The protection of human rights and freedoms took centre stage at an international conference in Astana marking Republic Day. Participants also discussed guarantees enshrined in Kazakhstan’s new Constitution, including personal data protection and digital security. Particular attention was paid to access to qualified legal assistance, the protection of human dignity and personal inviolability. Experts also explored ways to improve legislation and strengthen social justice. Discussions also addressed the implementation of the «State for the People» principle in everyday life.
«The new Constitution has recently come into force, and it is based on a human-centred approach. This means that people, their rights and their dignity must guide all actions, programmes and activities of the authorities. This principle is enshrined in international law, particularly in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenants on Civil and Political Rights and on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,» said Alexey Rogov, head of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana.
Conference participants noted that the work of the Kazakhstan Khalyk Kenesi (People’s Council) will build on the concept of the «Listening State». The council aims to strengthen dialogue between the public and the authorities. A digital platform is expected to be launched soon, allowing Kazakh citizens to propose initiatives related to domestic policy and the work of government agencies.
«We collect initiatives directly from citizens and organise them ourselves. We then either formalise them as legislative initiatives and submit them to the Kurultai, or work with local executive bodies and central government agencies to address the issues raised by citizens promptly. Essentially, this is what a human-centred approach is all about,» said Zhandos Aktayev, member of the Kazakhstan Khalyk Kenesi, chairman of the Esti Bol Qory public foundation.
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