The
12th Civil Forum of Kazakhstan took place in Astana, bringing together
representatives of government agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), businesses, and international organizations.
Participants discussed key areas for the development of civil society in the
modern world. Speakers
noted that 18,000 NGOs operate in
Kazakhstan, covering all sectors. The forum also reviewed the activities of public councils – over 260 across the country –
which include more than 4,000 local members. In the
past three years alone, they have considered about 9,000 projects in fields
ranging from social protection and environmental issues to digitalization and
legal education. Through their work, citizens’ opinions and regional
initiatives gain recognition and support at the national level. In total, the
Civil Forum hosted more than 20 discussion platforms, including one dedicated
to Kazakhstan’s partnership with international organizations. NGO
representatives shared their experiences, highlighting how they engage with
communities and achieve change locally.
«What is the tendency of cooperation between the United Nations and civil society organizations? I would say there is increasing participation and collaboration. Because only five years left until the 2030 Agenda will be presented or will be reported. And for achieving these SDGs, we just need to involve more and more civil society organizations, because obviously the decisions are taken at the national level, but the implementation is always at the local level. So, we need more non-governmental organizations to reach out to local communities, to engage and mobilize them to the implementation of SDGs,» said UN Resident Coordinator in Kazakhstan Sarangoo Radnaaragchaa.
«The European Union continues its work in
Kazakhstan. We also have a large regional project in Central Asia focusing on
NGOs. We believe the civil sector is steadily developing, which is particularly
important in the context of strengthening local self-governance in Kazakhstan.
The reforms launched several years ago represent a significant step forward,
and we will continue to support them. Currently, we are assisting 13
organizations with funding totaling around 5 million euros, alongside a regional project worth 40.5
million euros,» noted
Johannes Baur, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Kazakhstan.
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