PERMANENT MISSION OF THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN TO THE UNITED NATIONS OFFICE AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AT GENEVA

The Republic of Kazakhstan actively supports the work of the Human Rights Council and cooperates with human rights mechanisms in areas of protection and realization of the rights and personal freedoms. Kazakhstan passed through the Universal Periodic Review process on February 12, 2010, which resulted in
120 recommendations adopted by Kazakhstan.

The Republic of Kazakhstan has successfully carried out the defense of the National Report on the Implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in the UN Committee on Human Rights on 14-15 July 2011. As a result of the hearings 31 recommendations were made.

The Special Rapporteur on torture M.Nowak (twice), the Independent Expert on minority issues Ms. G.McDougall, the Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing R.Rolnik as well as the Special Rapporteur on the right to education K.Singh had visited Kazakhstan on the basis of an open invitation in 2009-2011. There are planned visits of the UN Special Rapporteurs on toxic waste as well as on contemporary forms of slavery in 2012.

The Republic of Kazakhstan takes part every year in the High-Level Segment of the UN Council on Human Rights at the level of the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees

UNHCR Representation in Kazakhstan started its activities in August, 1995. Kazakhstan acceded to the 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugees as well as to the 1967 Protocol on 15 December, 1998.

The official visit to Kazakhstan of the High Commissioner for Refugees A.Guterres took place on 13-14 November 2007. During the visit the Agreement on cooperation was signed.

The Declaration, adopted on the basis of  the Almaty Regional Conference held on 15-16 March, 2011, identified the importance of strengthening interaction to control irregular migration, border control and counter the threat of terrorism including cooperation with relevant international and other organizations.
The Kazakhstan delegation headed by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan K.Umarov participated in the Intergovernmental meeting of the UNHCR at the ministerial level on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Refugee Convention and the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on Reduction of statelessness on 7-8 December, 2011.

International Organization for Migration

Kazakhstan joined the IOM as a full member in December, 2002. The IOM office was opened in Kazakhstan in Almaty in November, 1997. In 1999, the IOM office was opened in Astana as well.

Currently, the IOM carries out following programs in Kazakhstan: migration and development, technical cooperation and border control, counteraction against people trafficking and assistance to migrants, movement of migrants as well as emergency management, disaster risk reduction and post-conflict activities.
The visit of the Director General of the IOM B.Makkinli to Kazakhstan in August 2008 had great importance in strengthening the contacts as part of participation in the 3rd Meeting of Foreign Ministers of member-countries of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA). The Memorandum on Cooperation between the Executive Secretariat of the CICA and the IOM was signed during the visit.