For ALL Women and Girls: Lyazzat Rakisheva on resilience, justice, and breaking the silence for women survivors

Lyazzat Rakisheva, a human rights lawyer and writer, during the Conference on Human Rights Day in Astana, Kazakhstan, on December 10, 2024. Photo: Courtesy of Lyazzat Rakisheva

#ForAllWomenAndGirls is a rallying call for action on the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Lyazzat Rakisheva, a Kazakhstani human rights lawyer, writer, and public figure, speaks out on why the culture of silence surrounding sexual violence must end – and why we must stand with survivors.

Turning pain into power

Lyazzat Rakisheva is more than an advocate – she’s a survivor. At just five years old, she experienced the unimaginable. For years, she carried the trauma in silence, but today, at 50 years of age, she is a fierce force for justice. As the co-founder and president of the Human Rights Lawyers Public Foundation, she works around the clock to support women and children affected by violence.

“I hear stories of violence every single day. Women and children from across Kazakhstan reach out for help. My mission now is to ensure they know they are not alone – and that justice is possible,” she explains.

Lyazzat’s life has been marked by tragedy from the very beginning. Her mother was murdered when she was just a newborn. Then, at five, she was raped by neighborhood teenagers – who were never held accountable. Too young to understand, too afraid to speak up, she buried her pain. It took years of therapy to reclaim her voice.

From survivor to advocate

Despite these immense challenges – or perhaps because of them – Lyazzat thrived. She built a successful career in finance. But, in 2017, her life took a new direction when she wrote an autobiographical book about her childhood. “I wanted every survivor of violence to understand: it is not their fault. You have to stand up for your right to live free from violence - and to fight for that right,” she says.

That book ignited a movement. 

The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, adopted by 189 governments in 1995, called for the adoption, implementation, and funding of legislation to end violence against women and girls. Thirty years later, this call to action remains unfulfilled and urgent.

Therefore, Lyazzat’s hope lies in social justice, activism, and raising awareness. In 2018, she became a co-founder of the Human Rights Lawyers Public Foundation, launching life-changing initiatives to support women and children survivors. One such initiative was “Aiman Umarova’s Legal School,” offering free legal consultations to women seeking justice.

Breaking the silence for good

A turning point came when Lyazzat shared her own story publicly. “We must speak out about violence to break the culture of silence. Now, when I raise my voice, I do it for every survivor who still can’t,” she says.

Today, Lyazzat is more than an activist – she’s in the courtroom, demanding justice, fighting for tougher laws, and calling for urgent reforms. “I receive countless messages from women and children who are afraid to approach law enforcement or struggle to obtain justice. Their fears are justified - many professionals working with survivors lack the necessary expertise and sensitivity. They need proper training and must be assessed for their attitudes toward violence; otherwise, the situation will only worsen,” she emphasizes.

The future: Protection, justice, and change

As we commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, advocates like Lyazzat remain hopeful. “Survivors of violence need long-term psychological support. But most parents cannot afford therapy. This is where the government must take responsibility. For the generations to come, for ALL women and girls,” says Lyazzat.

Recalling her “Public Recognition: Adal Tulga-2020” (Honest Person-2020) award and the “Aruana” prize for her contributions to the protection of women and children, Lyazzat leaves no doubt: ”Women and girls from Kazakhstan are entitled to the full enjoyment of their rights.”