Open Society Foundations WHO WE ARE HOW WE WORK WHAT WE DO EURASIA In Eurasia, a region of politically diverse states with widely differing levels of democratic development, the Open Society Foundations seek to promote citizen engagement in everyday issues such as local government and education. Overview Our History Our Work Offices and Foundations JavaScript chart by amCharts 3.21.15 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Yerevan, Armenia Tblisi, Georgia Almaty, Kazakhstan Chisinau, Moldova Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan Dushanbe, Tajikistan Kyiv, Ukraine Dnipro, Ukraine Odesa, Ukraine Kharkiv, Ukraine Lviv, Ukraine Foundation offices By the Numbers $63.7M 2020 EXPENDITURES FOR EURASIA 4.7% PERCENTAGE OF GLOBAL EXPENDITURES 4.2% AVERAGE ANNUAL CHANGE IN EXPENDITURES SINCE 2016 Expenditures by Year 72 54 36 18 0 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Explore our full expenditures by theme and region OUR HISTORY From Kyiv to Bishkek, most of our Eurasia national foundations trace their roots back to the 1990s and the effort to build new, accountable systems of government and public service after the collapse of the Soviet Union. It has not been an easy journey, in a region where many states have faced—or are still facing—armed conflict and political instability. Resurgent authoritarianism led to the closure of our offices in Uzbekistan in 2004 and in Azerbaijan in 2010. But other countries have prospered—even where local political freedoms are constrained or threatened. Highlights of Our Work in Eurasia Fostering Open Societies in the Former Soviet Bloc 1989 Explore our history and timeline A young girl visits an exhibition at the Soros Centre for Contemporary Art in Almaty, Kazakhstan on February 13, 2007. © Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters/Newscom OUR WORK Coordinated by our Eurasia Program, our work in the region focuses on democratic participation as well as governmental, educational, and justice system reforms. Responding to COVID-19 A mobile medical team prepares to visit patients who have reported possible symptoms of COVID-19, in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on April 30, 2020. © Dmitry Motinov for the Soros Foundation Kyrgyzstan In the Eurasia region, our national foundations have actively supported independent civil society groups to reinforce government responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. That has included supporting public information and awareness raising campaigns in Georgia, funding the purchase of protective equipment for medical staff in Moldova, and paying for emergency food supplies for others at risk in Armenia. As elsewhere around the globe, our efforts have focused on those who are particularly exposed to risks, including prisoners, people who are older, and refugees. Digital Information Access to digital information, and related questions of digital privacy, remain a major policy issue for governments and citizens across the region. Our local foundations have supported several national governments with the introduction of digital television transmission standards, and with extending internet access since the 1990s. More recently, our foundations in Armenia and Georgia backed the development of online platforms for tracking freedom of information requests filed with local officials. In Kazakhstan, our foundation has supported the development of a Kazakh language version of Wikipedia. Two women prepare to register voters at polling station in Calfa, Moldova on November 13, 2016. © Pierre Crom/Getty Scholarships and Higher Education The Open Society Foundations’ Scholarship Programs have provided hundreds of scholarships to enable students from Central Asia to study at universities in Europe and the United States. Together with the Higher Education Support Program, our foundation in Kyrgyzstan helped establish the American University of Central Asia in Bishkek. Our Ukraine foundation helped universities establish an independent external testing system for admissions—aimed at combating the paying of bribes for student placement—that now operates across the country. Inclusive Education A child with autism paints and his mother paint together in a classroom at the Al-Farah Child and Family Support Center in Ankara, Turkey on February 21, 2017. © Özge Elif Kzl/Anadolu Agency/Getty Our Educational Support Program supports efforts to improve the education and protection for children with disabilities in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. This includes advocating for the provision of early occupational therapy for children with autism, making it easier for them to participate in mainstream classes. The Value of Inclusive Education EXPLAINER Transparency Ukrainian activists put up a protest sign on during a demonstration against corruption in Kyiv, Ukraine on August 17, 2016. © Sergei Supinsky/AFP/Getty In Ukraine, our foundation and its grantees were active supporters of the creation of the National Anticorruption Bureau in 2014, and helped lawmakers develop new anticorruption laws that required public officials to declare their assets. In Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, the local foundations continue to support the participation of local NGOs in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, a partnership between government, industry, and civil society to promote public accountability in the energy and mining sectors. The initiative is supported by our Economic Justice Program. Justice System Reform The Open Society Foundations have been involved in efforts to strengthen the protections offered by the law to citizens across the region. This has included helping Moldova and Ukraine develop their first legal aid systems for both civil and criminal law, and supporting efforts to combat the all-too-common use of torture and abuse by police forces in the former Soviet Central Asian republics. Independent Journalism Across the region, the Open Society Foundations have funded the training of young journalists, with a focus both on technical skills and on the ethics of independent reporting. READ MORE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN Q&A: Femicide in Kyrgyzstan Gender-based violence is widespread and underreported in Kyrgyzstan. A talk with the investigative journalists who are shining a light on femicide, empowering women, and increasing the pressure for change. NOVEMBER 24, 2021 A MORE OPEN FUTURE Q&A: In Kyrgyzstan, a Small Investment Can Make a Big Difference Using accessible and innovative approaches such as music, dancing, street theater, and more, rights advocates in Kyrgyzstan are doing the grassroots-level work that is essential for a healthy civil society. SEPTEMBER 2, 2020 A POSITIVE EXAMPLE The World Can Learn from Georgia’s Experience with COVID-19 Despite its limited means, the government of Georgia has managed the pandemic’s fallout more successfully than many wealthier nations. A robust response from civil society groups in the country is a key reason why. MAY 19, 2020 | KETI KHUTSISHVILI Read more from this region: Eurasia Subscribe to updates about Open Society’s work around the world By entering your email address and clicking “Submit,” you agree to receive updates from the Open Society Foundations about our work. To learn more about how we use and protect your personal data, please view our privacy policy. VOICES Read the latest from our staff, grantees, and partners about how we’re working around the world to build vibrant and inclusive democracies whose governments are accountable and open to the participation of all people. Learn more HOW WE FUND Every year the Open Society Foundations give thousands of grants to groups and individuals that work on the issues we focus on—promoting tolerance, transparency, and open debate. Learn more WHO WE ARE Our History George Soros Leadership Financials Policies Programs Offices and Foundations HOW WE WORK How We Fund Grants, Scholarships, and Fellowships Awarded Grants WHAT WE DO Where We Work Themes Events Newsroom Publications Employment Contact Us © 2021 Open Society Foundations, some rights reserved. Terms and Conditions Privacy Accessibility