Performance of Public Councils in Kyrgyzstan

Gulnur Makulbayeva; Zhuldyz Davletbayeva; Mergen Dyussenov; Lira Raissova

doi:10.52536/3006-807X.2026-1.004

Authors

Gulnur Makulbayeva Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7096-6738
Zhuldyz Davletbayeva Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3094-5254
Mergen Dyussenov Astana IT University, Kazakhstan Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5808-2067
Lira Raissova Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan Author https://orcid.org/0009-0003-1072-4969

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.52536/3006-807X.2026-1.004

Keywords:

public councils, participatory governance, civil society, Central Asia, social capital

Abstract

Public councils are advisory-consultative bodies embedded in the public administration system of Central Asian countries. The existing scholarly literature criticizes the operation of public councils as exhibiting limited effectiveness and tends to view them as symbolic. This study focuses on Kyrgyzstan’s public councils, which functioned from 2014 to 2024, and examines the factors that influenced their performance. This research uses a qualitative case study research design, which includes data collected through focus groups, semi-structured interviews, and secondary data.

This inquiry applies the framework developed by Abelson et al. (2003), including four criteria: representation, procedural rules, information, and outcomes. These criteria are designed for the evaluation of public participation processes. During data collection, participants were asked questions related to these four criteria and factors that influence them. Findings show that to fulfill requirements on representation, fair procedural rules, access to information, and influence of public council members’ voices on outcomes, three conditions should be met. First, the political will of the government and openness to public council inputs are the key factors. Selected line ministries of Kyrgyzstan were open to inputs of public councils and did not impose constraints on their operation. Second, the strength of civil society played an essential role. Independent media and active civil society representatives joined the public councils to bring changes to reforms. Third, social capital and horizontal relationships at the society level also contribute to public councils’ performance. These findings demonstrate that, given plausible conditions and resources, public councils in Central Asia can demonstrate effective performance.

Author Biographies

Gulnur Makulbayeva, Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan

PhD, Associate Professor, Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan
Zhuldyz Davletbayeva, Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan

PhD, Professor, Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan
Mergen Dyussenov, Astana IT University, Kazakhstan

PhD in public policy (NUS, 2019), Assistant Professor, Astana IT University, Kazakhstan
Lira Raissova, Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan

Master’s in public administration, Researcher, Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan

References

Abelson, J., Forest, P. G., Eyles, J., Smith, P., Martin, E., & Gauvin, F. P. (2003). Deliberations about deliberative methods: issues in the design and evaluation of public participation processes. Social science & medicine, 57(2), 239-251. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0277-9536(02)00343-X

Averchenkova, A., Fankhauser, S., & Finnegan, J. J. (2021). The influence of climate change advisory bodies on political debates: evidence from the UK Committee on Climate Change. Climate Policy, 21(9), 1218-1233. https://doi.org/10.1080/14693062.2021.1878008

Bayalieva-Jailobaeva, K. (2014). A new look: Professionalization of NGOs in Kyrgyzstan. Central Asian Survey, 33(3), 360-374. https://doi.org/10.1080/02634937.2014.953813

Belokurova, E. (2010). Civil society discourses in Russia: The influence of the European Union and the role of EU–Russia cooperation. European Integration, 32(5), 457-474. https://doi.org/10.1080/07036337.2010.498630

Bertelsmann Stiftung. (2024). BTI 2024: Kyrgyzstan — Country Report. Bertelsmann Stiftung. Retrieved from https://bti-project.org/en/reports/country-dashboard/KGZ

Bressers, D., van Twist, M.J.W., van der Steen, M.A., & Schulz, J.M. (2018). The Contested Autonomy of Policy Advisory Bodies: The Trade-off Between Autonomy and Control of Policy Advisory Bodies in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Sweden. In: Ongaro, E., Van Thiel, S. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Public Administration and Management in Europe. (pp. 1189-1211) Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-55269-3_61

Cabarasia (2016). Obshestvennye nablyudatel’nye sovety pri gosorganah Kyrgyzstana dolzhny usilivat’sya. [Public overseeing councils under state bodies of Kyrgyzstan have to strengthen] Retrieved January 23, 2026, from https://cabar.asia/ru/obshhestvennye-nablyudatelnye-sovety-ons-pri-gosorganah-kyrgyzstana-dolzhny-usilyatsya

Campos, J. E. L., & Gonzalez, J. L. (1999). Deliberation councils, government-business-citizen partnerships, and public policy-making: Cases from Singapore, Malaysia, and Canada. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 16(3), 429-448. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015468300032

Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2016). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. Fourth Edition. Sage Publications.

Davletbayeva, Zh., & Zagrebin, A. (2024). Comparative Analysis of the Effectiveness of the Institution of Public Councils in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Bulletin of L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University. Series: Historical Sciences. Philosophy. Religious Studies. L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, 149(4), 226–244. https://doi.org/10.32523/2616-7255-2024-149-4-226-244

Denzin, N. K. (2012). Triangulation 2.0. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 6(2), 80-88. https://doi.org/10.1177/1558689812437186

Evans A. (2010, April). The public chamber and social conflicts in Russia. Meeting [Meeting Paper] Western Political Science Association 2010 Annual.

Economist.kg (2024). Vlasti KR okonchatel`no uprazdnili obshhestvenny`e sovety` pri gosorganax — no nashli im al`ternativu [Kyrgyz authorities have finally abolished public councils within government agencies—but have found an "alternative" for them]. https://economist.kg/vlast/2024/01/12/vlasti-kr-uprazdnili-obshchiestviennyie-soviety-pri-ghosviedomstvakh-no-nashli-im-altiernativu/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Gandhi, J., & Przeworski, A. (2007). Authoritarian institutions and the survival of autocrats. Comparative political studies, 40(11), 1279-1301. https://doi.org/10.1177/0010414007305817

George, A. L., & Bennett, A. (2005). Case Studies and Theory Development in the Social Sciences. MIT Press.

Halligan, J. (1995). Policy Advice and the Public Service. In G. Peters & D. T. Savoie (Eds.), Governance in a changing environment (pp. 138–172). Montreal: McGillQueen’s University Press. https://doi.org/10.1515/9780773565500-008

Janenova, S., & Kurmanov, B. (2025). Open government in Central Asia: towards a more accountable and participatory government?. In Research Handbook on Open Government (pp. 193-205). Edward Elgar Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781035301652.00021

Jargalsaikhan, M. (2019). Small Islands of Democracy in an Authoritarian Sea: Explaining Mongolian and Kyrgyz Democratic Development (Doctoral dissertation, University of British Columbia).

Kasymova, J. (2013). Reforming local government in developing countries: Implementation of a participatory budgeting process in Kyrgyzstan (Doctoral dissertation, Rutgers University-Graduate School-Newark). https://doi.org/doi:10.7282/T32J69GH

Knox, C., & Janenova, S. (2018). Public councils in Kazakhstan: a case of emergent participative democracy? Central Asian Survey, 37(2), 305-321. https://doi.org/10.1080/02634937.2017.1410467

Krueger, R. A. (2014). Focus Groups: A practical guide for applied research. Sage Publications, thousand Oaks

Kurmanov, B., & Knox, C. (2024). Digital activism and authoritarian legitimation in post-Soviet Central Asia. The Information Society, 40(5), 343-360. https://doi.org/10.1080/01972243.2024.2374714

Law on public councils of state bodies of Kyrgyzstan (2014). Zakon Ky`Rgy`Zskoj Respubliki Ob obshhestvenny`x sovetax gosudarstvenny`x organov [Law of the Kyrgyz Republic on public councils of state bodies]. Retrieved February 2, 2026, from https://cbd.minjust.gov.kg/4-5065/edition/1358/ru

Li, W. (2021). Design and learning effects of China’s expert advisory committees, Policy Design and Practice, 4 (4), 465-485, https://doi.org/10.1080/25741292.2021.1915596

Li, W., & Dunlop, C. A. (2019). China’s advisory committees and expert advice for policymaking. [Conference Presentation] EGPA Conference, Belfast, U.K.

Lim, C. Y. (1998). The National Wages Council: The Politics of Consensus. In C. Y. Lim and R. Chew (Eds), Wages and Wages Policies: Tripartism in Singapore, (pp.15–27). Singapore: World Scientific Publishing.

Makulbayeva G.., Davletbayeva Zh., Dyussenov. M, & Amangeldi, Zh. (2024). Public councils of Kazakhstan. Eurasian National University Journal. Pedagogy, Psychology, Sociology series, 146(1), 450-460.

Makulbayeva, G., & Sharipova, D. (2024). Social capital and performance of public councils in Kazakhstan. Journal of Eurasian Studies, 16(2), 222-235. https://doi.org/10.1177/18793665241266260

Makulbayeva, G., & Sharipova, D. (2026). The Performance of Regional Public Councils in Kazakhstan. Europe-Asia Studies, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1080/09668136.2025.2581784

McCarthy, L. A., Stolerman, K., & Tikhomirov, A. V. (2020). Managed civil society and police oversight in Russia: Regional police–public councils. Europe-Asia Studies, 72(9), 1498-1522. https://doi.org/10.1080/09668136.2020.1832964

Morgan, D. L. (1997). Focus Groups as Qualitative Research (Vol. 16). Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks

Morgenbesser, L. (2020). The rise of sophisticated authoritarianism in Southeast Asia. Cambridge University Press.

OECD (2017). Policy Advisory Systems: Supporting Good Governance and Sound Public Decision Making, OECD Public Governance Reviews, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264283664-en.

Orlova, I. V., & Sokolova, T. D. (2017). The role and functions of public councils in enhancing effectiveness of regional state authorities. RUDN Journal of Sociology, 17(1), 124-132. https://doi.org/10.22363/2313-2272-2017-17-1-124-132

Owen, C. (2015). “Consentful contention” in a corporate state: Human rights activists and public monitoring commissions in Russia, East European Politics, 31(3), pp. 274–93. https://doi.org/10.1080/21599165.2015.1023894

Owen, C. (2016). A genealogy of kontrol’in Russia: From Leninist to neoliberal governance. Slavic Review, 75(2), 331-353. https://doi.org/10.5612/slavicreview.75.2.331

Owen, C. (2017). The Struggle for Meaning of Obshchestvennyi kontrol’ in Contemporary Russia: Civic Participation between Resistance and Compliance after the 2011–2012 Elections, Europe-Asia Studies, 69, (3). 379-400 https://doi.org/10.1080/09668136.2017.1301882

Owen, C. (2020). Participatory authoritarianism: From bureaucratic transformation to civic participation in Russia and China. Review of International Studies, 46 (4), 415-434. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0260210520000248

Owen, C., & Bindman, E. (2019). Civic participation in a hybrid regime: Limited pluralism in policy-making and delivery in contemporary Russia, Government and Opposition, 54(1), 98–120. https://doi.org/10.1017/gov.2017.13

Pateman, C. (1970). Participation and democratic theory. Cambridge University Press.

Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research and evaluation methods 3rd. ed. Sage publications

Petro, N. N. (2001). Creating social capital in Russia: The Novgorod model. World Development, 29(2), 229-244. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0305-750X(00)00101-7

Pollitt, C., & Talbot, C. (2004). Unbundled government: A Critical Analysis of the Global Trend to Agencies, Quangos and Contractualisation (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203507148

Putnam, R. D., Leonardi R., & Nanetti R.Y. (1993). Making democracy work: Civic Traditions in Modern Italy. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Richter, J. (2009a). Putin and the public chamber. Post-Soviet Affairs, 25(1), 39-65. https://doi.org/10.2747/1060-586X.24.1.39

Richter, J. (2009b), The Ministry of Civil Society? The Public Chambers in the Regions, Problems of Post-Communism, 56(6): 7–20. https://doi.org/10.2753/PPC1075-8216560602

Stuvøy, K. (2014). Power and Public Chambers in the development of civil society in Russia. Communist and Post-Communist Studies, 47(3-4), 409-419. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postcomstud.2014.10.002

Sungurov A., Dubrovsky D., Karyagin M., & Tiniakov D., (2020). Public-Consulatative Councils As A Way Of Involving Expert Knowledge In Policy Decision Process (Case Of St. Petersburg), Public administration issues, Higher School of Economics (2), pages 7-31. https://ideas.repec.org/a/nos/vgmu00/2020i2p7-31.html

UNDP (2014). Factsheet about Public Councils in Kyrgyzstan. Retrieved January 20, 2026, from https://www.undp.org/kyrgyzstan/publications/factsheet-about-public-councils-kyrgyzstan

Varieties of Democracies (2024). Country graph. Kyrgyzstan. Retrieved January 20, 2026, from https://v-dem.net/data_analysis/CountryGraph/

World Bank (2022). Voice and accountability, Kyrgyz Republic Retrieved January 20, 2026, from https://data.worldbank.org/

Yin, R. K. (2017). Case Study Research and Applications (Vol. 6). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Yuldoshev, A. (2021). The Prospects For The Formation Of Public Councils Under The Ministries In Uzbekistan. The American Journal of Political Science Law and Criminology, 3(06), 46-53. https://doi.org/10.37547/tajpslc/Volume03Issue06-07

Zheng, J., Zhou, Y., Wang, H., & Liang, X. (2010). The role of the China experts’ advisory committee on immunization program. Vaccine, 28 (1) A84-A87. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2010.02.039