Paper short abstract:

The paper analyzes current developments affecting CSOs in Kazakhstan. It offers an empirical contribution on how NGOs have coped with the new political and financial environment characterized by shortage of international support and the implementation of the national system of social tenders.

Paper long abstract:

The paper is focused on recent developments affecting NGOs in Kazakhstan. Since 2005, the Kazakh government has significantly contributed to the growth of the non-profit sector through the introduction of a tender system that has produced a substantial expansion of the sector in terms of number of organizations present in the country and of financial resources available. In addition, the government has introduced a new institutional and legislative framework which has been conducive to the creation of a partnership between the state and civil society and to the inclusion of CSOs in the policy-making process, assigning them a consultative function which is nowadays established by law. At the same time, since in 2013 Kazakhstan was upgraded as upper middle average country and, therefore, less eligible to receive international cooperation aid.

The paper offers an empirical contribution on the new political and financial environment in which Kazakh NGOs operate and on the strategies they have at their disposal to cope with current challenges. The study is based on interviews carried out with the leaders and representatives of major Kazakh NGOs as well as a review of the legislative framework regulating the activities of the non-profit sector in the country. It sheds light on how the changes affecting the national and international funding schemes tend to reduce the autonomy of the third sector, hampering its ability to operate in more politicized fields (as human rights, rule of law, good governance etc.) and to advocate for its interests when conflicting with those of the state.