🌍 REQUEST at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland 🌍

On 20 September 2024, an advocacy meeting took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland with Mr. Marek Całka, Deputy Director of the Eastern Department. Representing REQUEST at the meeting were Alisher Kozhagulov and Arsen Aubakirov.

The Eastern Department of the Polish MFA coordinates bilateral cooperation with several countries, including the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, the Kyrgyz Republic, and the Republic of Tajikistan.

This meeting was particularly important for our region as it provided a valuable opportunity to discuss current human rights issues in Central Asia. During the discussion, we addressed the challenges faced by LGBTQIA+ people in Kazakhstan and explored possible approaches to addressing them.

In addition, the importance of advancing the recommendations of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and the role of Poland as the upcoming EU Presidency were key topics of discussion. These factors may significantly influence the promotion and protection of human rights and LGBTQIA+ rights in the region.

We express our sincere gratitude to the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights for organizing the meeting and look forward to continuing a constructive dialogue.