UNICEF supported children’s contest “The Constitution through the eyes of children”

Astana, 26 August 2025 – The Constitutional Court hosted an award ceremony for the winners of the national children’s contest “The Constitution through the eyes of children”. The contest was organized by the Constitutional Court, the Ministry of Education, and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Kazakhstan to mark the 30th anniversary of the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Children aged 12 to 15 from across the country submitted 169 creative works. The highest level of participation came from children in Pavlodar, Kostanai, Karaganda, Akmola and Aktobe regions, as well as from Astana.

The contest aimed to strengthen children’s legal awareness, foster their creative vision of the rights and responsibilities of citizens, and build respect for the Constitution and understanding of its role in society.

UNICEF highlighted the importance of the initiative in advancing children’s rights in Kazakhstan. “For UNICEF, it is especially valuable to support initiatives that not only enable children to express their talents, but also help them better understand their rights,” said Dr. Rashed Mustafa Sarwar, UNICEF Representative in Kazakhstan, congratulating the winners.

The jury included representatives of the Constitutional Court, the Ministry of Education, UNICEF in Kazakhstan, the Union of Artists of Kazakhstan, and Art School No. 2 of the Astana City Akimat. The evaluation was conducted remotely, using electronic scoring sheets to ensure objectivity and transparency.

A total of 30 works were recognised as the best. The top three winners were: Araylym Spandiyar (15, Almaty, first place), Anastasia Babenko (14, Kostanai, second place), and Aisha Mukhamedzhan (12, Kyzylorda, third place). The winners were awarded at the Constitutional Court during a ceremony held in both offline and online formats.

The winners who travelled to Astana with their parents also visited key official and cultural institutions, including the Constitutional Court, the Mazhilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Presidential Archive, and the Ministry of Education.

“We are very happy that adults saw our works, and through them we were able to share what the Constitution means to us,” said Anastasia Babenko, the second-place winner.

The initiative demonstrated how creativity can help children understand and defend their rights, while nurturing active citizenship from an early age.