ENHANCING THE ROLE OF PUBLIC COUNCILS AS AN ANTI-CORRUPTION MECHANISM: THE CASE OF KAZAKHSTAN

Abstract

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