In the 'Nakta' podcast, Mairam Akaeva, former chair of the 'Meerim' International Charitable Foundation for the Support of Childhood and Motherhood, spoke about the establishment of the First Lady institution in the republic. According to her, at the beginning of this journey, there were no ready-made rules or an understanding of the specifics of this role in the country.
Lack of protocol and experience
Akaeva noted that in those years, Kyrgyzstan had no established protocol or role models like those that exist in developed countries. She compared that period to an infant's first steps, emphasizing that terms like 'PR' or 'image' were not even used in the lexicon back then.
"We had no experience; we ourselves did not know much. Moreover, there was no such role as First Lady before, no protocol, no example. We were like infants who had to take their first steps."
To perform tasks under conditions of uncertainty, Akaeva utilized her previous experience. She mentioned the skills that helped her in her public activities:
- delivering lectures
- communicating with students
- participating in conferences
- exchanging views with scientists
Unlike Western countries, where First Ladies have dedicated secretariats and clearly defined rules, the status in Kyrgyzstan was formed through practice and learning from personal experience.
