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ASTANA — As Kazakhstan marks the 30th anniversary of its Constitution, we turned to those who came of age alongside the country’s most important legal document — its contemporaries. For them, the Constitution is not a relic of statehood or a distant text, but a framework that has shaped their lives, careers, and sense of responsibility toward the nation. In conversations that spanned rights, duties, identity, and the future, they reflected on what the Constitution means today and what role it may play as Kazakhstan navigates uncertain times in a shifting global order.
Photo collage created by The Astana Times
Rights that matter every day
For Aizhan Rakhmanova, a PhD graduate in chemical engineering from Nazarbayev University, the Constitution is not an abstract text.
Aizhan Rakhmanova, a PhD graduate in chemical engineering from Nazarbayev University. Photo credit: Rakhmanova’s personal archive
“For me, it’s definitely the right to education and freedom of speech. As a young researcher and a fresh PhD holder, I really feel how important it is to have access to knowledge, to study abroad, and to share my ideas openly,” she said.
For Yerkhan Bolatov, deputy director at Kokshetau-based Ualikhanov University, the secular nature of the state is what matters most.
“The most valuable thing for me is that Kazakhstan is a secular country, where everyone can freely live, study, work, and grow. Today there are real conditions to find your calling, to develop and succeed. You can see not only young people, but also older generations entering universities or taking courses without fear of learning something new. It may sound simple, but I am convinced of one thing: if you work honestly, your efforts will always be recognized and rewarded,” he said.
Aigerim Kussaiynkyzy, LLM, PhD candidate, and senior lecturer at Maqsut Narikbayev University, who studied abroad through the Bolashak program, Article 14’s prohibition of discrimination is essential.
“That’s not just a law on paper. That’s a safeguard for dignity. That’s a promise to every Kazakhstani citizen that equality is their birthright,” she noted.
She added that Article 1 sets the tone for the entire legal order and reiterates that the highest values of the country are the individual, their life, their rights, their freedoms.
Aigerim Kussaiynkyzy, LLM, PhD candidate, and senior lecturer at Maqsut Narikbayev University. Photo credit: Personal archive
“And that is not a symbolic language. It is the foundation of our legal system. It says clearly: institutions must serve people. Policies must protect people. The dignity of every woman, every citizen, is not negotiable. But the Constitution also reminds us of something else,” she said.
That “something else” is Article 35.
“It teaches us that rights are not exercised in isolation. My freedom cannot mean your oppression. My voice cannot silence yours. Equality is not only guaranteed by law — it is built, day by day, through mutual respect and shared responsibility,” said Kussaiynkyzy.
Diyas Yerkinov, program author & editor at Atameken Business TV Channel, put it bluntly: “Without freedom of speech, all other rights can just be hung on the wall.”
Other basic rights that matter to him just as much are the right to work.
“In today’s conditions, the ability to have a job is the foundation of stability. More broadly, fundamental rights — the right to life, to human integrity, and to live in a state that protects them — have become especially crucial in the context of recent years,” he added.
Diyas Yerkinov, program author & editor at Atameken Business TV Channel. Photo credit: Personal archive
At the same time, Yerkinov acknowledged the tension between constitutional ideals and the geopolitical realities Kazakhstan faces. According to him, there is a “geography curse” that citizens of Kazakhstan have to take into account.
“The world is being reshaped, and in these conditions, even freedom of speech comes with consequences. Every word today carries weight. That doesn’t mean the right is meaningless — it means that exercising it requires responsibility,” he said.
He also emphasized that Kazakhstan’s identity as a multiethnic and multi-confessional country means no one can assert their rights at the expense of others.
“For example, if one group were to insist on privileging only its own language, it would infringe on the rights of others — and the Constitution clearly forbids that. Rights have to be balanced so that freedom for one does not turn into exclusion for another,” he said.
Explaining Kazakhstan to the world
When asked how they would explain what it means to be a citizen of Kazakhstan today, the answers revealed a mix of pride, responsibility, and realism.
Rakhmanova described a delicate balance: being a citizen of Kazakhstan today means belonging to a young and dynamic country that is moving forward and open to the world, while at the same time revering its traditions.
“For me personally, it means having opportunities that my parents’ generation didn’t have. For instance, I have the opportunity to study overseas, participate in global research, and represent Kazakhstan globally. It’s also about a strong sense of belonging, because regardless of where I go, I always carry my culture, my language, and my country with me,” she said.
Yerkhan Bolatov, MSc in Agricultural Sciences, Deputy Director for Educational Work at Ualikhanov University. Photo credit: Personal archive
Bolatov emphasized openness and hospitality. For him, being a citizen of Kazakhstan means representing that identity abroad.
“Overall, being a citizen of Kazakhstan today, in a globalized world where young people actively travel, comes with a big responsibility. We are often the first people through whom others form an impression of our country. In this new era of mobility and openness, it is our generation that defines how Kazakhstan is viewed around the world,” he said.
Yerkinov spoke with cautious realism, describing a country still in the process of becoming. Kazakhstan, he said, is striving to improve and keep up with the times, but its youth also makes it imperfect, with much still to be done.
“Our country wants to move forward, to master new technologies like artificial intelligence, but at the same time it fears losing control. Freedoms often come with conditions: yes, but no. There are always other laws that can limit your rights, and you constantly have to navigate between them,” he said.
Finally, Kussayinkyzy pointed to a deeper identity dimension: to be a citizen, she said, is to take part in the unfinished project of translating constitutional ideals into social justice. Beyond law and politics, there is also a cultural layer.
“To be a Kazakh citizen is to understand oneself as both a Central Asian and a global citizen. It means belonging to a region that for centuries stood at the crossroads of civilizations, where nomadic traditions of resilience meet modern aspirations for progress, and where peaceful coexistence has become part of our collective DNA. It also means looking outward, contributing to global conversations on equality, security, and sustainability, while holding firmly to the belief that our voice matters. Ultimately, to be a citizen of Kazakhstan today is to live within the tension between promise and reality, between the weight of history and the possibility of change — and to find dignity in the ongoing effort to bridge that gap,” she said.
Responsibility toward the country
For all four, responsibility is not about loud declarations but about concrete action. For Rakhmanova, it is in the everyday ethic of doing her job well, obeying the law, and helping others grow.
“To me, it’s about doing your work honestly, becoming better at what you do, helping society, and respecting the law,” she said. In her case, that translates into contributing to science, developing technologies that could benefit people, and mentoring younger researchers.
Bolatov placed responsibility in the classroom, where future citizens are shaped.
“I see responsibility to the country in carrying out my work honestly and conscientiously, in raising students as conscious citizens, and in preserving and passing on values,” he said. For him, words mean little without actions — teaching, supporting, and setting an example.
Yerkinov took a more civic angle, stressing that responsibility begins with small but consistent steps. Voting, for example, may seem trivial, but he insists it matters.
“Some say it’s pointless, that the outcome is already decided, or that it’s just inconvenient. But it matters, because the future of the country — even the future of your neighborhood — depends on it,” he said.
Beyond that, he said responsibility means helping others and refusing to tolerate corruption: “If you want to live in Europe, don’t move there — clean your own yard. Step by step, every day.”
Kussayinkyzy tied responsibility directly to the Constitution. For her, it cannot be reduced to blind loyalty to the state.
“Article 35 reminds us that our rights must not violate the rights and freedoms of others. Responsibility is not blind loyalty, but conscious engagement with society,” she said.
According to her, that engagement operates on two levels. On a personal level, it means practicing equality and justice in everyday interactions. On a professional level, it means using her expertise to confront systemic discrimination and promote reforms that make institutions more inclusive. Her years as a Bolashak scholar abroad deepened that conviction.
“The opportunity to study abroad was not just a privilege, but an obligation. The knowledge and skills I gained are a resource I owe back to Kazakhstan — for strengthening human rights, advancing gender equality, and building a more just society,” she said.
Thirty years of change
Those who grew up alongside the Constitution have witnessed profound shifts — in society, politics, and in the very meaning of citizenship. Kussayinkyzy noted that this first generation raised in independent Kazakhstan experienced the Constitution both as a legal foundation and as a symbol of statehood. She emphasized that the biggest transformation has been in civic consciousness.
“This generation came of age at a time when the language of rights and freedoms entered everyday life, and when constitutional amendments reshaped the balance between state and society. Reforms that strengthened parliament and limited presidential powers reflected a growing demand for accountability. As a result, thirty-year-olds increasingly see the Constitution not as a static text but as a tool to claim their rights and shape political life,” she said.
At the same time, she said, global exposure shaped their expectations because now they measure Kazakhstan’s progress against international standards, expecting openness, equality, and peace.
“Of course, the gap between constitutional ideals and everyday realities persists. Gender inequality, restrictions on civic participation, and weak institutional checks continue to test the Constitution’s ability to function as a ‘living document.’ Yet for the generation raised with it, these contradictions are precisely what fuel the demand for deeper reforms. They are less willing to accept constitutional guarantees as purely symbolic, insisting instead that the text must evolve alongside society,” she said.
Yerkinov saw a similar turning point in national identity. For him, the greatest change is that his peers have stopped living in the shadow of the Soviet past.
“We breathe independence, with all its challenges and opportunities. Kazakhstan is a full-fledged global player — with all its strengths and weaknesses — but it is independent, working, learning, and living every day. My generation no longer divides itself by memories of the past. We want to live in a prosperous, independent Kazakhstan. And in these thirty years, that mindset has changed dramatically,” he said.
Bolatov reflected on how far his peers have come, from cassette cartoons and button phones to global mobility and professional growth.
“Much has changed. We are often called millennials — grown up, yet still young at heart. We were children who watched cartoons on cassettes, listened to foreign music in the 2000s, and played with early computers. Now we are adults with families, jobs, and opportunities to travel and build partnerships abroad. We value our childhood, we value our present, and we want our children to have the same — and better,” he said.
For Rakhmanova, the change is most visible in the opportunities the generation had.
“My generation has had more chances to study, travel, and connect with the world. I was able to do research abroad, study in China, and exchange ideas with international colleagues — and then bring that experience back home,” she said.
Dreaming 30 years ahead
I asked my interviewees what Kazakhstan might look like when its Constitution turns 60. Most were more hopeful than skeptical.
Rakhmanova imagines a country that thrives on innovation, green technologies, and a healthy relationship between people and the state. She dreams of “a Kazakhstan with a strong economy, excellent education, and, most importantly, real trust between citizens and the government — a country that becomes a center of innovation, where young people can grow, work, and make a global impact without leaving home.”
Bolatov sees Kazakhstan entering the age of artificial intelligence while remaining rooted in timeless values.
“When the Constitution turns 60, I will be 60 myself — which today is no longer old age. I want Kazakhstan to remain a young state, keeping pace with the times, especially as the era of AI begins. I want to see a country where everyone is highly educated and specialized in their field, but also where we remain kind, open, and hospitable,” he said.
Kussayinkyzy envisions Kazakhstan where constitutional promises move from aspiration to daily reality.
“Thirty years from now, I see a country where the promises written in that document have moved beyond aspiration and become everyday realities. Where equality is not a topic of debate but a way of life. I imagine a Kazakhstan where democracy is resilient, where institutions serve the people with transparency and accountability, and where no one doubts that their voice matters,” she said.
Yerkinov dreams of a “Just Kazakhstan” — where teachers and doctors are respected, corruption is not the norm, and criticism can be voiced without fear. But he also looks outward, imagining Kazakhstan’s role in the world.
“I hope by then we will not only be seen as a mid-level power, but as a country that truly counts on the global stage, participating actively in solving international challenges. I want Kazakhstan to move beyond being just a supplier of raw resources. Instead, we should produce our own high-quality products that proudly carry the label Made in Kazakhstan. Today people once mocked Made in China — but look at China now. Why can’t Kazakhstan follow that path?” he said.
He also hopes to see the country becoming a hub for tourism, advanced manufacturing, and education.
“We should be known not just for our minerals, but for our brains. People are the new oil,” he concluded.
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