Ways to improve the mechanism of interaction of the state and NGO in Kazakhstan

Abstract

Object: One of the strategic objectives of a right and democratic state is to create conditions for the effective activity of non governmental organizations (NGOs) in the civil society system. Kazakhstan, like many other countries, is interested in the development of the third sector and since 2015 has intensified work towards strengthening the interaction of the state with NGOs.
There are problematic aspects on this path, due to both the imperfection of the legislative framework and the insufficiently high level of professionalism of NGOs, as well as state bodies, which remain insufficiently studied in the scientific and methodological literature.
The purpose of this article is to analyze the features of the modern mechanism of interaction between the state and NGOs in Kazakhstan, identify key development problems and develop concrete proposals to improve the effectiveness of activities in the field of civil interaction.
The hypothesis of the study: the current mechanism of interaction of state bodies with NGOs in the Republic of Kazakhstan is insufficiently developed as in European countries, and requires the necessary improvement.
Methods: Analysis of specialized scientific literature and regulatory framework, qualitative, quantitative and systematic analysis, generalization and forecasting.
Findings: The purposeful systematization of the regulatory framework for regulating the activities of NGOs in Kazakhstan began to improve in 2015, and needs further improvement.
One of the key methods of state accounting and control of NGO activities in the Republic of Kazakhstan is the creation and maintenance of an electronic “NGO Database” in which the latter are required to register and provide reporting information on their activities.
The appropriate procedure for registration, the structure of information and reporting on the work of NGOs (areas of activity, quantitative data of the organization by staff, income, founders and implemented projects, etc.) is determined by the state.
Conclusions: in the last 7 years in Kazakhstan, there has been a high positive dynamic of involvement of NGOs in cooperation with the state through the mechanisms of implementation of the state social order, grants and other incentives to the most influential and effective of them. However, there are also certain problems in the work of NGOs, cause-and-effect relationships, which the authors tried to establish in this article. The ways of improving the mechanism of interaction between the state and NGOs in Kazakhstan are proposed – a list of specific priority measures that, in the authors’ opinion, will significantly improve the current situation in this area.
The study was funded by the Science Committee of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan (BR18574203).