Within the framework of the CoE-EU Joint Programme “Support to Kazakh authorities in improving the quality and efficiency of the Kazakh justice system”, in co-operation with the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Republic of Kazakhstan and the OHCHR Regional Office for Central Asia, a conference on the role of the Ombudsman (human rights institution) in the modernising society was held on 28 and 29 June 2016 in Astana, Kazakhstan.
Two-day discussions were particularly focused on the co-operation between national human rights institutions and state bodies, civil society and international organisations, as well as priority areas for such co-operation. Among moderators and keynote speakers of thematic sessions were high profile representatives of Kazakh national human rights institutions, the Constitutional Council, the Parliament, the President’s Administration, the General Prosecutor’s office, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, NGOs, scholars, CoE, EU, OSCE and UNICEF.
The event was also attended by representatives of the human rights institutions from Croatia, Germany, Mongolia and Slovakia who shared good practices and challenges they face. As the result of the two-day work, main national stakeholders recognised an urgent need to reform the institute of the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Republic of Kazakhstan bringing it closer in line with the Paris Principles. They expressed their commitment to start working on legislative amendments and support the adoption of a Law which will regulate the role, status and mandate of the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Republic of Kazakhstan.
