News

Senate Roundtable in Kazakhstan highlighted needed improvements to the national legal framework

On June 6, 2012 the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) participated in a roundtable at the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, aimed at discussion of the national legislation on asylum and refugee related-matters. More than 30 participants, that included deputies of the Senate as well as representatives of Government bodies and UNHCR, took part in the event. UNHCR presented a thorough analysis of the current legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan relating to refugees and asylum-seekers, underlining its willingness to support and assist the Parliament and the Government of Kazakhstan in the development and improvement of its refugee and asylum system, according to international norms and standards.

Mr. Akhan Bizhanov, the Chairman of the Committee on Social and Cultural Development of the Senate of the Republic of Kazakhstan expressed appreciation to all participants of the roundtable. Particular attention was given to UNHCR's work in the field of refugee protection and the effective cooperation with relevant Government agencies in promoting the rights of refugees and asylum-seekers. Mr Bizhanov stated that asylum seeker and refugee protection is a pertinent issue of today to which Kazakhstan provides its thorough attention. He further assured that all UNHCR proposals will be give due attention.

Mr. Saber Azam, Regional Representative/Regional Coordinator of UNHCR in Central Asia expressed gratitude to the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan and representatives of State for giving UNHCR an opportunity to discuss issues related to refugees in Kazakhstan. He stressed the need to review the national legislation on asylum and refugees in order to bring Kazakhstan's legislation into conformity with the provisions of the 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugees, and international practice. Mr. Azam also emphasized that UNHCR's proposals were in line with recommendations of a Special Report of the Kazakhstan Commission on Human Rights which were endorsed by President Nursultan Nazarbayev in early 2012. Mr. Azam expressed hope that the analysis of national legislation related to refugees would mark the beginning of further improvements in the international protection regime of the country.

Mr. Frank Remus, Deputy Regional Representative of UNHCR in Central Asia presented detailed legal gaps analysis of the current legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan concerning asylum and refugee-related matters. One of the major issues raised by UNHCR was the legal status of refugees in Kazakhstan, which, according to UNHCR, does not allow refugees to fully enjoy the rights guaranteed in the 1951 Convention and the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Refugees. In this regard, UNHCR requested the members of the Roundtable to consider the possibility of recognizing refugees not as temporarily, but permanently residing foreigners, which would grant refugees access to their full range of social and economic rights and provide meaningful integration in Kazakhstan.

During the Roundtable, Ms. Janice Lyn Marshall, Deputy Director of UNHCR's Department of International Protection in Geneva, drew the attention of participants to the issues of refugee protection from the human perspective. She informed that the 1951 Convention outlined the most important rights that every human being needs to have access to, i.e. access to health, education, and social services. Refugees and asylum-seekers were also in need of State protection and stable, long-termed integration solutions when they reside in a country of asylum for a longer period.

As a result, the Government representatives underlined that information received during the meeting will be used for further consideration of the refugee related matters and such roundtables should become a tradition to strengthen cooperation between UNHCR and the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan. At the end, Senator Bizhanov concluded that UNHCR proposals were objective and will be considered in perfecting the legislation of Kazakhstan, taking into account international practices and the specificities of Kazakhstan.