The installation of video surveillance in the courtyards of Municipal territorial administration No. 1 aided in the reduction of theft cases by 80%

On the territory of Bishkek's municipal territorial administration (MTA) No. 1, located near the Osh market, there was a high level of theft: home appliances were stolen every month, cellular phones were stolen from apartments, and there were cases of theft of car tyres, hanging clothes, rugs, and palaces. Suspicion fell on everyone, causing a conflict among the residents. It seemed that peace and harmony, and even more so good neighborly relations, were things one could only dream of.

OROZALIEV Jumaly, Chairman of the Homeowners' Association (HOA) in MTA No. 1, was in charge of the territory entrusted to him and had no idea how to resolve the problem. It was at this time that he learned about the launch of a new project with the symbolic name "Living in Harmony."

"As one of the project's 25 locations in Kyrgyzstan[1], our MTA has become the only one in Bishkek, and we are extremely proud of it! After all, it was with the help of the "Living in Harmony" project that we were able to solve our problem and find the peace and tranquility that we had only dreamed of before," says OROZALIEV Jumaly.

The initiative group, led by OROZALIEV J., prepared a project application titled "Safe Courtyard," the main goal of which was to install video cameras in the courtyards of multi-story buildings.

After the project was approved, the residents of MTA No. 1 in Bishkek[2] became witnesses and primary beneficiaries of the mini-project "Safe Courtyard," which was funded by grant funds allocated within the framework of the project "Yntymaktuu Zhashoo." Eight video cameras were installed at the entrances to two multi-story residential buildings.

"On the third day after installing video surveillance cameras, we saw a significant decrease in the number of thefts. Even the residents began to behave differently as they realized they were now in full view. To date, the number of thefts of our residents' personal belongings has dropped by nearly 80%. Furthermore, the amount of garbage disposed of in unauthorized places (in courtyards) has decreased; there is truly less garbage now! I am proud that we have become a pilot "island" of the European Union project "Living in Harmony" in Bishkek as no other HOA has video surveillance yet. However, I recommend installing them because they will help reduce crime, stop theft, and prevent conflict in the local community," said OROZALIEV Jumaly, the mini-project's leader.

Surveillance cameras are now installed near each entrance and inside, with the main monitor located in the house committee's apartment.

To strengthen the achieved results and continue working in this direction, the initiative group organized and carried out a number of activities aimed at preventing theft and conflicts among local residents. A general meeting of residents was held as a result of collaborative efforts, and a neighborhood watch group (NWG) among young people was formed, with its composition and duty schedule approved.

The total cost of the mini-project "Safe Courtyard" was 159 thousand soms, of which 144 thousand soms were grant funds from the project "Living in Harmony" and 15 thousand soms were contributed by the local community. The total number of direct beneficiaries among local residents was 600.

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[1]  The international organization International Alert is implementing the "Yntymaktuu Zhashoo" project in Kyrgyzstan in collaboration with the National Mediation Center and the Development Policy Institute, with financial support from the European Union. In 25 selected locations in Kyrgyzstan, the project has been working to create a platform to support active youth, civil society, and local self-government bodies in preventing social conflicts, maintaining law and order, and training in mediation skills. For more information, visit www.international-alert.org. 

[2] MTA No. 1 is one of the six territorial administrations of the Lenin district, located in the southwestern part of Bishkek, with a total population of 36,003 people, 47% of whom are women and 53% are men. There are 81 HOAs, 2 Aksakal Courts, 12 neighborhood committees, 49 house committees, and 1 council of veterans based on MTA No. 1.