Kyrgyzstan
He/Him
2023 Cohort
Uluk Batyrgaliev is an international trainer-consultant on SRHR and media influencer in Kyrgyzstan. He is a Health Officer at ECOM — Eurasian Coalition for Health, Rights, Gender and Sexual Diversity. He is a board member of the Reproductive Health Alliance of Kyrgyzstan, Chair of the Steering Committee of YSAFE, Vice-Chair of the IPPF's Board of Trustees, Youth Focal Point in the Family Planning 2030 platform.
Exploring Pleasure, Consent, and Youth: Empowering Sexual Well-being 
Uluk Batyrgaliev is a lifelong activist and international SRHR consultant who began his journey at just 12 years old as a peer educator in Kyrgyzstan. Today, he leads global efforts for health and rights as SRHR Coordinator at ECOM and Vice-Chair of both the IPPF Board of Trustees and the Global Fund Youth Council. Uluk brings 11 years of expertise in SRHR, SOGI, CSE, family planning, and HIV, bridging advocacy, research, and policy. He also advises UNFPA, WHO, and the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, championing inclusive, rights-based health solutions for marginalized communities worldwide.
During his fellowship, Uluk launched Exploring Pleasure through Social Media to address gaps in youth sexual education in Kyrgyzstan by centering pleasure, consent, and healthy relationships. Through peer support groups and 17 short educational videos, the project engaged over 614,000 young people aged 14–25, breaking taboos and promoting rights-based sexual health education. The initiative has contributed to shifting narratives around youth sexuality and laid the groundwork for integrating the Pleasure Principles into local and regional comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) programs.
Uluk is expanding the Exploring Pleasure initiative by collaborating with NGOs to integrate the Kyrgyz and Russian versions of The Pleasure Principles into youth sexual health programs. He continues developing new video content, advocating for the inclusion of pleasure and consent within broader comprehensive sexuality education frameworks, and scaling the project across Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Additionally, Uluk serves as SRHR Coordinator at ECOM and Vice-Chair on the IPPF Board and Global Fund Youth Council, advancing youth-centered, rights-based health advocacy.
Highlights
Uluk plans on conducting a research project on exploring pleasure and consent among youth in Kyrgyzstan.
The "Exploring Pleasure through Social Media" project addressed critical gaps in youth sexual education in Kyrgyzstan by focusing on pleasure and consent—topics often neglected due to cultural taboos and legal restrictions. Through peer support groups with 25 young people aged 14–25, we identified key themes and developed 17 short educational videos. These videos tackled issues such as coercion, consent, sexual boundaries, masturbation, and the impact of pornography, and were distributed via social media platforms. The project achieved over 614,000 views, demonstrating strong youth engagement and an unmet demand for open, rights-based discussions. Despite challenges like digital harassment, restrictive laws, and personal burnout, the project created new spaces for dialogue around sexual health and pleasure. It emphasized the effectiveness of youth co-creation and social media outreach, even in conservative environments. As a major milestone, the "Pleasure Principles" were successfully translated into Kyrgyz and Russian and are now publicly available online, offering critical resources for educators and young people. Moving forward, I aim to collaborate with NGOs to integrate pleasure-positive approaches into CSE programming, expand the reach of educational content, and advocate for inclusive, rights-based sexual health education across Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
The fellowship was transformational, pushing me to challenge societal norms and advocate more boldly for youth rights to pleasure and consent-based sexual education. It strengthened my belief in the power of youth-led, rights-based approaches to sexual health. Navigating backlash and censorship only reinforced the urgency of this work. This experience shaped my leadership, fueled my commitment to inclusive education, and inspired me to scale this movement across Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
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© 2025 The Pleasure Project. All rights reserved.
The Pleasure Project is an initiative by Taking Action for Sexual Health CIC.
© 2025 The Pleasure Project.
All rights reserved.
The Pleasure Project is an initiative by Taking Action for Sexual Health CIC.
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