Kazakhstan Launches New System to Respond to Bullying and Violence Against Children

Kazakhstan has approved a unified interagency system for responding to cases of violence, abuse and bullying against children. Under the new rules, each identified case will be assigned a separate specialist, Orda.kz reports.

The Education Ministry said the new procedure clearly defines responsibilities for the police, schools, doctors and child protection authorities for the first time. Any report of a violation of a child’s rights must now trigger a mandatory chain of actions with specific deadlines.

The main innovation of the system is the introduction of case managers, which creates personal responsibility for each case. Every identified incident is assigned to a specific specialist who coordinates the work of all services and supports the child until their rights are fully restored. This approach prevents responsibility from being blurred between agencies and ensures continuous support for the victim.the ministry said.

The ministry added that formal complaints will no longer be the only trigger for a response. Appeals from children themselves, calls to the 111 helpline, and reports from social media and the media will also be taken into account.

All key structures, including mobile groups and psychological support centers, are involved in identifying cases. An important change is that not only children who have been subjected to violence, but also those who witnessed it, will now fall under state protection and mandatory support.the ministry said.

Response deadlines have also been set. According to the ministry, information about possible violence must be immediately forwarded to the relevant state bodies. Within one hour, the information must be sent to child protection authorities; within one working day, a case manager must be appointed and the child’s living conditions assessed. Materials must then be submitted to the juvenile affairs commission within no more than three working days.

The authorities say children will receive support under a single standard, including medical, psychological, educational, social and legal assistance.

Original author: Saule Abdykamit

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