On 13-14 March 2025, the workshop "SGBV Survivor-Centered Procedures and Communications in Courts" took place in Astana. Organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana, the event brought together judges, legal practitioners, psychologists, and international experts to discuss good practices in handling sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) cases in courts.
The event opened with welcoming remarks from Yessenbay Boranbayev, Justice of the Supreme Court of Kazakhstan, and Nicholas Mazik, Senior Human Dimension Officer at the OSCE Programme Office in Astana. They highlighted the importance of survivor-centered approaches in ensuring justice and minimizing re-traumatization during court proceedings.
"One of the pressing issues today is the lack of sufficient methodologies and skills for effective communication with survivors of violence. We hope that this event will provide judges and specialists with the necessary competencies and practical skills to address this challenge," noted Justice Boranbayev in his opening speech.
Nicholas Mazik underscored the judiciary's crucial role in ensuring fair and sensitive legal proceedings for survivors. He emphasized: "Judges are central to shaping the legal response to SGBV. While adjudicating cases impartially is a cornerstone of justice, ensuring that survivors are treated with respect, sensitivity, and dignity throughout court proceedings is equally essential."
The first day focused on foundational concepts of SGBV, addressing common misconceptions and factors contributing to re-traumatization in legal settings. Irina Urumova, an international expert on the rule of law and SGBV investigations, led an interactive session exploring key challenges in handling SGBV cases. With extensive experience advising governments and legal institutions, Irina Urumova provided insights into best practices for investigating and prosecuting SGBV cases while ensuring survivor-centered approaches.
Dr. Dariusz Sielicki, a former international judge and legal reform advisor, delivered a session on re-traumatization risks and strategies for courts to mitigate them. Drawing on his judicial experience in handling sensitive cases in international criminal tribunals, he emphasized the need for procedural safeguards to prevent secondary victimization. Lyudmila Dolzhikova, a crisis psychologist specializing in SGBV cases, discussed the psychological needs of survivors during legal proceedings, emphasizing trauma-informed judicial practices. She provided practical tools for judges and legal practitioners to improve survivor interactions in court.
The second day centered on survivor-friendly procedural solutions and effective communication models for handling SGBV cases. Dr. Dariusz Sielicki presented strategies for making court environments more supportive of survivors, including protective measures, in-camera proceedings, and the use of victim-sensitive questioning techniques. Irina Urumova addressed specific challenges in cases involving child survivors and non-contact sexual crimes, highlighting the importance of adapting legal procedures to their specific needs.
Lyudmila Dolzhikova continued the discussion with a session on survivor-oriented communication, providing insights into the psychological impact of legal proceedings on survivors and ways to mitigate stress and anxiety.
Dr. Khalida Azhigulova, a human rights lawyer and gender expert, examined the impact of gender stereotypes in criminal proceedings, discussing how bias in judicial decision-making can undermine access to justice for survivors. She also shared comparative insights from other jurisdictions on addressing gender bias in legal practice.
Throughout the two-day workshop, participants engaged in interactive discussions, case study analyses, and knowledge-sharing sessions, reinforcing the commitment to strengthening survivor-centered judicial practices. The event concluded with a wrap-up session, emphasizing the importance of continued judicial education and cross-sector collaboration in addressing SGBV cases effectively.
The workshop was organized as part of the extrabudgetary project "Improving the effectiveness of the justice system in Kazakhstan" financed by Norway, Poland, and the U.S.
