The European Union funded project “Coordinated Civil Society Action to Promote the Rule of Law for All” was presented on April 11, 2024 in Astana. Representatives of government agencies, civil society, lawyers, journalists, research institutions and international organizations attended the event.

“Rule of law is a key condition for the functioning of a society and a state. The respect of rule of law is essential for the trust of individuals in state institutions and for the transparent development of the economy. Kazakhstan has made reforms in this area in the past years and the European Union would like to support civil society to promote the rule of law further” – Mr. Johannes Baur, Head of Cooperation of the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Kazakhstan, noted in his speech.

The project “Coordinated Civil Society Action to Promote the Rule of Law for All” responds to the need to support and strengthen the role of civil society in overseeing the rule of law and justice reform processes currently underway in Kazakhstan. Project activities will focus on active engagement with government stakeholders to promote human rights-oriented reforms that take into account the rights of women, youth and other vulnerable groups, and their effective implementation in practice.

The project includes many initiatives, including the establishment of a Rule of Law Academy, a Rule of Law Platform to improve coordination and information sharing, and supportive measures to monitor the rule of law and criminal justice throughout Kazakhstan. In addition, the project will promote annual national rule of law forums.

The project implemented by the Public Foundation “Legal Policy Research Centre” (LPRC) and the International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) with the financial support of the European Union is designed for 3 years – from the beginning of 2024 to the end of 2026 and aims to increase the capacity of civil society to support the rule of law and respond to challenges in the criminal justice system in Kazakhstan. The total budget of the project is EUR 777,895. The contribution of the European Union is 739,000 Euros.

For more information, contact LPRC coordinator Olga Miroshnichenko at +77017444429 or e-mail omiroshnichenko@hotmail.com.