On October 22, Bakytgul Khambar, Director of the SDG Secretariat, and Sanzhar Bolegenov, Expert of the SDG Secretariat at the Economic Research Institute (ERI) JSC, participated in a meeting of the Interagency Working Group on the “Peace” dimension of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The meeting addressed juvenile crime prevention, protection of children from violence, and combating illicit financial flows under SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.
Regarding
juvenile crime prevention,
participants emphasized the need to shift from responding to offenses
toward preventive measures, including early identification of risks,
awareness campaigns, meetings, and educational activities. The
importance of a comprehensive approach that considers the social
factors contributing to unlawful behavior was highlighted.
Participants also noted an increase in reported cases of bullying
among minors over the past year.
On
combating illicit financial flows,
participants reviewed progress in countering money laundering and
illicit financial activities. Kazakhstan's progress in implementing
international Financial Action Task Force (FATF) standards and
improving the compliance of its national system with established
requirements was highlighted. Particular attention was paid to the
national risk assessment, identifying vulnerable sectors of the
economy, and measures to mitigate financial threats.
During
the meeting, Bakytgul Khambar, Director of ERI's SDG Secretariat,
highlighted the recommendations developed to improve public policy
measures and integrate relevant indicators into national planning
documents. She also emphasized the importance of ensuring the quality
of data on children's mental health. Limitations regarding the
representativeness of relevant data in the 2024 Multiple Indicator
Cluster Survey (MICS), used to monitor Indicator 16.2.1 on violence
against children, were also noted.
The
meeting concluded by emphasizing the need to strengthen interagency
cooperation, improve preventive measures, and enhance the quality of
monitoring progress toward SDG 16.
