President signs law “On social partnership”

Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis passed the law on 18 June and Senate approved the document on 28 August 2014. The law will come into force on 1 January 2015.

Social partnership is interaction of the state bodies with NGOs and other civil society institutes in developing and implementing programmes of social-economic development of the country, industrial and territorial programmes, legal documents and other decisions related to rights and interests of the citizens.

Subjects of social partnership are state bodies, NGOs and other civil society institutes. Interaction of the state bodies with citizens’ self-governing bodies and religious organizations is regulated with the law.

Social partnership can be conducted in such spheres as social protection of population, ensure employment of population, development of small and private businesses, protection of environment and health of people, upbringing of young generation, protection of maternity and childhood, women’s rights, etc.

Main forms of social partnership are participation of the NGOs and civil society institutes in developing and implementing programmes of social-economic development, legal acts, participating in work of working groups and commissions of the state bodies, organizing social events, and others.

The state bodies can attract NGOs and other institutes of the civil society to development and implementation of social-economic development programmes and legal acts. The state bodies can collect proposals from interested NGOs and other civil society institutes.

NGOs and civil society institutes can participate in development of social-economic development programmes and legal acts, projects, carry out expertise of the draft of social-economic development and legal acts and participate in their discussions, etc.

State bodies should consider initiatives and proposals of the NGOs and civil society institutes.

The law determines types of the state support to social partnership, rights and liabilities of its subjects.