The Commissioner for Human Rights and the Children's Ombudsman join forces in promoting children's rights

Commissioner for Human Rights Artur Lastaev and Children's Ombudsman Aruzhan Sain held a meeting via videoconference, where they discussed the current state of protection of children's rights in Kazakhstan. The meeting identified priority areas and the format of the upcoming joint work.

Lastayev stressed the importance of Kazakhstan signing the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which makes it possible to file complaints about violations of the rights of minors with the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. He also highlighted innovations in protecting children from violence, preventing suicide in adolescence, ensuring their rights and well-being within the framework of the developed Comprehensive Plan for 2023-2025.

The Children's Ombudsman expressed concern about the lack of investment in medical diagnostics that identifies pathologies at a very early age, which may later lead to futile efforts to treat serious diagnoses and obstacles to socialization. The Ombudsman of the Sain also reported that she receives systematic signals about violations of the rights of pupils of residential institutions.

In turn, Ombudsman Lastaev proposed to use the potential and resources of regional representative offices more actively to ensure timely response to incoming signals. He also expressed readiness to consider and resolve the issue of including representatives of the Children's Ombudsman in the NPM for monitoring visits to organizations performing functions for the protection of children's rights as soon as possible.

During the conversation, the parties reached an understanding on the need to combine efforts in ensuring the protection and promotion of children's rights in Kazakhstan.