Commentary by Laila Akhmetova on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

Today, November 25, the UN approved International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

The UN system, together with UN-Women, constantly joins forces with activists from around the world, leaders of civil society organizations, representatives of all sectors of society in order to draw attention to the need to address the problems of survivors of violence and its prevention.

In Kazakhstan, one of such activists is a member of the Eurasian Peoples' Assembly, Soviet and Kazakh scientist, public figure, writer, journalist, historian, political scientist, Academician of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences, Academician of the Eurasian Academy of Television and Radio, author of works on history, political science, media education, civil society, member of the Union of Journalists of the Republic of Kazakhstan, head of the UNESCO Centre for Journalism and Communication of the Kazakh National University named after Al-Farabi, Professor Laila Akhmetova.

Laila Akhmetova spoke about the support for survivors of violence and its prevention in Kazakhstan, the way this support was carried out in different years and is being organized now:

- We in Kazakhstan annually conduct a national campaign - 16 days of struggle against violence. We devote each of these days to one or another fact of this side of life. We organize car rallies in remote villages and regions of Kazakhstan, we consult with lawyers and psychologists. We have opened several crisis centres in Kazakhstan with the participation of international organizations. They work to this day, not only for women, but also for men. So, I personally took part in the opening in 2003 of the first crisis centre for men “YerAzamat”. Now such centres are being opened by the state. And now they are in every region and major cities.

Currently, we actively work together with the police, government agencies and non-governmental organizations. We publish brochures, posters, make banners ... Today, the emphasis shifts to the prevention of violence: monitoring work with aggressors, amendments to the legislation of the Republic, educational work, etc.

UNESCO pays a lot of attention to the problems of violence. For example, on November 27, UNESCO will host a webinar entitled “Media Coverage of Violence against Women and Girls”. And, of course, I, as the Head of the UNESCO Centre for Journalism and Communication of the Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, will speak at this event. And on November 26, the Forum of Women's NGOs invited me to participate in a meeting on the preparation of the “Regional Conference on Resisting Gender Violence (Central Asia, North Caucasus)”. Every day I find confirmation that such meetings, such mass agitation are bearing fruit. I am sure thanks to this work, violence in the world is decreasing and after all we will eradicate it.