Over the past 10 years, Kyrgyzstan has privatized most of its agricultural land and distributed
it to individual households. These households either farm alone or join together and farm
cooperatively. This research seeks to examine whether women have been adversely affected
in the process of privatization, asset ownership, or business development. While the legal
rules do not disadvantage women, historical customs and beliefs play a major role in rural
areas. Using a key informant and focus group approach, we find that women want to and do
participate in the market economy. The major impediment to women in asset ownership and
business relations is the traditional understanding of gender roles within a family or small
business enterprise when both men and women are involved. Many programs exist to assist
women in receiving credit and operating small, independently owned enterprises. While
dramatic change is not required, women would benefit from additional training, specifically in
non-traditional areas for women such as business management and agronomy.