OSCE, Astana, 28 Nov 2008 – A roundtable discussion on Kazakhstan’s draft law on gender equality and the best practices of other OSCE participating states took place in Borovoye in Central Kazakhstan today.
The one-day event, organized by the OSCE Centre in Astana, brought together more than 40 participants, including high-level officials from government ministries, members of parliament, national and international experts, and representatives from non-governmental and international organizations.
Participants learned about the experiences of Lithuania and Kyrgyzstan, and discussed Kazakhstan’s draft law on equal rights and opportunities for women and men, which was prepared by national experts and submitted to Parliament in 2006. It was agreed that a law on equal rights and opportunities should be adopted soon.
“We hope that during Kazakhstan’s OSCE Chairmanship in 2010, the government will include gender equality among its priorities,” said Ambassador Alexandre Keltchewsky, the Head of the OSCE Centre in Astana. “The experience of other OSCE participating States can also help Kazakhstan to adopt a effective law.”
“The women of Kazakhstan should actively promote the draft law to achieve gender equality in practice,” said Gulshara Abykalykova, the Chairperson of the National Commission on Women and Family and Demographic Affairs. “Towards this end, the National Commission, in partnership with civil society organizations, has started to promote the systematic involvement of women in political parties.”
The roundtable discussion was organized by the OSCE Centre in close co-operation with the National Commission on Women, Family and Demographic Affairs.
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