Russia: Patriarch and others seek restrictions on abortions

Patriarch Kirill believes women are emotionally unstable and should be banned from having abortions without their husband’s consent   29.01.2026   Article published on the Moscow Times website   Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia has proposed a legal ban on married women having abortions without their husbands’ consent.   During a speech at …

Ukraine: how medics coping during extended power outages

How hospitals and emergency services in Ukraine are coping during extended power outages   22.01.2026   Article published on the moz.gov.ua   Ukraine’s Minister of Health, Viktor Lyashko, has paid a working visit to the Sumy region  to assess the readiness of regional leaders and medical facilities to operate amid ongoing energy difficulties and to …

Turkmenistan: An analysis of the UNICEF “Generation 2050” report findings

Published by Progres (progres.online)   21/01/2026 The UNICEF report, titled “Generation 2050 in Central Asia”, provides a comprehensive demographic analysis of the five Central Asian nations from 2025 to 2050. It examines the evolving population structure of children and youth to quantify the potential for a “demographic dividend” created by a rising share of working-age individuals …

Russia introduces mandatory HPV testing for young women

HPV testing to be included in the first stage of free medical check-ups for women aged between 21 and 49   21.01.2026   Article published on the ASI website   Quoting an official document, TASS are reporting that testing for the high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) is now included in a reproductive health-screening programme and covered …

Older Russians expect state to provide, help, younger Russians look to NGOs

Only 17% of Russians living in difficult situations look to non-governmental organisations for help, says VCIOM The majority of survey participants believed that in difficult times, assistance should come primarily from the state. 12.01.2026   Article published on the ASI website.   On 12 January 2026, VCIOM (the Russian Public Opinion Research Centre) published the …

Impact of law on foreign representatives on civil society in Kyrgyzstan

How the law on foreign representatives has impacted civil society in Kyrgyzstan   30.12.2025   Article published on the rus.azattyq.org website   In Kyrgyzstan, the law on foreign representatives, analogous to Russia’s foreign agents’ legislation, has already had a major impact on civil society. It was adopted eighteen months ago, according to the Office of …

Russia: manual on dealing with stress and mental health for CSOs

A second handbook on psychological practices for cultural workers and CSOs has been published   26.12.2025   Article published on the ASI website   The Museums of the Russian North programme has released its second handbook of psychological practices: Texts, Practices and Meditations for Work and Life.   The guidance is intended for museum employees, …

New social assistance programme for refugees in Armenia

Refugees from Artsakh to be offered a new social assistance programme in Armenia   25.12.2025   Article published on the arka.am website   The Armenian Government has just approved a new social assistance programme for certain categories of internally displaced people from Nagorno-Karabakh.   According to Arsen Torosyan, Armenia’s Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, …