Interview: “Real progress is achieved when civil society organizations and government institutions work in partnership”

Madina Jarbussynova is a distinguished Kazakhstani diplomat who was elected to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in June 2024. Having held senior government and diplomatic posts in Kazakhstan, including Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador-at-Large, and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, her election marked the first time a representative from Kazakhstan and Central Asia has joined this key UN body.

In December 2025, she also took part in the regional consultation for Eastern Europe, South Caucasus, the Western Balkans and Central Asia on the development of a new CEDAW general recommendation no. 41 tackling gender stereotypes that limit women’s and girls’ rights across all areas of life (GR 41). In this interview, she shares her reflections on the process and the way forward once the recommendation is adopted.

Ms. Jarbussynova, you have long worked at the intersection of diplomacy, human rights, and gender equality. How does this background shape your approach to advancing CEDAW standards globally and in Central Asia?

Through my work, I have seen firsthand how global commitments to gender equality are translated into national policies and concrete programmes. In Kazakhstan, I was directly involved in the work of the National Commission on Women and Family and Demographic Policy under the President, which played a central role in aligning national legislation and policies with the CEDAW principles. I also actively promoted the country's accession to the Convention across various dialogue platforms.

My engagement with UN treaty bodies and international reporting processes has deepened my understanding of CEDAW as a living and dynamic instrument. These experiences have shown me the value of constructive dialogue and collaboration with civil society in strengthening laws and practices.

Serving as the OSCE Special Representative and Coordinator on Combating Human Trafficking further broadened my regional and cross-border perspective. The fight against human trafficking and gender-based violence made it clear that discrimination against women often transcends national borders and requires a coordinated response.

Experience has shown me that advancing women's rights requires closing the gap between legislation and practice, so that reforms improve women’s daily lives. In this sense, CEDAW is not only a legal framework but a practical tool for social transformation.

What is the significance of the CEDAW general recommendation no. 41 for fulfilling women’s rights and ending discrimination?

The recommendation is significant because it addresses one of the root causes of discrimination against women – gender stereotypes. It explains how stereotypes shape laws, policies, judicial decisions, media content, and educational systems. It clearly links gender stereotypes to violations of women's rights in employment, education, health, political participation, and access to justice.

GR 41 is also future-oriented. It addresses contemporary channels through which stereotypes are reproduced, including digital media and online platforms, making it highly relevant to today’s challenges.

For Central Asia in particular, the recommendation is important because many barriers to gender equality are cultural rather than legal. Persistent stereotypes about traditional roles continue to limit women's opportunities in public and private life.

GR 41 offers a practical roadmap for reforming education, media, public administration, and justice systems to eliminate bias.

Ultimately, it reminds us that true gender equality requires a change in mindsets and laws.

The regional consultations were informed by women’s rights advocates and civil society. How do women’s organizations and grassroots movements contribute to dismantling social norms, and what role should public institutions play?

In Kazakhstan and across Central Asia, women's organizations and grassroots movements play an important role in promoting gender equality and breaking discriminatory social norms. These organizations work directly with communities, providing legal literacy, support services, and advocacy. They also play a key role in ensuring accountability by monitoring the implementation of laws and giving women a voice at the local and international levels, such as CEDAW.

At the same time, public institutions bear the primary responsibility for translating equality principles into policy and practice. Schools, courts, police, and government agencies have a powerful influence on social norms. Governments must integrate gender equality into education, ensure that justice institutions are gender-responsive, and create an enabling environment for civil society to operate freely.

Real progress in Central Asia is achieved when civil society organizations and government institutions work in partnership, combining community-based change with national policy reform.

What five measures can Member States take in the next five years to implement the new recommendation once adopted in October 2026?

First, governments should conduct comprehensive reviews of laws and public policies to identify and remove provisions based on outdated assumptions about the roles of women and men. Family law, labor regulations, social protection schemes, and media policies should all be assessed through a gender equality lens.

Secondly, gender equality and the rejection of gender stereotypes must be firmly embedded in education systems. Education is one of the most powerful tools for changing mindsets. Updating curricula, textbooks, and teacher training programmes to eliminate discriminatory content and promote diverse representations of women and girls is a long-term investment with lasting impact.

Third, systematic training of civil servants is essential. Judges, police officers, prosecutors, teachers, healthcare workers, and civil servants need practical skills to recognize and counter gender bias in their daily work.

Fourth, given the growing influence of social media and new technologies, governments should adopt policies to counter online sexism, hate speech, and algorithmic bias while promoting responsible media and digital governance. This may include ethical standards for balanced portrayals of women in public broadcasting and stronger mechanisms to address technology-facilitated violence.

Fifth, the implementation of GR 41 must be measurable. Governments should create reliable mechanisms for monitoring in partnership with civil society. 

In my opinion, these five steps are realistic and achievable. They can help our countries to translate GR 41 into concrete changes in institutions, education, and public life within a relatively short period of time.