UN Regional Resource Centre at the International Relations Faculty of Al-Farabi KazNU and UN Women Multi-country Office in Central Asia (Kazakhstan) held round table, dedicated to the issues of gender equality. The goal of the round table was to discuss development and support of «He For She» campaign in Kazakhstan, and in particular at the university.

«Gender inequality currently is still one of the most frequent violation of human rights. Despite of years-long efforts, inequality between women/girls and men/boys continues to increase all over the world», - opened the discussion UN Women Multi-country Office specialist Mrs.Aizhamal Duishebayeva. As she told, «gender issue is very wide, and there’s always much to do» regardless of any country’s development level.

UN Women’s solidarity movement with a «He For She» slogan was launched in 2014 in order to support gender equality, uniting one part of the humanity to back another part for the common good. The US president Barack Obama, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, International Olympic Committee’s president Thomas Bakh, Secretary General at the Council of Europe Turborn Yagland, President of Kenya Ukhuru Kenyata, H.E. Prime Minister Stefan Löfvén of Sweden, are the leaders who have already joined the campaign.

Kazakh National University’s vice-deans in cooperation with UN Women Multi-Country Office, UN Department of Public Information and students discussed wide range of questions regarding gender inequality during the round table. Woman and religion, «glass ceiling» for women at their work places, home violence and complications of studying gender issues in the country – such topics stirred interest of round table participants. The one more reason of such an active discussion maybe was due to different backgrounds of speakers, what let the gender issue to be analyzed from various angles. The meeting gathered representatives from faculties such as international relations, oriental studies, medical, foundation, biology, philosophy and political science. Round table participants concluded that the best way of supporting and developing the idea of «He for She» campaign - is to act unanimously, contribute by actively involving students’ society and motivating them to take steps forward gender equality organizing events on a continuous and systematic basis.

Gender equality issues are not only about women. It is a human rights issue, concerning all of us – women and girls, men ans boys,. Equality of genders in our daily lifes provokes salutary social, political and economical consequences for all. Humanity in general benefits from widening women’s opportunities. Gender equality emancipates not only women from their stereotyped social roles, but men too.