OSCE supports presentation of Ombudsman’s annual report in Kazakhstan

KOKSHETAU, Kazakhstan, 17 May 2013 – An OSCE-sponsored presentation of the National Human Rights Commissioner’s (Ombudsman) annual report for 2012 was held at Ualihanov State University in Kokshetau, northern Kazakhstan today.

The event brought together over 80 parliamentarians, representatives of national and regional government institutions, civil society, academia, international organizations as well as alumni and faculty of the university. The discussion focused on issues related to forming stronger interaction between the regions and the Ombudsman’s Office including creating regional partnership frameworks and more efficient complaint procedures for citizens to the Commissioner.

“Establishing regional representations is important for ensuring fuller coverage of the human rights situation by the Ombudsman’s Office and today’s event contributes to furthering the dialogue between the public and that Office,” said Ambassador Natalia Zarudna, the Head of the OSCE Centre in Astana.

Askar Shakirov, Kazakhstanùs Commissioner for Human Rights, stated: “One of the major achievements of the Ombudsman’s institution is that for a considerably short historic period the Ombudsman has become a part of a political-legal mechanism in the political system of the country, carrying out the function of a mediator between state bodies and civil society. In 2012 the Ombudsman received more than 15,000 individual and collective complaints addressing the interests of some 35,000 citizens.”

“The Annual Ombudsman Report is an important indicator of the strength of civil society. Every year it becomes more and more substantial.  Its recommendations have practical applications,” said Rakhmet Mukashev, Head of the Committee on legislation and judicial and legal reform of the Mazhilis, the Parliament of Kazakhstan.

In recent years, the OSCE Centre in Astana has implemented a project and several follow-up activities with the Kazakhstan Ombudsman’s Office to strengthen the institution’s organizational and technical capacity and expand its outreach in the regions, as well as raise public awareness of the role of the Ombudsman in protecting citizens’ rights.