Background Note on the Civil Society Working Group on Sustainable Development in Central Asia
According to the Freedom in the World Index by Freedom House, all five Central Asian states are classified as not free, with consolidated authoritarian regimes.
The countries of the former Soviet region (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan) have followed different paths since gaining independence in 1991; however, all of them demonstrate systematic human rights violations and persecution of human rights defenders. Political rights and civil liberties, including freedoms of expression, assembly, and association, are restricted to varying degrees across the region. Corruption, arbitrary detention, and ill-treatment in places of detention are widespread.
The work of independent human rights defenders and civil society organizations (CSOs) is significantly constrained. There are no independent human rights organizations in Turkmenistan; only a limited number operate in Uzbekistan; and in Tajikistan they face increasing pressure. In Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, CSOs are formally allowed to operate, but they are still subject to arbitrary interference, politically motivated charges, and stigmatization, including through labels such as “foreign agents” or “foreign representatives.”
Against this backdrop, the effectiveness of traditional international human rights mechanisms remains limited. For many years, UN treaty bodies and Special Procedures have issued concluding observations and recommendations to Central Asian states, yet implementation—particularly regarding political rights and civil liberties—remains крайне низким.
UN treaty bodies have issued more than 150 decisions on individual complaints against Central Asian states (including more than 70 concerning Kazakhstan), but these are largely not implemented, both in terms of remedies and compensation, let alone systemic changes. A similar situation exists with regard to recommendations from international election observation missions, including those of the OSCE. Meanwhile, civic space in the region continues to shrink, and pressure on human rights defenders, activists, and independent organizations is increasing.
In this context, alternative avenues of influence are becoming increasingly important, particularly through international institutions that do not primarily focus on human rights but are increasingly incorporating such considerations into their work. These include international financial institutions (such as the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the Asian Development Bank), as well as organizations working in the fields of security, development, and anti-corruption (including FATF, UN counter-terrorism bodies, the OECD, EITI, and others). Countries in the region actively engage with these institutions to support economic development and cooperation in the field of security.
In recent years, the standards and procedures of these institutions have increasingly incorporated human rights requirements and safeguards for civic space. This is also reflected in assessment missions and consultations with civil society, creating additional opportunities for effective advocacy.
In this context, the Civil Society Working Group on Sustainable Development in Central Asia operates with the participation of the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law (KIBHR).
The main objective of the Working Group is to strengthen the capacity of human rights defenders and civil society actors in the region to protect socio-economic, environmental, and fundamental human rights in the context of economic transformation (including infrastructure projects and extractive industries), as well as to promote human rights considerations within international financial institutions and other international organizations.
The activities of the Working Group include:
– analyzing standards, procedures, and requirements of international financial institutions and other international organizations related to human rights and civil society;
– examining the legal and institutional frameworks governing the interaction between Central Asian states and international financial institutions and organizations in the fields of development and security;
– developing advocacy strategies aimed at ensuring respect for human rights and expanding civic space;
– facilitating exchange of experience and coordination among human rights defenders and civil society organizations in the region;
– preparing analytical materials and recommendations;
– organizing expert consultations and discussions involving regional stakeholders.
The Working Group brings together experts, human rights defenders, and civil society representatives from across Central Asia and contributes to strengthening regional cooperation, enhancing advocacy capacity, and improving the use of international institutional mechanisms for the protection of human rights.
