On April 15, 2024, the Resident of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassam-Jomart Tokayev signed the laws of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On amending and supplementing some legislative acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the issues of securing women's rights and children's safety” and “On amendments and additions to the Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan on administrative violations in matters of guaranteeing women's rights and children's safety”.
These laws significantly strengthen the protection of women and children. The Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan (upper house) adopted the Law on April 11, 2024, after the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan (lower house) approved the texts on February 21, 2024. This Law became the first in the Commonwealth of Independent States region to introduced new measures to protect women and children.
Relevant orders to tighten penalties for violence against women and children were expressed by the head of state in his addresses to the people of Kazakhstan on March 16, 2022 and September 1, 2023.
The adopted amendments were widely discussed with the public. Representatives of non-governmental organizations, the National Kurultai under the President, the National Commission on Women's Affairs and Family-Demographic Policy under the President, the National Center for Human Rights and the Ombudsman for Children's Rights participated in the meetings of the Parliament's chambers.
Norms are being introduced that tighten responsibility for any acts of violence against women and children, as well as to strengthen the institution of the family, the safety of minors:
✔️ criminalized intentional infliction of minor bodily harm and assault. Stricter liability for intentionally causing medium and severe bodily harm;
✔️new principles of marriage and family legislation are foreseen, based on strengthening the institution of marriage and family, fatherhood, motherhood and childhood, as well as the principle of ensuring moral and spiritual education of children in a spirit of respect for universal, national , traditional, cultural and family values;
✔️the legal framework for the operation of the contact center on family issues, the protection of women's and children's rights has been created, in the role of which a legal entity designated by an authorized body in the field of informatization will act. At the same time, the obligation was introduced for state authorities not only to interact on family issues, the protection of women's and children's rights, but also to provide information to the contact center about the measures taken on citizens' complaints;
✔️ criminal liability has been introduced for inciting and assisting in the commission of suicide, as well as for promoting suicide;
✔️criminal liability is introduced for sexual violence against persons under 16 years of age. Significantly tougher penalties for abduction and unlawful imprisonment of a minor;
✔️ for the first time, administrative responsibility was introduced for harassment (bullying, cyberbullying) of a minor;