On 28 August – 12 September 2020, the European Union project held a series of online seminars on international human rights mechanisms for the protection of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers for 44 Kazakh defense lawyers and human rights defenders of NGOs. The event was of particular importance given the impact of COVID-19 on migration processes in Kazakhstan and Central Asia region.
The seminar lectures were delivered by prominent international experts in the field of migration from the International Commission of Jurists, representatives of the UNHCR Complaints Division, the European Council for Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) and the Greek National Human Rights Commission.
The participants discussed international principles and fundamental documents on expulsion, detention and protection, briefly overviewed the economic, social and cultural rights of migrants, and considered the hierarchy of legal acts in Kazakhstan, the relationship between international law and national legislation. The training program consisted of theoretical and practical components to strengthen the gained knowledge and develop practical skills for the protection of migrants at the international level. A training module was prepared for the participants with an overview of access to international human rights mechanisms.
This seminar complements previously conducted trainings for 105 defense lawyers and human rights defenders of non-profit organizations on strategic judicial protection of migrants and ensuring the exchange of best practices and strategies between Kazakhstani and European lawyers.
The seminar was organized by the Legal Policy Research Center (LPRC) in cooperation with the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) and the International Commission of Jurists – European Institutions (ICJ-EI), with financial support from the European Union under the project “Strengthening Legal Protection of Migrants’ Rights in Kazakhstan”. The project aims to improve the access of migrants to national and international instruments for the protection of human rights in Kazakhstan, as well as to stimulate professional training and cooperation between specialized lawyers from Kazakhstan and their European counterparts.
Efforts to train representatives of the legal profession and the specifics of protecting the rights of migrants in Kazakhstan are part of a long-term program to form a pool of competent lawyers specializing in qualified legal assistance for migrants in Kazakhstan.For more information please contact Olga Miroshnichenko, Project Coordinator of Legal Policy Research Center: Tel.: +7 727 356 03 86, +7 701 744 44 29, e-mail: omiroshnichenko@lprc.kz or Amriyeva Yerkezhan, Political, Press and Information section, Delegation of the European Union to Kazakhstan:Yerkezhan.amriyeva@eeas.europa.eu.
