Inclusive Education and Support for Persons with Disabilities Discussed at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan

Inclusive Education and Support for Persons with Disabilities Discussed at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan

Astana, July 4, 2025 – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan hosted a regular meeting of the Consultative and Advisory Body “Dialogue Platform on the Human Dimension”. The event was attended by the Deputy Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission under the President of Kazakhstan, representatives of the National Center for Human Rights, relevant ministries, Kazakhstani human rights defenders, civil society representatives, as well as guests from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the United Nations Development Programme.

In her opening remarks, Ambassador-at-Large of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, Alua Nadirkulova, emphasized that Kazakhstan is taking consistent steps to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy. The principle of “Leaving no one behind” lies at the core of the policy for building a Just Kazakhstan, as outlined by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in his State-of-the-Nation Address on September 1, 2022. In December 2024, Kazakhstan adopted the Inclusive Policy Concept for 2025-2030, aimed at combating discrimination and ensuring the full participation of persons with disabilities in all spheres of life.

Ambassador Nadirkulova also noted Kazakhstan’s efforts to strengthen its legal framework: the country ratified the Optional Protocols to the UN Conventions on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Rights of the Child, and acceded to the Marrakesh Treaty. In 2023, the Office of the Commissioner for the Rights of Socially Vulnerable Population Groups under the President of Kazakhstan was established.

Concerning inclusive education, the Commissioner for the Rights of Socially Vulnerable Population Groups under the President of Kazakhstan and Deputy of the Mazhilis of Parliament, Kenzhegul Seitzhan, emphasized the need to strengthen the practical training of specialists in the field of inclusive education, to improve the work of Psychological-Medical-Pedagogical Commissions (PMPCs), and introduce robust performance indicators to assess the effectiveness of inclusive policy implementation.

Particular attention was given to the role of the education system. Deputy Chairperson of the Committee for Higher and Postgraduate Education of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Kazakhstan, Gulzhan Zharassova, stated that as of 2025, inclusive education is ensured in 70% of preschool, 90% of general secondary, and 81% of technical and vocational institutions.

During the discussion of the role of social workers in the lives of persons with disabilities (including women, children, and the elderly), Executive Director of the RPA “NAPSW,” Dinara Yesimova, emphasized the need to adopt a separate Law on Social Work, which would define the fundamental principles and approaches to organizing and developing the social services sector, as well as the legal status of social workers, taking into account international best practices. She noted that social work has a comprehensive impact on the achievement of all SDGs.

Overall, the meeting was held in an open and constructive manner. Participants had the opportunity to exchange views on further strengthening human rights protection mechanisms in the country.

For reference: The Human Dimension Dialogue Platform was established in 2013 at the initiative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The platform serves as an effective mechanism for fostering dialogue between the state and civil society. It provides a space for discussing pressing human rights issues, with the participation of observers from international organizations.