LocationsHuman rights issues discussed at conference in Astana
December 10, 2024
A conference entitled "Protection of Human Rights in the Republic of Kazakhstan: Challenges and Prospects" took place today in Astana and was organised by the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights together with the United Nations Development Programme in Kazakhstan, the Human Rights Commission under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Prosecutor General's Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
The aim of the conference is to strengthen the involvement of governmental and non-governmental structures in human rights work and to consolidate efforts to prevent human and civil rights violations.
At the opening of the conference, Human Rights Commissioner Artur Lastaev emphasised that the field of human rights requires constant interaction between state authorities, civil society and international structures. He emphasised the importance of dialogue for the development of effective solutions to protect human rights and prevent human rights violations.
"I would like today's event to be another step towards further strengthening our cooperation and uniting joint efforts. I am sure that during this conference we will find new ideas that will serve to further strengthen the human rights policy of Kazakhstan and promote the values of human rights,"said the Ombudsman in his speech.
One of the main agenda points of the event was the discussion on the implementation of the Action Plan for Human Rights and the Rule of Law, approved by the Head of State in 2023.
The participants of the conference dealt with the most important stages in the implementation of the plan to protect civil liberties, improve access to justice, ensure transparency in the work of state bodies and strengthen democratic institutions. Particular attention was also paid to improving the effectiveness of mechanisms for the protection of human rights, including the development of a legal culture.
"For over 20 years the UNDP has been supporting the rule of law initiatives of the government. We have been witnessing transformations in judicial and law enforcement systems, enhancement of bar associations and national human rights institution, greater engagement of civil society in monitoring effectiveness of law enforcement and judiciary”,said Katarzyna Wawiernia, UNDP Resident Representative in Kazakhstan.
The conference included several thematic sections, such as "Combating discrimination", "Prevention of torture and ill-treatment", "Women serving sentences, prevention of sexual and gender-based violence in closed institutions", "Medical support for persons in closed social and criminal justice institutions" and "Transposition of international standards into national legislation".
In the sections, experts presented the results of research on the topics of the same name and reported on the recommendations developed on the basis of the work results.
Particular attention was paid to the need to strengthen the institutional framework for the prevention of torture and discrimination, including the extension of the powers of the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) and the introduction of amendments and additions to some points of legislation. Initiatives have also been taken to establish comprehensive rehabilitation programmes for women who have served their sentences.
Based on the data presented, the participants in the sections formulated recommendations that will be used in the development of practical measures to improve the human rights situation.
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