Skip links
"The difficult is what takes a little time, the impossible is what takes a little longer."
Fridtjof Wedel-Jarlsberg Nansen

Who we are

Ferghana Valley Lawyers Without Borders (FVLWB) is a non-profit, non-political, non-governmental organization, established to consolidate professional lawyers for human rights and freedoms, promote democracy and the rule of law.
Our mission:
Human Rights Lawyers Dedicated to Empowering Vulnerable Peoples
Learn about our mission, activities, history and partners

Our impact in numbers

65,000+

Assisted over 65,000 people with various legal issues.

14,300+

Helped well over 14,300 people gain legal identity, nationality, and civil documents.

2,800+

Among them, over 2,800 children now enjoy all rights and freedoms.

What we do

UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award

“This year’s Nansen Award … shows to the stateless people all over the world that their voices are heard. For them, this award is a symbol of hope.” – Azizbek Ashurov

Azizbek Ashurov, FVLWB Executive Director, was honored with the prestigious 2019 UN Refugee Agency’s Nansen Refugee Award for his efforts in making Kyrgyzstan the first country in the world to end statelessness.

Through FVLWB, Azizbek Ashurov has helped over 10,000 individuals gain Kyrgyz nationality after becoming stateless following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Among these, approximately 2,000 children now have the right to education, as well as the freedom to travel, marry, and work.

Our stories

Our Stories

From Citizenship Limbo to Academic Dreams

For 16-year-old Izatullo Mukhtarjanov, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to study in the United States was jeopardized when his passport application was rejected due to a loophole in citizenship legislation.

Learn More
Our Stories

From Citizenship Limbo to Academic Dreams

Our Stories

From Statelessness to Belonging

In 1989, Ekaterina made the journey from Kazakhstan to Kyrgyzstan with hopes of a new beginning. Little did she know, this move would set off a 34-year struggle against statelessness for herself, her daughters, and her granddaughter.

Learn more
Our Stories

From Statelessness to Belonging

Our Stories

Returning Home

Idimo and Nabizhan, sister and brother, are ethnic Kyrgyz living in Tajikistan. Now in their forties, they were teenagers when their parents first spoke about moving to the Kyrgyz Republic.

Learn more
Our Stories

Returning Home

The Central Asian network on statelessness

FVLWB is a co-founder and host organization of the Central Asian Network of Statelessness (CANS), established in 2016 to enhance regional cooperation in reducing statelessness in Central Asia.

The Central Asian network On statelessness

FVLWB is a co-founder and host organization of the Central Asian Network of Statelessness (CANS), established in 2016 to enhance regional cooperation in reducing statelessness in Central Asia.