On a frosty morning in late 2021, Roza Nurymova* walked her nine-year-old daughter Marzhan to school through a neighbourhood of mostly vacant industrial buildings on the outskirts of Shymkent, near Kazakhstan’s border with Uzbekistan. Her two-year-old son Azat tottered alongside her, while her two older children waited for her to return to the family’s two-room home. At the time, Roza was an undocumented stateless person. An ethnic Kazakh who was born in Uzbekistan, Roza moved to Kazakhstan in 2011 in search of work and ended up marrying and settling there. Like thousands of ethnic Kazakhs who returned to their historical homeland in the years following Kazakhstan’s independence, Roza sought to obtain legal ‘Kandas’ – ethnic Kazakh – status. She renounced her Uzbek citizenship, believing that this was a necessary step to apply. Roza was left with neither nationality, trapped in the position of losing her Uzbek citizenship before obtaining a new one, becoming an undocumented stateless person. Roza’s and other similar cases are linked to gaps and lack of safeguards in nationality laws, coupled with limited legal awareness among communities. Statelessness in Kazakhstan In Kazakhstan, there are both undocumented and documented stateless people. Documented stateless people have a certificate from the government enabling them to stay in Kazakhstan, and access work, public services and healthcare. Undocumented stateless persons, of whom Roza was one, are among most vulnerable groups as they have no legal status and do not have access to most socio-economic rights – it is like they do not exist. There are nearly 7,600 people in Kazakhstan reported to be stateless or at risk of statelessness. The actual number may be higher, since undocumented stateless people are invisible to authorities. A life of legal limbo Life as an undocumented stateless person brought a life of legal limbo for Roza and her children. Without a legal identity, she was unable to register their births, leaving them without a nationality too. She was also unable to officially register her marriage to her husband, a Turkish national. The family’s unpredictable and meager income came from the odd jobs that Roza and her husband struggled to find. Marzhan loved school and was among the top students in her class, but at that time lacked the identity documents needed to be formally enrolled. The school had no record of her accomplishments. Dropping off Marzhan at the school gates that day, Roza watched from a distance with a mix of pride and anxiety. “There is no evidence that she is a student in the school system. It’s as if she does not exist,” she said bitterly. Statelessness limited the family in other ways too. Even for the most urgent medical care, doctors asked to see a birth certificate. Traveling across a border or benefiting from government support to low-income families were also out of the question. Her lack of documentation providing her identity took a toll on Roza’s self-esteem. “Sometimes when people get to know that I don’t have documents, they treat me like I am flawed,” she said. “They think they can insult me.” Six months on, the situation has changed significantly for Roza and her family. Lifting the shadow of statelessness With support from Sana Sezim, a civil society partner of UNHCR, Roza applied for birth certificates for all her children in the hope of saving them from the life of hardships she had known. Sana Sezim also initiated a process for Roza to receive identity documents for herself, a first step towards gaining a nationality. Roza has benefited from steps taken in recent years by Kazakhstan to put citizenship within reach for stateless families, particularly children. Since the launch of UNHCR’s #IBelong Campaign to End Statelessness in 2014, the country has granted citizenship to over 9,000 stateless people. In addition, changes to Kazakhstan’s Marriage and Family Code in 2019 entitle all children born in the country to be registered at birth and issued birth certificates, no matter what legal status their parents hold. The law is retroactive, making it possible for Roza’s children to benefit. In 2020, the Migration Services Committee of the Ministry of Interior launched a 20-month country-wide statelessness identification and documentation campaign. Nearly 9,000 undocumented stateless people were identified through the campaign, of whom 4,800 confirmed their citizenship of Kazakhstan and around 2,700 obtained legal stateless status. Kazakhstan’s efforts towards ending statelessness have opened up a new world for Roza and her family. By August 2022, she had received birth certificates for all her children. She had also received identity documents recognizing her as a stateless person under Kazakh law, enabling her to access medical services, open her own bank account, and apply for Kandas status. “I was in shock,” she said, recalling that moment. “I realized that finally I have documents… Now I am a full-fledged person, I can speak up. I can defend myself and live without fear for myself and my children.” *Name changed at subject’s request

This report focuses on the calendar year of 2021, a year that, in many ways, was very challenging. The COVID-19 pandemic impacted all aspects of life and governance as schools remained closed for parts of the year, social restrictions were in place as needed and the economy showed limited signs of recovery. However, Kazakhstan continued to advance its development agenda, whilst finding innovative ways to manage the epidemiological situation. The UNCT in Kazakhstan stands committed to working with Kazakhstan to strengthen social cohesion, enhance inclusion and further the normative agenda as the country also seeks to achieve its ambitious development goals. The UNCT will continue to support the country across programmatic commitments to ensure a healthy and educated population, green economy and sustainable agriculture, thriving businesses and guaranteed human rights for all through economic, social and political modernization based on human rights and inclusive national dialogue, gender equality and the empowerment of all people (focused on leaving no one behind).

On September 8, 2021, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the closure of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site and 15th anniversary of the Central Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone (CANWFZ) treaty the UN in Kazakhstan held the online roundtable entitled «30th anniversary of Semipalatinsk nuclear test site closure: impact on global development, peace and security». The event was attended by UN Resident Coordinator in Kazakhstan Michaela Friberg-Storey, Founder of the Nevada-Semipalatinsk anti-nuclear movement Olzhas Suleimenov, Ambassador-at-Large, First Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to the UN, Ex-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Akmaral Arystanbekova, Director of the International Security Department, MFA of Kazakhstan Kairat Sarzhanov, CICA Executive Director Kairat Sarybay, CTBTO Executive Secretary Robert Floyd, Executive Director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons Beatrice Fihn, Representative of UN Women in Kazakhstan Maria Dotsenko, diplomatic corps, youth representatives and public figures. In her welcoming speech, UN Resident Coordinator Michaela Friberg-Storey noted: "Nuclear tests caused enormous human suffering and environmental damage. Ecosystems were destroyed, which will take decades, if not centuries, to heal. This commemoration is an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to outlaw all nuclear tests. There is no excuse to delay achieving this goal". Director of the International Security Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Kairat Sarzhanov noted the great political significance of the closure of the Semipalatinsk test site at the dawn of independence and highlighted a number of subsequent initiatives of Kazakhstan aimed at promoting peace and security on a regional and global scale. Great interest of the event participants was aroused by the speech of the statesman and public figure, diplomat Olzhas Suleimenov, who spoke about the history of the creation of the world's first anti-nuclear movement "Nevada-Semipalatinsk". The sad periods in the history of Kazakhstan clearly illustrate that nuclear weapons and the consequences of their testing are incompatible with the prosperous and secure future of all mankind. In the speech of the former Minister of Foreign Affairs Akmaral Arystanbekova, it was emphasized that the historical contribution of Kazakhstan, which closed the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site by the Decree of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan N.A. Nazarbayev, the subsequent accession to the NPT as a non-nuclear state and the voluntary renunciation of the inherited weapons, commanded deserved respect and trust in new independent Kazakhstan in the world community, which she witnessed over the years as the first Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to the UN. Executive Director of the Secretariat of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) Kairat Sarybay noted that the CICA forum, initiated by the First President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev, attaches great importance to global nuclear disarmament and strengthening security in the CICA area of ​​responsibility. In the Almaty Act of 2002, the leaders of the countries participating in the Conference recognized that disarmament and arms control, the universality of all international treaties related to the elimination of weapons of mass destruction, and the promotion of non-proliferation are important for building confidence among the states of the region. The participants of the event noted that Kazakhstan has demonstrated its political responsibility to the world community and a model of partnership with the leading nuclear powers based on mutual trust. Dr. Robert Floyd, the Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization, and Beatrice Fihn, the Executive Director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (an organization that received the Nobel Peace Prize for its work to draw attention to the catastrophic consequences of any use of nuclear weapons and for efforts to achieve a legislative ban on such weapons), also addressed the participants with video messages. Within the framework of the round table, special video dedicated to the tragic pages of the history of Kazakhstan - the consequences of nuclear tests at the Semipalatinsk test site was presented. Full video recording of the event available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8m47mGuoPYc&t=1s  

The contest aims to raise awareness about climate change in order to put the topic on the public agenda, inspire and encourage people to find climate solutions. The UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030 promotes the achievement of all 17 Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, including the eradication of poverty, hunger and aims to invest in initiatives to restore many hundreds of thousands ecosystems around the world, political support and technical capacity in both the public and private sectors. The climate emergency facing humanity today requires adequate and immediate action. In particular, there is an urgent need to bring the global temperature increase down to 1.5 degrees Celsius in accordance with the Paris Agreement. Efforts to combat climate change by countries, companies or citizens can benefit not only our planet, but also human health and well-being. Journalists and bloggers are invited to participate by submitting an article of up to 800 words in the print and online media of Kazakhstan that will raise awareness of the threat posed by climate change to Kazakhstan and suggest possible solutions to mitigate or adapt to the effects of climate change. UN Resident Coordinator in Kazakhstan Michaela Friberg-Storey noted: "Science tells us these next 10 years could be our final chance to avert a climate catastrophe, turn back the deadly tide of pollution and end species loss. With this contest we want to motivate people to find new, out-of-the-box solutions to restore ecosystems and raise environmental awareness." The first, second and third place winners will receive valuable prizes worth USD 2,500, USD 1,300 and USD 800, respectively. The first place winner will have the opportunity to attend COP 26 in Glasgow in November 2021 if the COVID-19 pandemic situation allows physical participation. Also according to the results of the competition, the authors of the best 10 articles will receive certificates on behalf of the UN in Kazakhstan. "For many years, the United Nations Development Programme has been a key partner of the Government of Kazakhstan in the issues of biodiversity and ecosystem conservation. Since 2004, with financial support from the Global Environment Facility in partnership with the Government of Kazakhstan, UNDP has implemented 10 large-scale biodiversity conservation initiatives, helping to protect unique nature and globally significant ecosystems of the country," said Yakup Beris, UNDP Resident Representative in Kazakhstan. Despite a temporary reduction in emissions due to the pandemic, this century the Earth is approaching a global warming of at least 3°C, more than 1 million of 8 million plant and animal species are threatened with complete extinction, and pollution-induced diseases have caused some 9 million premature deaths annually. "The UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration will succeed if people unite as communities, as nations, and as a global movement. Each of us has a role to play, from politicians giving political impetus to change, scientists developing scientific solutions, business community transforming into green production, and youth and civil society, whose voice must be heard more loudly in the call to change the way we think about and value nature," stressed Aidai Kurmanova, Head of UNEP's Subregional Office for Central Asia. 2021 is particularly important in view of the upcoming meetings of the climate and biodiversity conventions, where governments must set mutually reinforcing and ambitious targets to protect the planet by almost double decreasing greenhouse gas emissions this decade, as well as through biodiversity conservation and restoration. Details of the contest rules available at: https://kazakhstan.un.org/en/130263-media-contest-change-climate-kazakhstan Full video from the press-briefing. Entries must be submitted in PDF or DOC format to contest@changepr.kz Applications will be accepted from World Environment Day (5 June) until midnight CET on 31 July 2021. For extra inquiries contact number: +7 727 272 05 09; cell: +7 707 638 97 74. For more details please contact: Press Officer of the UN in Kazakhstan Ms Elnara Bainazarova, tel: +7 701 9400086, e-mail: elnara.bainazarova@un.org.