ASTANA – UN member states expressed their support for Kazakhstan’s ambitious reforms and welcomed its concrete actions to strengthen fundamental human rights and freedoms during a dialogue at the 48th session of the Working Group of the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review on Jan. 23 in Geneva.
Kazakhstan’s delegation, headed by Minister of Justice Yerlan Sarsembayev, presents the country’s fourth report on human rights obligations and previous review recommendations and Kazakh Deputy Foreign Minister Vassilenko highlighted Kazakhstan’s collaboration with UN human rights mechanisms.Photo credit: MFA
According to the Foreign Ministry’s press service, Kazakhstan’s delegation, led by Minister of Justice Yerlan Sarsembayev, presented the country’s fourth report on fulfilling human rights obligations and recommendations of the previous review.
The international community commended legislative progress in combating domestic violence, ensuring children’s safety, strengthening the mandate of the Human Rights Commissioner and the National Preventive Mechanism, and protecting the population, particularly in the most vulnerable situations.
The UN acknowledged the abolition of the death penalty, the adoption of the Action Plan on Human Rights and the Rule of Law on Dec. 8, 2023, and Kazakhstan’s contribution during its 2022-2024 membership in the UN Human Rights Council.
Kazakhstan’s delegation emphasized the significance of comprehensive reforms undertaken by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in promoting human rights and the rule of law, eliminating torture and ill-treatment, advocating for peaceful assembly and freedom of association, ensuring press freedom, and combating human trafficking and domestic violence.
Kazakh Deputy Foreign Minister Roman Vassilenko shared the country’s experience cooperating with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council, and UN treaty bodies.
He focused on an inter-agency mechanism established by Tokayev’s Decree to address inquiries from UN rapporteurs and treaty bodies on individual communications. He noted Kazakhstan’s technical cooperation with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to strengthen its system.
Vassilenko also emphasized the role of the Human Dimension Dialogue Platform, a consultative and advisory body facilitating dialogue between the government and civil society, which has led to the adoption of three human rights action plans and several legal acts related to a wide range of Kazakhstan’s political and social issues.
More than 100 UN member-state delegations participated in the review, reflecting a genuine interest in an open and constructive dialogue with Kazakhstan.
