Empowering the Next Generation: OSCE Trains Over 3,000 Youth in Financial Literacy across Kyrgyzstan

For several years, the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek (POiB) has been leading a sustained effort to promote financial literacy among youth in Kyrgyzstan. Through comprehensive training programmes held annually across the country, the POiB helps young people build the skills they need to make informed financial decisions and navigate the digital economy with confidence. These efforts contribute directly to the OSCE’s broader mandate of fostering inclusive economic participation, democratic resilience, and equal access to education.According to the OECD "Financial Literacy Levels in the Commonwealth of Independent States" survey, there is a positive trend in improving the financial literacy of the country's population. In 2017, the degree of financial behaviour of the country's citizens was 11.1 out of the maximum of 21. In 2021, this indicator increased to 11.6 (an increase of 0.5).

Building on these encouraging results and with the goal of further improving these indicators, the OSCE continues to conduct training sessions for youth across the country.Between 2022 and 2025, the POiB, in close co-operation with the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic, conducted 137 financial literacy trainings across all regions of the country, reaching more than 3,000 students. Each year, participants improve their financial literacy skills by over 15% on average — clearly showing the programme’s effectiveness and lasting impact.In April 2025, the POiB expanded this initiative to the southern regions of Osh, Jalal-Abad, and Batken — areas where young people often have fewer opportunities to access financial education.

From 14 to 26 April, nearly 500 students participated in practical, interactive trainings on budgeting, saving, banking services, investment basics, digital financial platforms, financial safety, taxation, and insurance. Later this year, additional sessions are planned in the northern regions of Kyrgyzstan, aiming to ensure full national coverage and reach students in all seven regions of the country.

The OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek will continue expanding its financial literacy programme in collaboration with the National Bank and other partners, empowering the next generation of Kyrgyz citizens to take charge of their financial futures — and to do so with clarity, confidence, and resilience.