PROGRAM OVERVIEW
The USAID-funded Human Rights Focus: Women and Children activity aims to improve human rights, enabling civil society to more effectively represent citizens’ voices, and engage with the Government of Kazakhstan to help key government institutions be more effective in their mandate and responsiveness to citizens’ needs. The activity is initially focused on the empowerment of women to actively participate in government affairs, and to protect children from bullying.
In support of these objectives, the activity will create a broad-based platform consisting of a range of non-governmental organizations. The platform will promote human rights by representing the interest of citizens, taking tangible action in communities across the country, and advocating for a more human rights based approach by government agencies.
The cooperation of civil society and government on human rights plays a key role in the adherence to the rule of law and the ability to guarantee basic human rights for all citizens. A united civil society capable of advocating for change will create a basis for building effective dialogue with the government. In addition, the activity will facilitate joint government and civil society action on the aforementioned human rights issues to include co-development of comprehensive action plans, identifying amendments to strengthen existing legislation, and specific projects at the national and local level. In the long term, activity stakeholders, including all branches of the government and civil society, will better address citizen needs by taking a human rights based approach in their planning and activities, building strong and effective partnerships, and increasing citizen input in government decision-making. In doing so, vulnerable groups, such as women and children, will be better protected and supported.
