OSCE Centre promotes gender equality in Kazakhstan

ALMATY, 7 December 2007 - Effective legislation and implementation mechanisms on equal rights and opportunities for women and men were the focus of a roundtable discussion in Almaty today organized by the OSCE Centre in Astana.

Twenty-five government officials responsible for gender issues learned about international standards and legislative best practices on equal rights and opportunities. Discussions also focused on a draft law on gender equality prepared last year with support from the OSCE Centre.

"Adopting a law on equal rights and opportunities for women and men is key to fully realizing a country's potential for democratic and economic development," said Ambassador Ivar Vikki, Head of the OSCE Centre in Astana. "The inclusion of a monitoring body is central to ensuring its effective implementation."

The participants, which included representatives of non-governmental organizations, prepared recommendations for further action. These emphasized the necessity to adopt a law on equal rights and opportunities in the near future, and to establish a mechanism for monitoring its implementation.

"Women make up more than half of the country's population. Without their active participation in social and political life, it will be impossible to achieve Kazakhstan's ambitious objective to join the 50 most competitive states in the world," said Rashida Naubetova, Chief Supervisor of the National Commission on Family Issues and Gender Policy under the President.

The meeting, part of a long-term OSCE Centre in Astana programme promoting gender equality in Kazakhstan, was organized in co-operation with the National Commission on Family Issues and Gender Policy and the United Nations Development Fund for Women.