Kazakhstan

UNHCR established its presence in the Republic of Kazakhstan in 1995

Operations in Kazakhstan are aimed at strengthening and preserving the asylum space, ensuring international protection of refugees, facilitating durable solutions for refugees such as voluntary repatriation to the country of origin, local integration in the country of asylum, and resettlement to a third country. UNHCR supports self-reliance programs for refugees, such as self-employment, vocational trainings, ensuring access for refugees to basic social services, and provides financial assistance to the most vulnerable families.

UNHCR closely cooperates with the Governmental bodies of Kazakhstan such as Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Migration Police Committee under the Ministry of Internal Affairs, General Prosecutor’s Office, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, the Border Guards Service, the Committee on National Security and the Ministry for Emergencies. 

Following the entry into force of the national refugee law in January 2010, UNHCR continues advocating for the improvement of the national legislation and its related bylaws through the Inter-Ministerial Working Group and provides sustained support to the Migration Police Committee to ensure that national refugee status determination procedures are in compliance with the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, the 1967 Protocol and other applicable international standards. UNHCR maintains an active working relationship with the Migration Police Committee in this regard and does focus on building their capacity to improve the protection of asylum seekers and refugees in Kazakhstan.

UNHCR actively promotes accession by the Government of Kazakhstan to the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness and assists the Government in developing and strengthening legal and administrative frameworks aimed at the identification, registration and protection of stateless persons and the prevention and reduction of statelessness. UNHCR also supports the Government in emergency preparedness through contingency planning and capacity building activities aimed at improving the disaster response mechanisms of the Government.

With mixed migration coming increasingly to the forefront in Central Asia, UNHCR activities in Kazakhstan are aimed at the preservation of asylum space within mixed migratory flows. In March 2011, Almaty hosted the fifth UNHCR Regional Conference on Refugee Protection and International Migration.  More than 100 representatives, largely at the Ministerial level, from Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China attended the event. Participating countries adopted the "Almaty Declaration" which will serve as a platform for further cooperation, dialogue and follow up action.

UNHCR closely cooperates with regional, international and non-governmental organizations in the region. UNHCR’s present implementing partners include the Kazakhstan International Bureau on Human Rights and Rule of Law and the Red Crescent Society of Kazakhstan.  The Representation, which is part of the Regional Representation for Central Asia, is located in Almaty, Kazakhstan,and a Liaison Office is located in Astana.