Today, held an international conference on the theme: "Development of child-friendly justice in the Republic of Kazakhstan"

Today, in the conference hall of the hotel «Marriott» in Astana city held an international conference on the theme: "Development of child-friendly justice in the Republic of Kazakhstan." The event took place in the framework of the 20th anniversary of Kazakhstan's ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The event is initiated, the Supreme Court of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Kazakhstan, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).

The conference was attended by the Chairman of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kairat Mami, Chairman of the Constitutional Council of the Republic of Kazakhstan Igor Rogov, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the issues of human development Gulshara Abdykalykova, Minister of Justice of the Republic of Kazakhstan Berik Imashev, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Rashid Zhakupov and also deputies of the Majilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

From international organizations - the Head of the Delegation of the European Union in the Republic of Kazakhstan, Ambassador Aureliya Bushez, UNICEF Representative in Kazakhstan Dzhun Kukita, Member of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, juvenile judge Rinat Winter, an expert of organization "Penal Reform International in Central Asia" Martin Sedden, expert of Friedrich Ebert Foundation Gerd Wehling, representatives of the international children's legal center "Coram" Carolyn Hamilton, Avaz Rauf and others.

Total, the event was attended by about 120 delegates.

The aim of the conference is to discuss the achievements of the justice system in Kazakhstan on protection of the rights and interests of children after the accession to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the exchange of experience and promotion of new ideas for improving juvenile justice.

The Chairman of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kairat Mami noted in his speech the main directions of work on the legal protection of children. In particular, in Kazakhstan in all regions of the country created and active worked specialized juvenile courts. They deal with criminal, administrative, civil cases affecting the rights and interests of children. Since 2011, there has been a steady trend of destination penalties for juveniles in non-custodial sentences. In civil and criminal cases have become increasingly applied conciliation and mediation measures. Overall Kayrat Mami stressed that the Republic of Kazakhstan performed all of the obligations of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and other international instruments in the field of children's rights.

In addition, by international experts of UNICEF were presented the main findings and recommendations of the review of the implementation of the Concept of development of the juvenile justice system in the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2009-2011. In particular, it was noted that the practice of introduction of juvenile courts in Kazakhstan was one of the best in the world, it allowed to withdraw into a separate court cases relating to the protection of the rights and interests of minors, which fully corresponded to the implementation of the priorities of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.  

The Head of the Delegation of the European Union in the Republic of Kazakhstan Ambassador Aurelia Bouchez and UNICEF Representative in Kazakhstan June Kukita voiced tasks of the joint program of the EU and UNICEF "Strengthening the justice system for children and protect their rights in Kazakhstan for 2014-2017", which aimed to support the Government of Kazakhstan in the creation of a comprehensive child-friendly legal system in line with international standards.

During the conference, participants discussed important issues of Kazakhstan's experience of specialized juvenile courts, alternative instruments of justice for children in conflict with the law on pre-trial and trial stages, improving the mechanisms of protection of children, including victims and witnesses. Particular attention was paid to measures for further development, coordination and specialization of the justice system in the country in order to strengthen the protection of the rights and interests of the child.

Within the conference for the mass media representatives is held a press conference at which answered all the questions of journalists.