On October 29–30, 2025, the third training program in the series “Advocacy Tools and Working with State Bodies” took place in Astana.

Participants included members of the Republican Coalition of NGOs “Public Control”, leaders of leading NGOs, and experts.

What was discussed and worked on?
Participants analyzed the Coalition — identifying its strengths and weaknesses, opportunities, and external threats. The results formed the basis for the Coalition’s strategic actions.
They then discussed different advocacy strategies and methods: which tools work best in combination, where public visibility is appropriate, and where expert work is needed. A special focus was on the specifics of civic advocacy in contemporary Kazakhstan.

One of the most challenging stages was formulating advocacy goals considering the scope of influence:
– Content — changing legislation and political decisions;
– Structure — improving processes, infrastructure, and implementation mechanisms;
– Culture — raising awareness, changing social values and behavior.

In conclusion, the event confirmed that the “Public Control” Coalition has strong advocacy potential and can build effective cooperation with state bodies. We thank all participants for their active involvement, insightful cases, and teamwork!

Since May 2024, the ZUBR Consulting Center (Ust-Kamenogorsk) has been implementing a three-year project in partnership with the NGO “Civil Alliance of Kostanay Region ‘GrIn’” with financial support from the European Union. The project aims to strengthen the influence of civil society organizations through participation in the evaluation of state programs and projects in the Republic of Kazakhstan.