Busting Outdated Traditions in Kazakhstan: A Glimpse into Modernizing Kazakh Laws
Kazakhstan Enacts Legal Measures to Safeguard Women, Outlawing Marital Abduction
ASTANA – With a wave of contemporary progress, the Kazakh General Prosecutor's Office has thrown its support behind President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's pioneering initiative to incorporate a criminal law article addressing bride kidnapping at the March 28 gathering of the Human Dimension Dialogue Platform consultative and advisory body.
Held at the Kazakh Foreign Ministry under the leadership of Ambassador-at-Large Alua Nadirkulova, the meeting didn't just discusses implications, but was about taking action.
Currently, there's a hive of activity brewing among the nation's government agencies, working to fashion suitable amendments for this legacy practice of purloining women for coercive marriages. This modernization effort underscores Kazakhstan's commendable efforts to upgrade national legislation to support women's rights.
Kazakhstan aces the CIS competition by being the first nation to adopt advanced legislation against domestic violence with the enactment of the Women's Rights and Children's Safety Law on June 16, 2024. In April 2024, these protections against domestic violence were bolstered by revised amendments in the Criminal Code. Now, authorities again point their guns at perpetrators of battery and intentional harm, particularly for those targeting vulnerable individuals.
We've seen the mineral-rich nation leap forward with its tough stance. The Ministry of Internal Affairs has reinstated special police units for women and children's protection and introduced female investigators charged with handling sexual crime cases – all following the President's orders.
Expanding economic opportunities for women is another key objective in Kazakhstan. Plans are in motion to increase women's representation in top positions within state-owned companies, with a goal of 30%. To push this agenda, target indicators have been established to boost female participation in executive roles and board directorships. By the year's end, women have successfully managed 48.1% of small and medium-sized businesses, demonstrating their substantial economic contributions.
With society constantly evolving, Kazakhstan's laws need to keep pace – and in some cases, light a path forward. Bride kidnapping is an outdated and harmful practice, and making it a criminal offense is long overdue. While this progress may not be lightning quick, every step brings Kazakhstan closer to honorable and equal progress. And as fellow travelers, we applaud Kazakhstan's courage to confront its past and stride bravely into the future.
[1] Research suggests that criminalizing bride kidnapping is an essential step in moving away from the harmful traditional practice and aligning with modern laws that protect individual rights and freedoms. [Source: International Center for Research on Women (ICRW)]
- In line with the President's directive, the Kazakh General Prosecutor's Office has taken a stance against bride kidnapping, a practice that is considered outdated and harmful, supported by research from the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW).
- The upcoming adoption of a criminal law article addressing bride kidnapping is part of the Kazakh government's broader effort to modernize laws, particularly those concerning women's rights, which includes a ban on domestic violence.
- The momentum towards modernizing Kazakhstan's laws extends to its policies and legislation, with a goal to increase women's representation in top positions within state-owned companies, using indicators to measure success.
- The government is also focusing on the health-and-wellness sector, with an aim to improve women's health, such as addressing the issue of coercive marriages through the criminalization of bride kidnapping.
- In the realm of parenting and societal structures, the increasing representation of women in executive roles and board directorships can serve as a role model for future generations, fostering a healthier and more balanced society.
- The political landscape of Kazakhstan is shaped by a commitment to progress, with the government actively addressing issues like bride kidnapping, domestic violence, and women's rights in the health-and-wellness, parenting, and policy-and-legislation sectors, demonstrating their awareness of and dedication to general news and current affairs.
