A current trend in public administration is combating corruption through mechanisms of
transparency and accountability. In Kazakhstan, one such mechanism is public councils. The aim
of this article is to examine the effectiveness of public councils in Kazakhstan in countering
corruption. To achieve this goal, qualitative methods of data collection and analysis were
applied. The study analyzed Kazakhstan's legislation on public councils for its compliance with
five anti-corruption social accountability mechanisms: participatory budgeting, public
monitoring, access to information, organized civil society and engagement, and media
involvement. The study also reviewed the results of a focus group with members of public
councils from Kazakhstan's central government bodies (12 participants). The findings revealed
that the anti-corruption role of public councils in Kazakhstan remains limited. In particular, their
involvement in budget formation and legislative development is minimal. The influence of
public councils on government decision-making is low. Furthermore, public council members are
often subjected to pressure from government bodies. Legislative changes are needed to grant
councils binding powers, along with measures to protect council members from undue pressure.
Increasing citizen awareness and ensuring their active participation in decision-making processes
are also critically important for strengthening the role of civil society in combating corruption
