A round table discussion on the interpretation of the new Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan was held at the South Kazakhstan Pedagogical University named after O. Zhanibekov on the topic "Constitutional Reform: Public Dialogue and New Initiatives of the President."
The event was attended by the university's faculty and staff, who discussed in detail the constitutional changes that will directly affect the future of the country. The meeting was moderated by Barshagul Isabek, a member of the university's Board of Directors and Vice-Rector for Strategic Development and Social Affairs.
In his speech, the moderator noted that the essence of the Constitutional reform is not limited to legal changes. According to him, this initiative is aimed at renewing public consciousness, increasing civic responsibility, and forming a new model of public administration.
During the roundtable, participants emphasized that the new Constitution is based on protecting the rights and security of citizens, strengthening the balance between the branches of power, and developing democratic institutions. In addition, the fact that the draft Constitution was developed through open public discussion and took into account the proposals received from the people was assessed as one of the main advantages of the reform.
According to scientists, the introduction of the directions "Education. Science. Innovation" into the draft Constitution is a strategically important step. This is a fundamental turning point that indicates that the development of the state should rely not on natural resources, but on human capital, an educated and competitive generation. In this regard, it was noted that one of the main tasks is to convey the content and meaning of the Constitution to young people in a broad and understandable manner.
Another important direction of the new Constitution is digitalization. For the first time, the adoption of norms for the protection of citizens' rights in the digital environment was assessed as a solution that meets modern requirements. It is aimed at ensuring the security of personal data and strengthening legal protection in the digital space.
Akmaral Baidlayeva, senior lecturer at the Department of History of Kazakhstan and Social Sciences, noted in her report that the main feature of the new version of the Constitution is its focus on human rights.
– Human rights and freedoms are defined not only in the new Preamble, but also as the semantic core and main priority of the entire Constitution. This clarifies the country's value orientations and paves the way for strengthening the rule of law. In addition, the proposed changes include a number of institutional innovations. In particular, it is planned to move to a unicameral parliamentary model, introduce the position of vice president, as well as create a Constitutional People's Council to strengthen people's representation. These initiatives are aimed at improving the system of public administration and expanding the mechanisms for citizens' participation in power, - said the speaker.
The participants emphasized the historical significance of the Constitutional Reform and assessed it as an important step that will usher in a new era in the country's development.
At the end of the meeting, it was noted that the roundtable was an open dialogue platform that provided an opportunity to deeply explain the content of the Constitutional reform and discuss the common views of the scientific community. The meeting highlighted that the new Constitution is a solid foundation for building a just, modern, and people-oriented state.
The participants also emphasized the special importance of the new Constitution for the fate of the country and expressed their full support for it.