The project aims to strengthen the rule of law and justice in Kazakhstan by fostering active civil society participation. To achieve this, it facilitates the establishment of the National Network for the Rule of Law in Kazakhstan (NNRLK), which will monitor, evaluate and protect human rights. Through this network, the project seeks to create a sustainable platform for influencing reforms and enhancing civil society’s role in rule of law and criminal justice processes.
Objectives
1) Support and strengthen the role of civil society in monitoring reform processes related to the rule of law and justice,
2) Actively engage with the government to promote human rights-oriented reforms that duly take into account the rights of women, youth and other vulnerable groups, ensuring their effective implementation in practice.
Target groups
1) civil society organizations and civil society representatives, including those defending the rights of women, youth, children, migrants, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups;
2) representatives of national authorities;
3) representatives of international institutions;
4) representatives of the media.
Key components of the project
The Rule of Law Academy provides training and mentorship to representatives of civil society organizations, helping them to develop their skills in monitoring and analyzing rule of law and criminal justice issues.
The project will adapt and apply a criminal justice monitoring methodology, already previously developed for in-depth analysis of the system’s functioning and procedures. NNRLK members will be trained to use this methodology to collect and analyze data, enabling them to identify problems in law enforcement practice and propose specific recommendations.
The project will organize three National Forums on the Rule of Law to discuss rule of law and criminal justice reforms at national and regional levels, review monitoring results, and present recommendations for further reforms. These events will bring together representatives from civil society, government agencies, the legal and academic communities, and international collaborates for a well-structured discussion.
The project will support the participation of NNRLK members in government and parliamentary working groups tasked with developing and revising legislation. This will enable civil society to contribute to influencing the formulation of legal norms and ensuring their alignment with Kazakhstan’s international obligations.
NNRLK members will participate in strategic litigation aimed at protecting human rights. These cases will help set precedents for the protection of vulnerable groups and improve the quality of justice.
The project includes a campaign to raise awareness of the rule of law and criminal justice through media and public events. NNRLK members will be trained to interact with journalists and create content to increase understanding of reform processes and civil society’s role in their implementation.
The project, implemented by the Public Foundation “Legal Policy Research Centre” (LPRC) and International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR), with financial support from the European Union, is set to run for three years, from the beginning of 2024 to the end of 2026. It is aimed at increasing the capacity of civil society to support the rule of law and respond to challenges in the criminal justice system in Kazakhstan. The total project budget is 777,895 EUR, with the contribution of the European Union amounting to 739,000 EUR.
For more information, please contact us by email at info@lprc.kz
This publication was funded by the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of Legal Policy Research Centre and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union. This publication has been prepared within the project “Coordinated Civil Society Action to Promote the Rule of Law for All”, which is implemented by the Legal Policy Research Centre (LPRC) and the International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR), with the financial support of the European Union.
