WUNRN
International Commission of Jurists
- ICJ
KAZAKHSTAN - WOMEN'S ACCESS TO
JUSTICE
Many
women in Kazakhstan face a range of serious legal and procedural challenges and
obstacles when seeking justice for discrimination and gender-based violence, a
new ICJ report says.
The report Women’s Access to Justice in
Kazakhstan: Identifying the Obstacles and Need for Change assesses
some of these challenges and the deficits of legal protection, and access to
remedy for violations, in situations of discrimination and sexual and domestic
violence.
The report
also underlines that significant flaws and gaps in Kazakhstan’s legal and
procedural framework dealing with discrimination and violence against women
undermine the ability of women to seek legal redress.
“Advancing
gender equality and preventing violence and discrimination against women
requires sustained engagement and long-term commitment, it is not a static
process,” said Leah Hoctor, Senior Legal Adviser for ICJ’s Women’s Human Rights
Programme. “Kazakhstan should take serious measures to address the issues
identified in this report so as to ensure its laws and procedures address
women’s needs and protect their rights in practice.”
The report
details the way in which international human rights law obliges Kazakhstan to
take effective and meaningful steps to ensure its legal framework adequately
deals with discrimination and violence against women.
“This report
provides both government actors, civil society representatives and the legal
profession with important guidance as to the content of Kazakhstan’s
international obligations to advance women’s access to justice,” said Temur
Shakirov, Legal Adviser for ICJ’s Europe Programme