UN Authority Figures

UN Development Programme Executive Board: Kazakhstan

"Tragedy of the Krishna community - A young mother with her newborn baby photographed from outside her window as Kazakh police break down her door and prepare to demolish her home on November 21, 2006". Iskcon News, May 18, 2007

Mission of the UN Development Programme: "UNDP is the UN's global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners. World leaders have pledged to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, including the overarching goal of cutting poverty in half by 2015. UNDP's network links and coordinates global and national efforts to reach these Goals. Our focus is helping countries build and share solutions to the challenges of: Democratic Governance...UNDP helps developing countries attract and use aid effectively. In all our activities, we encourage the protection of human rights and the empowerment of women." (U.N. Development Programme web-site, "About UNDP")

Term of office: 2007

Kazakhstan's Record on Democratic Governance:
"The following human rights problems were reported: severe limits on citizens' rights to change their government; an incident of unlawful deprivation of life; military hazing that led to deaths; detainee and prisoner abuse; unhealthy prison conditions; arbitrary arrest and detention, particularly of government opponents; lack of an independent judiciary; increased restrictions on freedom of speech, the press, assembly, and association; pervasive corruption, especially in law enforcement and the judicial system; restrictions on the activities of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs); discrimination and violence against women; trafficking in persons; and societal discrimination." (US State Department's Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006, Kazakhstan)