The functioning of non-profit organizations as a reflection of the process of social participation of citizens in Kazakhstan (1991-2019)

Abstract

The following article deals with the social participation of citizens of Kazakhstan, as well as the functioning of non-commercial organizations that are a manifestation of social activity in this country. The presented research is an attempt to systematize the issue of non-commercial organizations in Kazakhstan from the point of view of Polish science. The issue of the non-governmental sector is an extremely broad field of research, therefore basic legal acts, regulating these forms of social initiatives, have been examined. In addition, the third sector appears to be an important element in analysing the activities of post-Soviet countries, which are usually characterized by an authoritarian system of power, trying to maintain maximum control over civic initiatives. It turns out, they can function independently despite the difficulties. In the first part of the article, the author presents the legal framework that has been taken into account by the Kazakh legislator in relation to civil society and its associations, including primarily non-commercial ones, which constitute the important content of this article. Additionally, the operation, legal forms and areas covered by the activities of these organizations were analysed. The next part of the text is the evaluation of regulations that raise the issue of establishing associations, as well as the interpretation of other state concepts that provide for the development of civil society. In the last part, the author continues his reflection on the functioning of non-profit organizations in Kazakhstan, discussing forms of state support for this sector. The article ends with a summary of the whole topic and verification of the hypotheses set out in the introduction.