EU project contributed to promoting human rights in South Kazakhstan

On April 27, 2017, Eurasia Foundation of Central Asia (EFCA) held the closing conference and a press conference presenting the results of the “Empowering South Kazakhstan CSOs to promote human rights reforms” project, implemented with financial support of the European Commission in the amount EUR 294,975. The project was implemented during March 2015-April 2017. 

The conference was attended by representatives of the EU Delegation to Kazakhstan, the EFCA, the project partners, NGO participants and government authorities. Participants had an opportunity to discuss the main results of the mini-projects, implemented by participating NGOs, the mentorship program outcomes, as well as the cooperation perspectives in the field of human rights and access to justice with government bodies at local and regional levels.

The project aimed at empowering the network of South Kazakhstan human rights organizations to promote recognition of human rights freedoms and improved access to services for vulnerable groups. The location of the action covered four regions of Kazakhstan – Almaty, South Kazakhstan, Kyzylorda and Zhambyl oblasts. The project was implemented in partnership with the Public Foundation “Association of Women with Disabilities “Shyrak”, Public Foundation "Taldykorgan Human Rights Center", and Legal Center for Women’s Initiatives "Sana Sezim".

Within the project, South Kazakhstan NGOs participated in the thematic human rights trainings and community advocacy workshops designed for CSO network members. 17 participating NGOs implemented their mini-projects, as a result of which more than 2500 representatives of vulnerable groups have received legal consultations, thus increasing their legal literacy. Also regional NGOs gained an opportunity to strengthen their lobbying power at local and republican levels with regard to the vulnerable groups’ rights. Moreover, as a result of the project, the capacity of the CSOs network members to effectively assist vulnerable groups in their local community has considerably increased, as increased the state support for human rights protection by NGOs.  

"Speaking of the project effectiveness, it is worth to note that it mainly covered rural NGOs and was aimed at conducting advocacy campaigns, through which some organizations managed to influence certain amount of so-called ‘socially irreversible decisions.’ Many organizations have reached a new level of development, thus increasing considerably their potential. NGO-participants became recognizable, moreover, state authorities now acknowledge them as their full partners," said Lyazzat Kaltayeva, the project mentor, Deputy of Maslikhat of Almaty city, Advisor to the Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the RK, Chair of the PA “Shyrak’ Association of Women With Disabilities".