Kazakhstan Showcases Democratic Advancements and Human Rights Advancements During UN Universal Periodic Review in Geneva
Kazakhstan shared details of its democratic transformations and human rights reforms during the 48th session of the UN Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on January 22. The session, scheduled for Jan. 23, will focus on Kazakhstan's human rights obligations.
The UPR, established by the UN General Assembly in March 2006, is a unique mechanism that calls for peer review of all member states' human rights situation every 4.5 years.
During the session, Kazakhstan emphasised key thematic areas related to democratic transformation and human rights improvements. These included:
- Gender Equality: The country highlighted its commitment to enhancing women's rights and eliminating discrimination. Specific reforms were not detailed, but typically involve legal reforms, policy measures, and institutional initiatives aimed at equal participation opportunities for women and men.
- Parliament Representation: Kazakhstan pointed to reforms aimed at increasing the representation and participation of various groups within Parliament, likely emphasising more inclusive and democratic legislative processes. The exact measures were not specified, but such reforms usually involve efforts to increase seats or influence for women and marginalised groups in parliamentary structures.
- Children’s Rights: Kazakhstan reported advances in protecting children's rights as part of its human rights agenda. This typically involves legal protections against abuse, improved access to education and health services, and child-friendly legal procedures.
The session will result in a report on the human rights situation in Kazakhstan, which will be presented by the UN Human Rights Council. Representatives of 40 UN member states and international non-governmental organisations accredited in Geneva attended the event.
The UN Geneva audience expressed interest in learning from Kazakhstan's experience, particularly on gender equality, the role of Parliament in ensuring human rights, and the accountability of the government and national human rights institutions.
Kazakh officials highlighted the adoption of legislative measures to combat domestic violence, promote gender equality, and ensure inclusion in all spheres of life, including representation of women in public service.
Other notable initiatives mentioned included the development of a professional standard on social work and other social professions in 2023, in collaboration with the Kazakh Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population. An online training course for over 30,000 people with disabilities was cited as a concrete example of the National Association of Social Workers' work.
The country's efforts to ensure a safe, educational process for children were also noted, including 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 program in Kazakhstan.
The Kazakh Commissioner for Children's Rights Dinara Zakiyeva pointed out the measures taken by the state to strengthen the mandate of the commissioner to protect children from bullying, suicide, sexual violence, and early marriage.
Dinara Yessimova, a civil sector representative, discussed the National Association of Social Workers of Kazakhstan's role in guaranteeing human rights and supporting socio-economic development.
The Universal Periodic Review is designed to stimulate, support, and enhance the promotion and protection of human rights in every country. The UN Human Rights Council will present a report on the human rights situation in Kazakhstan, which will include the recommendations of UN member states.
- Kazakhstan's emphasis on gender equality during the UPR discussion involved commitments to enhancing women's rights and eliminating discrimination, often entailing legislative reforms, policy measures, and institutional initiatives for equal opportunities in participation.
- In the context of parliament representation, Kazakhstan revealed reforms aimed at increasing participation and representation of various groups within Parliament, usually signifying more inclusive and democratic legislative processes.
- The protection of children's rights is part of Kazakhstan's human rights agenda, which typically includes efforts to provide legal protections against abuse, improve access to education and health services, and establish child-friendly legal procedures.
- The online training course developed for over 30,000 people with disabilities is a concrete example of the National Association of Social Workers' work in education and self-development, contributing to the general-news discourse on accessibility and inclusion.
- Kazakh officials engaged in policy-and-legislation discussions regarding the adoption of legislative measures to combat domestic violence, promote gender equality, and ensure inclusion across various sectors, particularly in public services (womens-health, mental-health, and personal-growth sectors).
