Kazakhstan’s gender policy in the spotlight of the international community

Kazakhstan’s gender policy in the spotlight of the international community

Geneva, October 22, 2024 – Beijing+30 Regional Review meeting for UNECE member countries took place in Geneva, co-chaired by Kazakhstan and Spain. This meeting marked a significant milestone as the international community prepares to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women and the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995), and contributed to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, assessing progress in gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.

The meeting was attended by Ministers, Vice Ministers and other high-level delegates from the 56 member states of UNECE, as well as heads of international organizations, including Ms. Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, Deputy Executive Director of UN Women, Ms. Tatiana Molcean, Executive Secretary of UNECE, and Mr. Martin Chungong, Secretary-General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and Chair of the International Gender Champions Global Board.

Delivering a statement at the General segment, Kazakhstan’s Permanent Representative Mr. Yerlan Alimbayev outlined the significant steps Kazakhstan has taken in advancing gender equality as part of its comprehensive political and democratic reforms. These include: a 60% reduction in the gender inequality index; introduction of a 30% quota for women and youth, including women with disabilities, in Parliament; and increased female leadership in state governance. The Kazakh diplomat reflected on the progress in such areas as women entrepreneurship and innovation, and closing the gender gap in technology.

Ambassador Alimbayev further highlighted Kazakhstan’s efforts to address gender-based violence: as a dedicated partner in the UN-EU “Spotlight” initiative, Kazakhstan also launched the Central Asian Alliance to End Gender-Based Violence, benefiting thousands of women and girls across the region.

Mrs. Lyazzat Kaltayeva, Advisor to the Speaker of the Senate of the Parliament and Chair of the Inclusion Council under the Senate of the Parliament of Kazakhstan, in her role as a co-chair, played an important part in ensuring the meeting's success. Together with her co-chair, she presented the summary of the discussions, capturing the key insights and outcomes of the meeting. She also ensured that the meeting proceeded smoothly, fostering a balanced and inclusive environment where diverse perspectives were acknowledged.

​​In her statement at the thematic session on ending violence against women and girls, Lyazzat Kaltayeva highlighted Kazakhstan's commitment to tackling this issue both nationally and globally. The country has enacted laws criminalizing domestic violence and played a key role in the UN Human Rights Council's unanimous adoption in October 2024 of a resolution on eliminating domestic violence globally.

Additionally, Lyazzat Kaltayeva held bilateral meetings with the heads of delegations from Austria, Armenia, the Netherlands, France, Spain, the USA, and UN Women, further strengthening Kazakhstan's commitment to international collaboration on gender equality.

As part of the regional review process, Kazakhstan has submitted its national implementation report on the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. The outcomes of the review in the UNECE region will be presented at the global review in March 2025 in New York.