https://mt.osce-academy.kg/handle/123456789/860 Tue, 19 May 2026 09:39:55 GMT 2026-05-19T09:39:55Z https://mt.osce-academy.kg/handle/123456789/868 Title: Human rights in ai-enabled e-governance: a comparative study of Kazakhstan and Estonia Authors: Ryabova, Kristina Abstract: This MA thesis analyses the impact of AI-enabled e-governance on the realisation of human rights. For the analysis, I use the most similar system design model and examine two case studies – Estonia and Kazakhstan – during the period 2015–2025. Hereby, the analysis reflects the experiences of two countries with common ambitions, a comparable level of digitalisation, and a shared Soviet legacy, yet differing in their level of human rights protection. Therefore, it addresses emerging concerns about the misuse of AI technology by the state. Therefore, I hypothesise that AI-enabled e-governance has an impact on the realisation of human rights (D.V.), and the extent of this influence depends on the state-related factors (I.Vs), such as international, regional and national legal frameworks, level of e- governance penetration, political will and political regime type. To provide a more detailed and focused analysis, I concentrate on the health sector, which deals with highly sensitive data, with respect to such human rights as privacy, data protection and access to information, enshrined by Articles 17 and 19 of the ICCPR, Article 12 of the ICESCR, Article 8 of the ECHR, and Articles 7 and 8 of the EU Charter. Accordingly, my work responds to 2 main research questions: (1) what are the regulatory differences between the two countries regarding the protection of identified fundamental human rights and (2) to what extent the introduction of AI into e-governance systems affects the realisation of the human rights. The comparative findings on Estonia and Kazakhstan demonstrate that AI-enabled e- governance does not impact the realisation of human rights by default. In contrast, it strengthens the existing political regime. The analysis shows a causal hierarchy in which political regime type is the decisive factor, as it shapes further regulatory adaptation. Another finding of my research is that e-governance penetration acts as an amplifier. In Estonia's democracy, it enables citizen control over personal data, but in Kazakhstan's authoritarian context, it expands state authority without proportional safeguards. Finally, the study indicates that the influence of AI-enabled e-governance on human rights is not intrinsic, but instead stems from the existing governance context. In that way, the thesis addresses an existing gap in the literature by analysing the implications of AI-enabled systems and tracing the connection between e-governance development and human rights, providing practical insights for governors and policymakers. Thu, 08 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://mt.osce-academy.kg/handle/123456789/868 2026-01-08T00:00:00Z https://mt.osce-academy.kg/handle/123456789/867 Title: Legal Pluralism and Women’s Rights in Kazakhstan: Judicial and Law Enforcement Challenges in Domestic Violence Cases Authors: Rakish, Kalzhan Abstract: This thesis explores how legal pluralism influences the way domestic violence cases are handled by the judiciary and law enforcement in Kazakhstan. Legal pluralism means that legal system of a state and informal norms function at the same time , for example, official state laws, traditional customs, religious norms, and community mediation, family (elderly people, relatives’ -‘ata-ene’(parents-in-law), ‘aksakal’ –male leader ) interuptions. Even though Kazakhstan has laws that are supposed to protect women from domestic violence, these laws are often not applied effectively. In many cases, especially in rural areas, informal systems are practised more instead of formal legal procedures. This situation can prevent women from getting justice and protection. The main problem this research addresses is the gap between the law on paper and how it works in real life. There is little research on how legal professionals like judges and police deal with the presence of both formal and informal rules in domestic violence cases. This study aims to fill that gap by examining how legal pluralism creates confusion, inconsistency, and sometimes even injustice. The theoretical approach combines legal pluralism, feminist legal theory, and the idea of state accountability, which together help to analyze how women’s rights are affected by these overlapping systems. The research will use a mixed-methods design. For conducting the research, official data on domestic violence cases will be collected and analyzed to see general patterns and statistics. Moreover, interviews will be conducted with people involved in the justice system, including judges, police officers, prosecutors, NGO workers, and survivors of domestic violence. There is a strong belief that the results of this research will help to better understand the challenges women face in accessing justice and recommendations will be offered for improving legal responses to domestic violence in Kazakhstan. The goal is to support efforts to protect women’s rights and strengthen the rule of law in a context where different informal norms and official state laws exist together. Thu, 08 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://mt.osce-academy.kg/handle/123456789/867 2026-01-08T00:00:00Z https://mt.osce-academy.kg/handle/123456789/866 Title: Invisible Threats: How Air Pollution Restricts the Health and Freedom of Children in Bishkek Authors: Beishenkulova, Meerim Abstract: Air pollution in Bishkek is a major public health issue, yet its effects on children’s everyday freedoms and inequalities remain under-examined. This thesis investigates how PM₂.₅ exposure patterns translate into children’s respiratory health impacts and restrictions on daily life (outdoor play, mobility, and school participation), and why these impacts are experienced unequally. Using a convergent mixed-methods design, the study analyses publicly available PM₂.₅ monitoring data to produce citywide daily and monthly median concentrations (Mar 2024–Mar 2025) benchmarked against the WHO 24-hour guideline (15 µg/m³), a long-term Leninsky District monthly trend (2019–2025), and annual-average spatial maps (2019–2020; 2024–2025), alongside official child respiratory morbidity trends. Qualitative evidence includes caregiver responses (n=40) and semi-structured pediatrician interviews (n=5). Results show a strong winter/heating-season cycle with frequent guideline exceedances, spatial heterogeneity across the city, and routine caregiver-reported restrictions and seasonal symptom worsening; pediatricians corroborate a visible winter surge in respiratory exacerbations and describe pollution as a risk amplifier. Interpreted through Environmental Justice and Structural Violence, the findings indicate that unequal exposure, unequal capacity to mitigate (e.g., housing and affordability constraints), and gaps in institutional protection shape uneven burdens on children’s health, rights, and freedoms. Thu, 08 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://mt.osce-academy.kg/handle/123456789/866 2026-01-08T00:00:00Z https://mt.osce-academy.kg/handle/123456789/865 Title: Coverage of Femicide Cases in Kyrgyz Online News Authors: Dzhenyshpekova, Bakyt Abstract: This master’s thesis examines the discursive representation of femicide in the online news media in the Kyrgyz Republic based on feminist media theory and using the Feminist Critical Discourse Analysis (FCDA) as an analytical framework. The empirical data includes news coverage of three cases of femicide Burulai Turdalieva, Aizada Kanatbekova, and Aizirek Eralieva, in the form of 15 articles from different news outlets and interviews with 4 practicing journalists. Key findings revealed dominance of police voices in these news, where femicide is portrayed as isolated incident, using language that subtly shifts blame on the victim, while excusing perpetrators via jealousy narratives, which reinforce patriarchal norms. Interviews with journalists contextualised the findings and shed light on discursive practices in covering femicide cases. These areas of concern can be improved without restricting media freedom through such means as adopting thematic framing, citing diverse sources, and gender-sensitive trainings. Thu, 08 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://mt.osce-academy.kg/handle/123456789/865 2026-01-08T00:00:00Z