Name: Janyl Bokonbaeva
Profession: Senior Research and Training Assistant, OSCE Academy
Location: Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

Janyl Bokonbaeva found that her participation in Diplo’s Internet Governance Capacity Building Programme (IGCBP) sparked her interest in Internet Governance as it relates to the process of democratisation in her home country of Kyrgyzstan. She explains that “Democratisation entails many challenges for the future of the digital world in my region and my country. Freedom of expression and freedom of media are very often at stake, and civil society should keep a constant watch on regulative measures and other restrictions imposed on Internet sites to prevent free and fair dissemination of information.”

Janyl currently works as a senior research and training assistant with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Academy, where she coordinates several training projects on media and democracy, conflict transformation, human rights, and communication. She says, “As I witness these changes in our training participants’ careers and knowledge, I am highly encouraged and motivated to continue with my work of coordinating, supervising, and assisting in training and research projects.” She plans to continue working in education and training, disseminating knowledge on various social and political issues, participating in social projects, and, thus, contributing to the building of human capacity, especially among young people.

Janyl adjusted her work and research plans based on some of the insights gained through the IGCBP. She says, “Before the programme, I did not comprehend fully the scope of changes that are occurring in governance, changes that are revolutionary in terms of technologies employed and the expected effects on the lives of ordinary people. These insights have allowed me to re-shape my working priorities and plans for future directions in work and academics.”