OSCE Centre in Astana supports research on sexual harassment

The OSCE Centre in Astana supported a roundtable meeting on sexual harassment on 7 December 2012 in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

The event featured a presentation of the outcomes and recommendations of research on sexual harassment. As part of the research, 500 men and women were surveyed in Almaty, Shymkent and Aktubinsk on incidences of sexual harassment. Legal analysis of Kazakhstan’s legislation on sexual harassment, and a medical practice analysis was also done.

The meeting gathered representatives from the Parliament, National Commission for Women Affairs and Family Demographic Policy, Justice Ministry, Department of Labor and Social Services of Almaty City Administration, Almaty city law enforcement representatives, Almaty law schools professors and non-governmental organizations.

The discussion aimed to raise awareness about the issue of sexual harassment in Kazakhstan in general, and draw attention of the public and the state to it, in order to undertake comprehensive measures to prevent and address this serious human rights violation. One of the recommendations of the event was to spell out the concept of sexual harassment in the national legislation based on the best practices of other countries.

Opening the roundtable discussion the Head of OSCE Centre in Astana, Ambassador Natalia Zarudna, said: “About ten years ago in post-Soviet countries, issues of sexual harassment had not been discussed at all. However, harassment issues become more visible as society develops uncovering more records of sexual harassment incidences directed against both women and men.”

This project is supported by the OSCE Centre in Astana in co-operation with the local NGO Development of Civil Society.