kazakhstan
In recent years, there have been several paper or legislative initiatives in the field of protecting social orphans, but in practice, no significant changes have occurred, says Aigerim Mussabalinova, Ph.D., a human rights defender of children and socially vulnerable groups in Kazakhstan, professor at the School of Law of KIMEP University (Kazakhstan). In the absence of parental protection and guardianship, the state can provide these children with material protection, but it cannot give them emotional protection and support, which during the period of a child’s development is no less important along with material assistance.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the second president of Kazakhstan since independence, assumed office in 2019. In response to growing economic inequality and worsening socio-economic conditions, the government began moving away from its long-standing “economy first, then politics” approach. This shift included reforms to the electoral system, changes in party formation rules, efforts to strengthen parliament, and the decentralization of power to enhance local governance (Cornell and Barro, 2022).
Kazakhstan does not give up attempts to adopt a new law ‘on religion’. Another draft law is promised to be put up for discussion this January. However, the society is not sure about the necessity of adopting a new law.
Considering that society lives in an era of global challenges, it is important to optimise the training of religious leaders in accordance with current requirements, says Ershat Ongar, Vice-Rector of the Nur-Mubarak University of Islamic Culture.
Experts from Kazakhstan believe that the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria will not yet affect the Central Asian countries. They consider the ‘sleeper cells’ of destructive movements within the country to be far more dangerous.
Residents of Maraldy village in the East Kazakhstan region continue to protest the ‘VSAM Production’ company, which is mining gold in the area. People fear harmful consequences for the environment. VSAM Production, in turn, claims that they crossed the path of artisanal ‘shadow’ miners. (more…)
The topic of religious marriage ‘neke’ (nikah) constantly causes a wide public discussion in Kazakhstan. The rite of ‘neke’ itself is welcomed among the population, provided that it is concluded by a man and a woman who are married under the secular laws of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
The expectations that degraded soils can be recovered rapidly are groundless, scientists say. Even contemporary methods of soil recovery cannot always recover the soil to its original state. (more…)
Researchers say that it is extremely important to take into account the voices and opinions of the local population when developing a socio-economic development strategy at the former Semipalatinsk nuclear test site and in the newly formed Abay region. (more…)