WNAM REPORT: On the margins of the 48th session of the Working Group of the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review, the delegation of Kazakhstan informed the international human rights community about the democratic transformation in the country with a focus on political and social reforms.
Representatives of 40 UN member states and international non-governmental organizations accredited in Geneva attended the event. The key speakers of the respective side-event were the members of the Majilis of the Parliament of Kazakhstan – Bolatbek Nazhmetdiinuly, Seitzhan Kenzhegul, and Yulia Kuchinskaya, Commissioner for Children’s Rights Dinara Zakieva and a representative of the civil sector Dinara Yessimova. Lyazzat Kaltaeva, advisor to the Speaker of the Senate of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Kazakh parliamentarians highlighted the adoption of legislative measures to combat domestic violence, promote gender equality and inclusion in all spheres of life, including the representation of women in public service.
Particular attention was paid to the issue of expanding the mandate of the Majilis, the introduction of a 30 per cent quota for women, youth and persons with disabilities in the Parliament of Kazakhstan, which ensures a wider and more diverse representation in the legislative process.
Dinara Zakiyeva pointed out the measures taken by the state to strengthen the mandate of the Commissioner for Children’s Rights, to protect children from bullying and suicide, sexual violence and early marriage. The Commissioner also noted the country’s efforts to ensure a safe educational process for children, in particular, the introduction of courses in schools related to personal safety at home, on the street, at school and on the Internet, and the launch of an anti-bullying programme in Kazakhstan.
Dinara Yessimova shared information about the important contribution of the National Association of Social Workers of Kazakhstan in ensuring human rights, promoting socio-economic development of the country in light of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. As concrete examples of work, the speaker cited the professional standard “Social work and other social professions” developed in 2023 in cooperation with the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Population of the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as an online training course for more than 30,000 people with disabilities.
The UN Geneva audience expressed interest in learning from Kazakhstan’s experience, in particular on gender equality, the role of Parliament in ensuring human rights and freedoms, especially for the most vulnerable groups, and the accountability of the Government and national human rights institutions to the people’s elected representatives.
The session of the Universal Periodic Review Working Group to discuss Kazakhstan’s fulfilment of its human rights obligations, will take place on 23 January 2025. As a result, the United Nations Human Rights Council will present a report on the human rights situation in our country, which will also include the recommendations of UN Member States.
The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a unique mechanism of the UN Human Rights Council that calls on all Member States to undergo a peer review of their human rights situation every four and a half years.
Established in March 2006 by UN General Assembly resolution 60/251, the Universal Periodic Review is designed to stimulate, support and enhance the promotion and protection of human rights in every country.
It is worth reminding the EU is set to step up the human rights dialogue with Kazakhstan.
