During the 144th session of the United Nations Human Rights Committee held in Geneva, the delegation from Kazakhstan presented and defended the country's Third Periodic Report on the implementation of its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. First Vice Minister of Labour and Social Protection of the Population of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Askarbek Yertayev, reported on measures being taken to enhance social protection.

The Kazakh delegation, headed by the Vice Minister of Justice, also included representatives from the Prosecutor General’s Office, the Judicial Administration, the Anti-Corruption Agency, as well as the ministries of Foreign Affairs, Health, Education, Internal Affairs, Culture and Information, among others.

During the presentation of the Third Report, session participants were briefed on Kazakhstan’s key achievements in the field of human rights over the past five years, as well as the country’s main development priorities.

In the course of defending the Third Report, members of the Kazakh delegation responded to a range of questions from UN experts. They provided information on the activities of the Commissioner for Human Rights, the promotion of gender equality and non-discrimination across all sectors, the fight against terrorism and extremism, and efforts to prevent and combat corruption, among other topics.

Askarbek Yertayev addressed questions concerning measures in the field of social protection, including the rights of persons with disabilities, support for victims of domestic violence and human trafficking, improvements to migration policy, and ongoing efforts to combat forced labor and workplace sexual harassment.

Delegations from other countries noted Kazakhstan’s steady progress in developing legislative, practical, and other measures to protect human rights and uphold the core principles of international human rights instruments.