A meeting of the “Human Dimension Dialogue Platform” Consultative and Advisory Body was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan under the chairmanship of Ambassador-at-Large Alua Nadirkulova, DKnews.kz reports.

The meeting focused on two key agenda items: ensuring gender equality and equal opportunities for men and women, as well as combating violence against women.

The event was attended by members of the Mazhilis of Parliament, representatives of the Human Rights Commission under the President, the National Human Rights Center (Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights), relevant government agencies (the Ministry of Culture and Information, the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, the Ministry of National Economy, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Health, etc.), Kazakhstani non-governmental organizations working in the field of women’s rights, as well as observers from international organizations, including UNDP and UN Women.

The meeting opened with a report by Lira Raisova, Deputy Chair of the Youth and Family Affairs Committee of the Ministry of Culture and Information. She emphasized Kazakhstan’s commitment to justice and inclusivity, as well as its active promotion of global initiatives to ensure gender equality. It was noted that Kazakhstan’s international partners recognize its significant contribution to the implementation of the Generation Equality Forum’s Action Coalitions and the Beijing+30 Process.

Participants were informed that Kazakhstan has undertaken significant efforts to improve national legislation in the interests of women. It was highlighted that on June 16, 2024, the Law on “Ensuring Women’s Rights and Children’s Safety” came into force, making Kazakhstan the first country in the CIS who introduced advanced measures to combat violence against women and children.

During the discussion of the first agenda item, Sayat Kenebayev, Director of the Department for Social Sector Development, Law Enforcement, and Special Agencies at the Ministry of National Economy, presented key measures to expand women’s economic rights and opportunities. These included the gradual increase of women’s representation in the governing bodies of state-owned companies to 30%. Target indicators were set to enhance female representation at decision-making levels – both in executive positions and in boards of directors. It was noted that by the end of 2024, women accounted for 48.1% of small and medium-sized business owners, demonstrating their growing contribution to the economy.

Azhary Suleimenova, a representative of the National Human Rights Center, briefed participants on a Special Report prepared by the Ombudsman’s Office on combating domestic violence. She highlighted the issue of insufficient crisis center coverage in remote regions. Strengthening interagency coordination was proposed to enable timely identification of at-risk families and provide targeted assistance. Additionally, the importance of working with offenders was emphasized – expanding and continuing correctional programs for aggressors.

During the meeting, Aselgul Alibayeva, a representative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, provided details on the implementation of new legislative measures. It was noted that the April 2024 law significantly strengthened mechanisms for protection against domestic violence. The Criminal Code was amended to reinstate liability for battery and intentional infliction of minor harm to individuals in a helpless or financially dependent situation – provisions most frequently applied in cases of domestic violence. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, at the President’s instruction, special police units for the protection of women and children from violence have been reinstated, and a new institution of female investigators for handling sexual crime cases is being introduced.

Among the new legislative measures discussed at the meeting, particular interest was drawn to the President’s initiative to introduce a separate article in the Criminal Code establishing liability for the abduction of individuals for the purpose of forced marriage (commonly known as “bride kidnapping”). The proposal to introduce this separate article was supported by the General Prosecutor’s Office, and work is currently underway with relevant government agencies to draft the necessary amendments.

Overall, the discussion took place in an open and constructive atmosphere. Representatives of government agencies and NGOs engaged in a candid exchange of views, identified existing problems, and proposed specific recommendations for their systematic resolution.

The “Human Dimension Dialogue Platform” Consultative and Advisory Body was established in 2013 at the initiative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The platform serves as an effective tool for promoting dialogue between the government and the civil sector. Various current issues of human rights protection are discussed at the platform with the participation of representatives of international organizations and diplomatic corps (UNDP, OHCHR, OSCE, and others) as observers.