Kazakhstan

Almaty Helsinki Committee (AHC)
$46,418
To promote human rights and civic free­doms in Kazakhstan. The program will monitor and report on the state of human rights and freedoms by tracking cases that appeared in the media, analyzing legisla­tive changes, and conducting interviews with victims and their attorneys. AHC will respond rapidly to adverse changes in the human rights environment in Kazakhstan and its priorities will be the freedoms of conscience, association, and assembly.

Ecological Society “Green Salvation”
$46,620
To encourage citizens to become ac­tive in the defense of their rights, and to pressure the government to improve and implement environmental legislation through strategic litigation. Green Salvation will obtain and analyze information about environmental hazards, carry out monitor­ing, provide legal counsel, help individuals and community organizations take their cases to court, and publicize its findings.

Independent Newspaper “Zona kz”
$25,600
To promote public access to alternative ideas and independent information. Zona.kz will upgrade its computers and serv­ers and develop its video capabilities by improving its audio and visual equipment. In addition to publishing news and com­mentary, the organization will post short videos from NGO events on its web site.

International Foundation for Protection of Freedom of Speech “Adil Soz”
$46,186
To promote internet freedom in Ka­zakhstan. The organization will monitor violations of internet freedom and court cases against internet users, and provide legal consultations. Adil Soz will advocate for improved internet regulations, propose draft legislation, and publicize its findings.

Kazakhstan International Bureau of Human Rights and Rule of Law
$106,740
To provide free legal consultations in the Bureau’s headquarters in Almaty, to con­duct four trainings in human rights for law professionals and students, to provide legal assistance for refugees in Kazakhstan, and to operate its Legal Defense Center to help its clients throughout the country. The Bureau will also host a meeting of activists to discuss the influence of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization on the human rights situation in its constituent nations.

National Association of TV and Radio Broadcasters of Kazakhstan
$71,200
To strengthen knowledge of the law among journalists in Kazakhstan’s regions. The Association will provide legal consulta­tions, conduct on-site legal and financial audits of four media outlets, and organize two-day training seminars in four regions. The Association will also advocate for increased media freedoms and publish two new collections of relevant legislative and normative acts with clarifying commentary.

National Democratic Institute for International Affairs
$300,000
To assist political parties and civic groups in monitoring government performance in upholding its democratic commit­ments and rights, developing policy recommendations, and fostering aware­ness among citizens of their political rights. These activities will motivate the government to pursue genuine democratic reforms, while strengthening the organizing skills of the participat­ing civic groups and political parties.

Public Foundation “Republican Network of Independent Monitors”
$62,900
To increase public awareness of Kazakhstan’s OSCE commitments, and to monitor transparency of the procedures and performance of the parliament. To disseminate this in­formation to citizens, RNIM will hold four roundtables in the regions of Kazakhstan, maintain a website, as­semble quarterly analytical reports of its monitoring results, and publish and distribute two issues of its bulletin.

The grant listings posted here are from the 2010 Annual Report, published in August 2011.