ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s parliamentary system development foundation suggested adoption at the legislative level of a provision on a sufficient quality of life for Kazakhstan residents, its components, and evaluation standards during a Dec. 9 meeting of the subgroup on the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights under the Advisory Body – Dialogue Platform on the Human Dimension held at the Kazakh Foreign Ministry.
The platform serves as an effective tool for facilitating dialogue between the government and civil society. Photo credit: Kazakh Foreign Ministry
Zauresh Battalova, president of the foundation, presented an alternative report prepared by a Coalition of Kazakh Non-Governmental Human Rights Organizations within the framework of the fourth cycle of the Universal Periodic Review. The report addresses topics on ensuring economic, social, and cultural rights and the right to education, reported the ministry’s press service.
During the meeting, First Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Population Akmadi Sarbasov made a report on the implementation of the recommendations following the protection of the Second National Report of Kazakhstan on the implementation of the UN International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in 2019.
As part of the implementation of the recommendations, the Social Code was adopted, providing for a number of measures and norms reflected in the recommendations of the UN Committee, the Concept of Migration Policy until 2027, the Concept of Safe Work in Kazakhstan for 2024-2030, as well as the National Plan to ensure the rights and improve the quality of life of persons with disabilities in Kazakhstan until 2025.
Overall, the discussion of the agenda was open and constructive. Representatives of government agencies and NGOs discussed challenging areas and proposed practical recommendations for the systematic improvement of the economic, social and cultural rights of citizens of Kazakhstan.
The event, co-chaired by Ambassador-at-Large of the Foreign Ministry Alua Nadirkulova and Sarbasov, was attended by the deputy chairman of the Commission on Human Rights under the President of Kazakhstan, deputies of the Mazhilis, the lower house of the Kazakh Parliament, representatives of interested ministries, Kazakh human rights NGOs, as well as guests of the site – representatives of the United Nations Development Program, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Representative Office of the European Union in Kazakhstan.
The Dialogue Platform on the Human Dimension was established in 2013 at the initiative of the Foreign Ministry. The platform serves as an effective tool for facilitating dialogue between the government and civil society. Various pressing human rights topics are discussed on the platform, with the participation of international organizations such as UNDP, OHCHR, OSCE and others as observers.
