In the words of Khalida Azhigulova: "Improving our world is challenging, but it’s possible!"

“Since my school days, I’ve been passionate about public issues—environmental protection, ensuring personal and community safety, advocating for fair elections, and safeguarding the rights of children and vulnerable groups. However, my deepest interest was always in human rights. In my second year at university, I started teaching human rights at schools in Almaty. Now, two decades later, I’m still in classrooms, educating young people about bullying, cyberbullying, violence prevention, and their rights under global frameworks like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Two key moments ignited my journey in human rights. The first was at age 12, when my class was selected to participate in Street Law, a new human rights course in Kazakh schools. For a year, we explored human rights according to both Kazakh and international law, learning not only our rights but also how to defend them. This course changed the way I saw the world: I began noticing the daily rights violations that children and others often face in society. The experience was so transformative that it shaped my decision to become an international lawyer dedicated to human rights protection.

My second career milestone came when I joined the UNHCR Regional Office in Central Asia as a refugee protection lawyer. Working for UNHCR allowed me to provide critical support to individuals in need, and it sharpened my skills in communication, advocacy, and problem-solving. I was responsible for coordinating responses to sexualized and gender-based violence against refugees and stateless people, who, especially women, are at heightened risk of violence but often fear reporting incidents due to the risk of deportation. I helped develop a country strategy in Kazakhstan to protect refugees from sexualized and gender-based violence. This involved collaboration with various stakeholders, including police units specializing in women’s protection, crisis centers, NGOs, and organizing informational sessions for refugees. Through these initiatives, we sought to build trust within refugee communities and encourage survivors to reach out for help when needed.

For the past 4.5 years, I’ve also advocated for stronger laws to protect women’s rights and children’s safety in Kazakhstan. In 2017, the decriminalization of ‘mild’ forms of violence, such as battery and minor bodily harm, led to a concerning rise in both minor and severe domestic violence cases. In response, we drafted a bill aiming to reinstate criminal penalties for these acts. When the bill was first introduced to Parliament in 2020, it faced strong opposition from groups warning that such laws would “destroy families” or allow authorities to take children “for a slap.” Despite this setback, my colleagues and I continued our advocacy, even as cases of violence persisted. Then, in 2023, the tragic death of Saltanat Nukenova, a domestic violence victim, sparked a nationwide call for action. Within days, over 150,000 people signed a petition supporting the bill.

I am grateful that Kazakhstan’s President recognized this public demand and backed a new law aimed at ensuring women’s rights and children’s safety, criminalizing acts of domestic violence that were previously unpunishable. This law’s adoption is a historic achievement for Kazakhstan and a triumph for civil society’s perseverance. The law introduces several progressive norms, including criminal penalties for child harassment and tougher measures against torture, severe bodily harm, and crimes against children’s sexual integrity. Administrative penalties are now in place for bullying minors. It’s essential that these penalties are strictly enforced to send a message that such offenses will not go unpunished.

I’m proud to have contributed to drafting several articles in this new law. Alongside the core provisions on criminalizing battery and minor harm, I developed an article targeting sexual harassment, including harassment of children through online channels. Additionally, I proposed criminalizing stalking, workplace harassment, forced marriage (including abductions), and underage marriages in religious settings. While not all of my proposals made it into the final law, I continue to push for these areas of gender-based violence to be criminalized.

Throughout this journey, UN Women has been a vital partner. Their support to civil society advocates like myself has been invaluable in advancing gender equality and promoting critical laws against gender-based violence in Kazakhstan. UN Women’s educational projects on gender equality are crucial for fostering an inclusive, equal society and for achieving sustainable development goals.

To young activists everywhere, I have this to say: improving our world is challenging, but it’s possible. Don’t let obstacles or setbacks deter you—fortune favors the bold”.