sector, which represents one third of the gross domestic product.6 In rural areas, income earned through agricultural productivity is essential secondary income. In the aftermath of the June 2010 inter-ethnic violence, people had difficulties in selling their agricultural activity due to the destruction of harvest collection points. This has had a negative impact on the livelihoods of many households. 60. The June 2010 violence disrupted to some degree regular trading and business cycles, with many entrepreneurs reporting a significant fall in earnings.7 There were also reports of a decrease in small trade activities and an increase in the number of unemployed. Women reported facing difficulties in continuing with their income-generating activities such as working on farms and in markets due to the poor security situation, which placed limitations on movement.8 Overall, the insecurity felt by farmers decreased their ability to cultivate their land, collect harvest and herd cattle. 61. During the reporting period, the OHCHR mission to Osh received a series of reports about arbitrary dismissals on ethnic grounds. These dismissals are alleged to have taken place in a variety of public sector organizations, including broadcasting companies, the police, higher education establishments, local administrations and health-care institutions. Many of those dismissed belong to the Uzbek community. Dismissals have taken the form of “voluntary resignations” and employees are reportedly pressured by the management and/or local authorities to submit a letter of resignation. There are also reports that those dismissed are also discouraged from seeking legal aid and/or complaining to the bodies dealing with labour disputes. Businesses run by persons belonging to national minorities have also come under pressure. 3. Gender 62. Kyrgyzstan is the first country in the Commonwealth of Independent States to elect a female President. The new Constitution stipulates that no one in Kyrgyzstan may be subject to discrimination on the basis of sex and other characteristics and explicitly mentions that men and women shall have equal rights and freedoms and equal opportunities for their realization. Kyrgyzstan has adopted a number of relevant national laws to promote and protect equal rights and opportunities for women and men, and on social and legal protection from domestic violence. In this context, a provision on temporary special measures in the Electoral Code was kept during the Constitutional reform to ensure that at least 23 per cent of the total number of Parliament members are women. 63. The absence of a strong national institutional mechanism with a proper mandate and financial resources has impeded the development of consistent and comprehensive national policy and practice on the promotion of gender equality. There remains a gap between international and national commitments on gender equality and practice. The National Action Plan on gender equality has not been provided with adequate financial resources from the State budget necessary for its full implementation. 6 7 8 12 World Bank, “Kyrgyz Republic: poverty assessment - volume 2: labour market dimensions of poverty” (September 2007), p. 27. Available from http://siteresources.worldbank.org/ECAEXT/ Resources/publications/454763-1191958320976/Poverty_assessment_Vol2.pdf. ILO, “Impact of June 2010 events on the enterprise sector in Osh and Jalal Abad” (July, 2010). UN-Women, “Post-conflict women’s needs assessment in the Southern Kyrgyzstan”, draft report (2010), pp. 25 and 42.