The Majilis of the Kazakh Parliament adopted a law on the ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which opens up new opportunities for the protection of children's rights at the international level, El.kz reports.
Thanks to this step, children in Kazakhstan or their legal representatives will now be able to complain directly with the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in case of violation of their rights. This provides an additional level of protection for children's rights, complementing domestic legal support mechanisms.
However, before filing a complaint at the international level, applicants must first contact the law enforcement authorities of Kazakhstan. An international complaint is only possible if the rights of the child are not protected at the country level.
Decisions taken by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child will have the status of recommendations. Ratification of the Protocol complies with the norms of the Constitution and laws of the Republic of Kazakhstan, without restricting human and civil rights and freedoms.
Kazakhstan's accession to the Protocol was an important step in raising the legal level of child protection and demonstrated the country's commitment to strengthening international standards in the field of human rights and children's rights.