OSCE supports presentation of report on migrant workers’ and human trafficking victims’ rights in Kazakhstan

ASTANA, 14 September 2017 – An OSCE-supported analytical report, produced by the Human Rights Commission under the President, on the rights of migrant workers and human trafficking victims in Kazakhstan was presented today at the Foreign Ministry in Astana.

The presentation brought together some 200 parliamentarians, high-level government officials, including Foreign and Labour Ministers, representatives of the judiciary, civil society and international organizations. It is part of an ongoing OSCE project aimed at raising awareness on migrant workers’ and human trafficking victims’ rights in Kazakhstan.

The Report “Current Problems in the Protection of the Rights of Migrant Workers and Victims of Trafficking in Persons in the Republic of Kazakhstan” was endorsed by President Nazarbayev and was published in English, Kazakh and Russian.

The report is based on the Commission’s data and the facts provided by state authorities, human rights NGOs, crisis centres, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Mission in Kazakhstan, the OSCE Programme Office in Astana and other international organisations. It provides an assessment of the situation with the rights of migrant workers and trafficking victims, and offers specific recommendations for the protection of their civil, social, labour, economic and cultural rights. It includes the findings of special studies on the implementation of recommendations outlined in the two preceding Special Reports of the Commission.

Kuanysh Sultanov, Chairperson of the Commission, said: “It is very important to strengthen collaboration among state authorities, NGOs and crisis centres in fight against illegal migration and human trafficking.” He also noted the importance of such collaboration for the purposes of providing special social services to victims.       

“The report contains specific recommendations aimed at the improvement of the national legislation and practice in the protection of the rights of migrants and human trafficking victims,” stated Gyorgy Szabo, Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana, referring to the analytical report. “We hope it will be widely used by the authorities and civil society in order to ensure the successful implementation of such recommendations in line with international standards.”

The event is part of the Office’s long-term efforts to support national human rights institutions in promoting fundamental freedoms and international human rights in the host country.