As part of the implementation of SDG 5 «Gender Equality», as well as SDG 10 «Reducing inequality», on April 2, 2024, a meeting was organized at the Department of International Law of the Faculty of International Relations of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University with M.A. Rakhimova, Doctor of Law, Professor of the Department of International Law and Human Rights of Tashkent State Law University.

During the meeting, issues of gender equality in Central Asian countries were discussed.

Professor M.A. Rakhimova shared information about the practice of the Republic of Uzbekistan on the implementation of gender rights, noting that one of the priorities of the state policy of the new Uzbekistan is the achievement of gender equality, ensuring the rights, freedoms, and legitimate interests of women, strengthening their role in public and state life.

Speaking about the experience of Uzbekistan in ensuring the rights and freedoms of women in the framework of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Prof. Rakhimova stressed that the trends observed in the Republic of Uzbekistan in this area are in line with the global processes of expanding the representation of women at the highest levels of government, eliminating gender inequality, increasing their number in parliament, government and the judiciary. For example, аccording to the results of the parliamentary elections of Uzbekistan at the end of 2019, they accounted for 32% of deputies of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis, 25% – in the Senate. Uzbekistan has acceded to all major international treaties providing for the legal, social and economic protection of women from all forms of discrimination and harassment. Gender-oriented laws have been adopted, for example, «On guarantees of equal rights and opportunities for women and men», «On the protection of women from harassment and violence», «On the protection of reproductive health of citizens», «On amendments and additions to article 15 of the Family Code», etc.

In turn, the teachers of the Department of International Law of KazNU noted that among the countries of Central Asia, the Republic of Kazakhstan is a leader in progress in the field of gender equality. Kazakhstan improved its position and rose by 15 lines, taking 65th place in the Global Gender Gap Index 2022, developed to assess gender equality among 146 countries.

The country has eliminated the gender gap in education, demonstrated improved economic opportunities and wage equality, and there is also an increase in the proportion of women in leadership positions. As part of the implementation of gender policy in the Republic of Kazakhstan, the need for social equality of men and women in all spheres of public life is being formed in the public consciousness. This is done for a radical transformation of public consciousness, the eradication of gender stereotypes, prejudices and prejudices associated with the idea of superiority and dominance of one sex over the other. As a result, new models of gender identity and gender behaviors will be formed, based on the principle of gender equality of rights and opportunities, considering the uniqueness of the life practices of men and women.