IV Civil Forum: NGOs are power serving people's interests

sp;ASTANA. November 24. KAZINFORM /Anar Zhumabekova/ The IV Civil Forum started yesterday in Astana to address the topical problems of the social sector of Kazakhstan. The Forum has brought together about 700 participants from near and far abroad. The Civil Forum is the venue of dialogue of state bodies and NGOs and the most anticipated event in the life of the third sector due its format, qualitative level of participants, issues raised and adoption of concrete decisions at governmental level on its outcome.

With all the problems needing solutions, the social sector in its entirety has expanded and grown where the major role belongs to the non-governmental organizations of Kazakhstan. Like in many countries where NGOs serve for the benefit of people, in Kazakhstan they proved to be a real tool of formation of civil society. The glaring example is the anti-nuclear movement Nevada-Semey - the activity of many people succeeded in closing the nuclear testing site for good. The Bobek fund laid the foundation of charity activity for children. Ethno-cultural associations such as "Vainakh", "Renaissance" and "Mitsva" contribute to international harmony through projects.

 The role of NGOs was the main subject of the discussion at the Forum. Minister of Education and Science Zhanseit Tyuimebayev called NGOs "the main link between the state and various groups of population". As he said: "NGOs make the state more effective acting as a flexible and mobile partner with a high motivation of the members. They serve as a 'social elevator', source of strong personnel and generator of innovative ideas".  When speaking about the contribution of NGOs to the education field, there was pointed out big work of NGOs on education of physically-challenged, orphan and repatriates' children. The number of youth organizations is growing fast as well.

Today we can watch the role of NGOs acquiring bigger meaning and becoming of bigger support in solution of challenges. The activity of NGOs covers almost all the sectors, including healthcare where more than 100 NGOs are actively involved and environmental protection.

Vice Prime Minister Umirzak Shukeyev pointed out: "The civil sector is capable to mobilize the efforts of the society towards progress, although some analysts predicted exacerbation of social tension in crisis conditions, which did not prove to be correct. This manifests well-tuned cooperation between the state and the third sector where the state creates favorable conditions and NGOs use the resources to resolve social challenges".

He also added that success depends on the human potential and unity, rather than advanced technologies.  

"The civil sector of Kazakhstan is the very power that serves the interests of various groups of population and generates ideas. NGOs make a big contribution to successful development of the society", Umirzak Shukeyev stated.