OSCE supports discussion on ensuring political and public participation of persons with disabilities in Kazakhstan
An OSCE-supported roundtable discussion on the rights and opportunities of people with disabilities to participate in political and public life took place on 13 November 2020 in Nur-Sultan.
The OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan and the NGO Association of women with disabilities “Shyrak” co-organized the roundtable discussion with the support of the Central Election Commission of Kazakhstan.
Some 40 government officials, parliamentarians, Human Rights Ombudsperson, an expert from the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and representatives of international and non-governmental organizations took part in the event directly and via video conference. Participants discussed issues related to the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Kazakhstan and the related National Action Plan on improving the quality of their life. Experts from Finland and Ireland spoke about international and OSCE standards on political participation of persons with disabilities. A representative from an organization of people with disabilities shared experiences in participating in the electoral campaign for a local representative body in Aktobe city (West Kazakhstan).
The conclusions and recommendations of the OSCE-supported baseline study on accessibility and inclusiveness of the Parliament in Kazkhstan in relation to persons with disabilities were also presented at the event.
The event is part of the Programme Office’s efforts to assist the host country in promoting a more inclusive and participatory society.