Issues of equality and non-discrimination of citizens, as well as their right to participate in the management of state were discussed at dialogue platform at Kazakhstan's Foreign Ministry

Astana, March 17, 2023 – The rights of citizens to equality, non-discrimination, and participation in government were examined at a meeting of the Human Dimension Dialogue Platform, Consultative and Advisory Body under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan. 

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Roman Vassilenko in his opening remarks noted the importance of the upcoming elections to maslikhats of all levels and the Mazhilis of the Parliament of Kazakhstan, emphasizing their importance in the context of unprecedented political reforms initiated by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Vassilenko called on all participants of the meeting to vote in the elections and make their choice in the direction of building a New and Fair Kazakhstan. 

Madiyar Kozhakhmet, Chairman of the Committee on Civil Society Affairs of the Ministry of Information and Public Development, was the speaker of the state bodies at the meeting of the dialogue platform. 

The speaker gave detailed reports on improvement of legislation in the spheres of freedom of religion and rights of national minorities in Kazakhstan. He also noted that the constitutional right of citizens to participate in the management of state affairs is achieved through the processes and mechanisms of public control. 

Yevgeniy Zhovtis, Director of the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law (KIBHR), and Venera Shaidulina, expert of the Kadir Kasiet NGO spoke on behalf of civil society. In his speech, the head of KIBHR made a broad overview of the problem of discrimination in terms of national legislation, voiced the best international experience and specific proposals on this topic. The expert of the Kadir Kasiet NGO devoted her report to the review of the situation regarding the participation of women in the management of state affairs. The expert proposed to create a separate court on women's rights. Many representatives of NGOs supported this proposal. 

Representatives of civil society and government agencies took an active part in the subsequent discussion, which was held in an open and constructive atmosphere. During the discussion of the items on the agenda, the participants voiced valuable suggestions and recommendations for further improvement of the work of government agencies in the social sphere. 

Also, the civil sector suggested publishing a register of all non-governmental organizations and media outlets that receive funds from the state budget.

The meeting was attended by members of the Senate of the Parliament, the Secretary of the Human Rights Commission under the President of Kazakhstan, the Ombudsman for Children's Rights, representatives of the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court, relevant ministries and agencies, Kazakhstan’s human rights and youth NGOs. The representatives of international partners, including OSCE, UNDP, USAID, as well as the embassies of Tajikistan, the Netherlands and Germany in Astana, attended the meeting as guests.