Kazakhstan marked International Human Rights Day on December 10 by reaffirming its commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and expressing support for this year’s theme, “Our Everyday Essentials,” announced by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk. The theme highlights the idea that human rights are rooted in everyday life – in access to justice, public services, safety, equality, and the ability to participate fully in society.
This year, Kazakhstan continued the implementation of a broad programme of political, legal and institutional reforms launched in recent years. These reforms aim to make fundamental rights more accessible in practice and strengthen the systems that protect them. While global reports describe a deteriorating human rights environment in many regions, Kazakhstan has sought to move in the opposite direction: expanding civic participation, improving protections for vulnerable groups, and increasing transparency and accountability across public institutions.
Several initiatives advanced in recent years have focused on ensuring that rights are better safeguarded in daily life. The country continued to strengthen its legal framework on the protection of women and children, following the adoption of legislation criminalising domestic violence and introducing clear liability for battery and light bodily harm. Additional amendments established penalties for stalking, harassment and forced marriage. Penalties for crimes against children were further reinforced, and support systems, including crisis centres and inclusive education programmes, continued to expand.
Kazakhstan has also strengthened national mechanisms for preventing torture and ill-treatment. Over the past two years, the number of reported cases has declined, reflecting structural reforms such as expanded unannounced inspections of detention facilities, installation of video surveillance and electronic complaint systems, and the establishment of a Compensation Fund for victims. The Constitutional Court and the Human Rights Ombudsperson continued to play a growing role, offering citizens direct avenues to raise concerns and seek redress.
Digitalisation remains a core part of Kazakhstan’s approach to strengthening rights and public services. The country ranks 24th globally in the UN E-Government Development Index, with more than 1,300 services available online and used by over 10 million people. Platforms such as e-Otinish, the Open Budgets Portal and the Open Legal Acts Portal allow citizens to submit appeals, track government decisions and participate in consultations on draft legislation. These tools have helped expand transparency and make basic services more accessible, particularly for people living outside major cities.
International engagement has also progressed. Kazakhstan presented national reports to the UN Human Rights Committee under the ICCPR and to the Human Rights Council under the Universal Periodic Review, where experts acknowledged progress on issues such as gender equality, political participation and the abolition of the death penalty. The opening of the UN SDG Centre for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty, with the participation of UN Secretary-General António Guterres, highlighted the country’s growing role as a regional hub for sustainable development and cooperation with multilateral institutions.
Dialogue with civil society continues through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ “Dialogue Platform on the Human Dimension,” which brings together government institutions, national and international NGOs, oversight bodies and human rights institutions to discuss policy implementation and emerging challenges.
Marking Human Rights Day, Kazakhstan reaffirmed that it will continue strengthening legal protections, improving oversight mechanisms and expanding access to public services, with the goal of making human rights a practical reality for all citizens in their daily lives.
