April 15, 2024 - ASTANA, Kazakhstan - President Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev signed into law the Laws of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On the Implementation of Amendments and Additions to Certain Legislative Acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Ensuring the Rights of Women and the Safety of Children" and "On the Implementation of Amendments and Additions to the Code of Administrative Offences of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Ensuring the Rights of Women and the Safety of Children." These laws significantly strengthen the protection of women and children. Kazakhstan's Senate passed the laws on 11 April after the Mazhilis, the lower house of the Kazakh Parliament, approved them on 21 February. The law was the first in the CIS region to introduce new measures to protect women and children.
The laws were drafted in cooperation with the Ombudsman for Children's Rights, Members of Parliament and various government agencies in accordance with the instructions of President Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev. The law aims to improve the safety of families and children throughout Kazakhstan, with a particular focus on developing a robust infrastructure to support people in vulnerable situations and to prevent incidents of violence.
Standards have been introduced to increase accountability for all acts of violence against women and children, strengthen the institution of the family and increase the safety of minors. In particular, the intentional infliction of slight bodily harm and battery are now criminal offences. In addition, liability for intentional infliction of moderate to serious bodily harm has been strengthened.
Criminal liability is now extended to those who incite or facilitate suicide as well as those who facilitate it. Similarly, sexual harassment of persons under the age of 16 is now punishable. Penalties for abduction and unlawful deprivation of liberty of minors have been significantly strengthened, reflecting a broader commitment to the protection of young people. In addition, administrative liability for bullying of minors, including cyberbullying, has been introduced for the first time. In order to ensure the safety of children in the educational environment, educational institutions are now obliged to report without delay to law enforcement authorities any unlawful acts committed by or against minors. In addition, in order to protect children under the age of 16 on public transport, a new rule prohibiting the forcible removal of children for non-payment of fares has been introduced.
Furthermore, a legal framework was established for the operation of a contact centre dealing with family matters and the protection of women's and children's rights. State authorities must now cooperate with the Centre and inform it of their responses to citizens' complaints. Laws have also been adopted on the establishment of family support centres that provide specialised services to victims of domestic violence. New principles of matrimonial and family law have also been established to strengthen the institutions of marriage and the family, fatherhood, motherhood and childhood, as well as the principle of the spiritual and moral education of children, and to promote respect for universal, national, traditional, cultural and family values.
President Tokayev has been an active advocate of strengthening legal measures to combat domestic violence, which he again identified as one of the main social evils at the third session of the National Kurultay (Congress) in March this year. President Tokayev's instructions to toughen penalties for violence against women and children were echoed in his speeches to the people of Kazakhstan on 16 March 2022 and 1 September 2023. The President's commitment to combating this problem is reflected in the clear provisions of the new legislation, which underline the government's commitment to protecting the fundamental rights of citizens. The law represents a significant step forward in Kazakhstan's efforts to achieve social justice and protect women and children.
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