Initiatives

POVERTY REDUCTION
Cooperation with the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection (2012-2015)
The objective is to assist MLSP to define the strategy towards working with the self-employed, implementation of the UN Convention on the rights of people with disabilities, implementation of the Law on special social services etc.

GENDER
Gender mainstreaming from policy level to implementation mechanism (2012-2015)
The project is to support national gender machinery in implementation of the legislation on equal rights and equal opportunities as well as economic empowerment of women, especially in rural areas.

DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE
Promotion of mediation in Kazakhstan (2012-2014)
The project will support the implementation of the Law on Mediation adopted in Feb 2011 through trainings and capacity building of mediators, especially at remote locations, supporting consolidation of mediation organizations, providing expertise to the government to draft regulatory framework for mediation in Kazakhstan. 

Strengthening human rights defense mechanisms and implementation of universal documents on human rights in Kazakhstan (2012-2014)
The project will support the Government in follow up to Universal Periodic Review recommendations and the implementation of the National Human Rights Action Plan. Other project outcomes are expert capacity building on action plans formulation and ratification of international conventions, promotion of civil society involvement in policy formulation and dialogue as well as human rights education and propaganda will be targeted. 

Access to Information and Freedom of Expression from Government to Society in Kazakhstan: Phase 2 (2011-2012). The project will help to finalize the work on the draft law on access to information and support relevant advocacy and information campaign to support the draft law introduction and reading in the Parliament.

Improvement of courts monitoring system and access to justice (2012-2014)The project will promote compliance of the courts monitoring system with international standards of courts quality assurance and improve transparency and access to justice mechanisms.

Promoting the human rights in Kazakhstan in the context of prevention and response to HIV/AIDS (2011-2012)
The project will undertake a human rights-based approach in addressing HIV/AIDS issue. Emphasis will be placed on development of strategies and legislation that upholds human rights, including for people living with HIV. The project will conduct a baseline study on human rights to analyze the existing legislation and practice and provide practical recommendations for improvement. A special focus in a study will be given to vulnerable groups and people with HIV.

ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT
City of Almaty Sustainable Transport (2011 – 2016)
The objective of the project is to reduce the growth of transport-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the City of Almaty, while simultaneously improving urban environmental conditions by 1) improving the management of public transport and air quality in Almaty; 2) building capacity in Almaty to holistically plan and implement improvements in the efficiency and quality of public transport; 3) building capacity to holistically plan and implement integrated traffic management measures in Almaty city; and 4) implementing a demonstration project that raises awareness and increases knowledge on sustainable urban transport.

POP/CHEMICALS
Medical wastes management (2011 – 2014)
The project goal is to develop capacities for sound disposal of medical wastes in the country

CLIMATE CHANGE
Sustainable cities (2011 – 2016)
The project will focus on reducing country greenhouse gas emissions by laying the foundation for a transition to low-carbon communities through development of a national framework for low-carbon planning and piloting of carbon reduction strategies on a local level.

BIODIVERSITY AND SUSTAINABLE LAND MANAGEMENT
Complex management of natural resources in Ural River Basin: Russia, Kazakhstan (2011 – 2013)
This regional project will build upon and support transboundary cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan addressing conservation and sustainable management of the Ural River Basin (URB) transboundary ecosystems. Political will and commitments recently demonstrated by both countries to tackle environmental and water-related problems in this basin lay a solid ground for proposed intervention.

Sustainable watershed management of the Ili-Balkhash Basin (2011 – 2013)
The project goal is to reduce vulnerability of agro-ecosystems to human induced impacts and to arrest current trends of land degradation in the Ili-Balkhash basin in Kazakhstan. The objective is to improve flows of agro-ecosystem services to sustain the livelihoods of rural population in the Ili-Balkhash basin.

Mainstreaming biodiversity conservation into KZ oil and gas sector operations (2011 – 2013)