By Aiman Nakispekova Fatima Kemelova
ASTANA 鈥 The final stage of the Kazakhstan Without Domestic Violence national campaign took place in Astana on June 28, as part of the Year of Crime Prevention, announced by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and supported by the National Commission on Women and Family and Demographic Policy.
The campaign aimed to promote zero tolerance for domestic violence, raise public awareness of legal rights, strengthen trust in law enforcement, and enhance interagency cooperation to protect the rights of women and children.
In an interview with The Astana Times Sholpan Karinova, the secretary of the Amanat party, head of its women鈥檚 wing, and member of the National Commission, emphasized the campaign鈥檚 key outcomes and the critical role of public outreach.
鈥淭he law amending penalties for violence against women and children, signed by the Kazakh President on April 15 last year, came into force on June 16. Since then, we have seen a significant decrease in domestic violence cases,鈥 said Karinova.
According to her, reports of domestic violence have decreased by 20.5% compared to the previous year. The number of serious and especially serious domestic crimes has also declined, with a 44% reduction in particularly severe cases and a 29% drop in serious offenses over the first five months of 2025.
She also noted a 21.3% decrease in crimes involving the sexual abuse of minors during the same period.
Karinova highlighted the new mechanism allowing authorities to identify domestic violence cases even without official complaints from victims. This includes data from mobile teams, police officers, witnesses, and social media monitoring. As a result, more than 19,000 such cases have been identified in just five months.
鈥淐hild abuse and bullying reports have also risen thanks to a QR-code initiative implemented in schools nationwide, linking directly to Amanat鈥檚 government-supported Contact Center 111. Over 86,000 SMS messages from children were received in five months,鈥 she said.
Twenty psychological support centers and over 100 family support centers now operate in the country. A new form of prevention, psychological rehabilitation for aggressors, has also been introduced, with 52 individuals court-ordered to receive therapy through the healthcare system this year.
Breaking the taboo
Karinova emphasized that public awareness and legal literacy regarding domestic violence have grown significantly in recent years. This is reflected in the increasing number of citizen reports and public engagement.
鈥淭he campaign showed that domestic violence is no longer a taboo subject. People are speaking out, sharing stories, and seeking help. This reflects a growing sense of civic responsibility,鈥 she said.
Karinova also praised the role of non-government organizations and volunteers in advancing these efforts: providing temporary shelter, legal aid, and psychological support to victims.
鈥淭hanks to the collective work of the state, society, and information sector, Kazakhstan is shaping a new culture of zero tolerance for family violence,鈥 said Karinova.
鈥淭he Amanat party鈥檚 women鈥檚 wing is also engaged in this process. We organize meetings, trainings, and roundtables, support family centers, and promote initiatives to prevent violence and strengthen women鈥檚 leadership. We believe that media and social media campaigns are crucial in raising awareness and breaking stereotypes,鈥 she added.
Tatiana Mironyuk, another member of the national commission, echoed Karinova鈥檚 views, stressing that the campaign demonstrated the importance of public engagement and institutional openness.
鈥淭he effectiveness of such initiatives varies from region to region, but this campaign should be seen as a comprehensive effort to spark change and raise awareness,鈥 said Mironyuk.
She praised the campaign鈥檚 openness and the Ministry of Internal Affairs鈥 willingness to engage with the public鈥攁 rare move for such traditionally closed institutions.
鈥淔rom the standpoint of government transparency and public trust, this campaign is an important step forward,鈥 said Mironyuk.