On August 18, the VII Walking March of Persons with Disabilities started on the shores of Issyk-Kul. Twenty women and men using wheelchairs from across Kyrgyzstan covered 135 km along the route from Cholpon-Ata to Karakol.

The goal of the march is to raise public awareness about the importance of protecting and promoting the rights of persons with disabilities in the country.

The program included meetings and training sessions for local self-government representatives to improve understanding of the challenges faced by persons with disabilities, foster proper attitudes towards them, and enhance the quality of services provided.

According to the Ministry of Labor, there are about 200,000 persons with disabilities living in Kyrgyzstan.

The walking march was organized by the Public Association "Equality" Union of People with Disabilities, with support from the Ministry of Labor, Social Protection and Migration of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic, the OSCE Program Office in Bishkek, the UN Human Rights Office for Central Asia, and the Public Foundation Fair and Sustainable Development Solutions (FSDS).