Press Release: International Conference on “Prevention of Domestic Violence through Effective Cooperation: New Step in Development of Crisis Centres”
Date:
Astana, 6 December 2018 - The International Conference entitled “Prevention of Domestic Violence through Effective Cooperation: New Step in Development of Crisis Centres” (the Conference) has taken place today in Astana as a part of the “16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence” global campaign.
The conference is jointly organized by the National Commission of Women, Family and Demographic Policy under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan (National Commission), UN Women, OSCE Programme Office in Astana, UNFPA and UNDP.
The participants of the conference included the members of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, National Commission, representatives of the central state bodies, international organizations, specialists from the specialized units of protection of women against violence of the Ministry of Interior of Kazakhstan from all regions of the country, employees of the regional Commissions of Women, Family and Demographic Policy, heads of the crisis centres as well as the international experts from the Austria, Germany, Italy, Montenegro, Rumania and the US.
The conference has been the platform to discuss the best international practiceы in preventing domestic violence, issues related to the interagency response to domestic violence, activities of the crisis centres, effectiveness of the measures to prevent and combat violence against women, protection of motherhood and childhood, strengthening the role of family in the society.
Yelena Tarassenko, the Deputy Head of the National Commission, stated in her opening remarks that the conference is confined to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the National Commission as well to support the “16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence” global campaign.
“Thanks to the support of President of the Republic of Kazakhstan N.A. Nazarbayev, over the years of independence we have achieved tremendous results in promoting gender equality and eliminating of all forms of violence against women, and have formed our own model of family and gender policy, being one of the key factors to combat violence against women”, Yelena Tarassenko stated.
Nowadays, 31crisis centres function in all regions of Kazakhstan to help women and their children in difficult life situations, 23 of them having shelters. The crisis centres provide psychological, medical, legal, and rehabilitation services and support to all victims of violence. More than 135 specialists of the specialized units of protection of women against violence work in the system of the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
State measures to respond to the domestic violence include:
Since April 2016, a legal norm has been introduced, which allows a court to impose a ban on the use of alcoholic beverages (even at home) for family molesters for a period of 3 months to 1 year.
Since the adoption of the Law on the Prevention of Domestic Violence, beginning from 2010 more than 800 thousand protective orders have been issued by employees of the departments of internal affairs and the courts have established about 80 thousand special requirements for the conduct of offenses.
During the first 9 months of 2018, more than 50 thousand defences and 4.9 thousand special requirements for the behaviour of offenders were issued.
On December 7, the conference participants will familiarize themselves with the work of the “Crisis Center - a shelter for persons in a difficult situation as a result of violence or threat of violence” under the Akimat of Astana city.