On August 21, the XII Civil Forum was held in Kostanay, which brought together representatives of civil society, government agencies, experts, journalists and active residents. The main topic of the meeting was the role of civil activism and public control in the development of the country. Participants discussed budget transparency, monitoring of national projects, human rights and new forms of citizen participation in decision-making.

Particular attention was paid to the importance of the law "On Public Control", adopted last year. The document opens up new opportunities for citizens to participate in decision-making processes and helps strengthen the dialogue between the state and society. At the same time, the effectiveness of the law largely depends on the activity of regional initiatives and the work of the civil sector.

The president of the Kazakhstan Civil Alliance Banu Nurgaziyeva arrived at the forum and shared her experience of involving society in decision-making processes. Chairperson of the Board of the Public Foundation "Kazakhstan Halkyna" Lyazzat Chinkisbayeva spoke about social projects being implemented in the region: re-equipping a children's rehabilitation center, equipping medical institutions with modern equipment, reconstructing the Gornyak Culture Palace in Arkalyk and strengthening the base of dozens of educational organizations.

The active work of non-governmental organizations was noted: today, about 1,500 NGOs operate in the region, and the volume of state social orders has grown by 34% over three years, reaching 1 billion tenge in 2025. Organizations such as "Umit-Nadezhda", "Mama Pro", "Perekrestok" provide targeted assistance to the population, and volunteer rescue teams ("Region 10", "Bars", "Dos") help in emergency situations.

Special attention is paid to the work of the "House of NGOs", which has been operating for 14 years. The center holds social idea fairs and supports initiatives through small grants. Over the past two years, dozens of projects have been implemented: a podcast studio for young people in Rudny, improvement of a park in the Zhangeldinsky district, an inclusive gym in Kostanay, and social startups.

The topic of youth initiatives occupied an important place in the discussions. As part of the Generation of Independence competition, six projects received grants of 1 million tenge, and three more Kostanay projects became winners at the republican level, each of which received 3 million tenge. The project to create an inclusive eco-greenhouse "Osip Kelemiz" was among the 30 best in the country.

The activities of public councils were also discussed: there are 21 councils in the region, almost 17% of which are young people. For the first time, maslikhat deputies were not included in the councils, which gave them a more public character.

Following the forum, experts emphasized that civil society institutions make a real contribution to the socio-economic development of the region, and the initiatives of Kostanay NGOs are a striking example of strengthening society and improving the quality of life of the population.

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/kostanay/press/news/details/1055498?lang=kk