Mentor Critique Form.
Akhmetzhanova
Gulnara
Manager of
analytical projects,
Institute for
Kazakhstan Development
1.
What in your opinion have you and your Fellow/program/project gained from
your cooperation thus far?
While project developing, the fellow got consultancies on
following subjects:
-
development of the research program (structure, choice of
methodological approaches, content analysis of informative base of the
project, etc).
-
analysis of evolution of political party system in Kazakhstan for 10 last
years;
-
development of some recommendations on increasing effectiveness of
parties’ participation in the country political development;
-
evaluation of research results.
2. Do certain areas of this Fellow’s work need improvement? Which
areas?
Yes,
which is stipulated by objective arguments:
amending party legislation and changing process of parties’
registration. By the time, only 4
parties have been registered. Project implementation coincided with these
political processes, and Researcher was lost opportunity to make effective
complex research (for instance, to make interviews or focus groups on
exploration of parties’ trends and inclusion of
gender components to them).
3. In your opinion, does your Fellow’s project make a significant
contribution to the field?
Theme
of the project, as a complex
analytical research, is doing in Kazakhstan for the first time, and is differed
by high degree of actuality and scientific novelty.
In time frame, Galiya made as much as possible.
4.Would
the project be important to other countries in the CEE/FSU region?
Yes,
as gives opportunity of generalization and systematization of
gender-parties’ processes and mutual connections, development of
recommendations on improving party legislation. All these things
might be used for comparative studies.
5. Could the proposed policy
research make an impact on the policy environment in specific countries or
regions? (Policy makers, experts and policy research community)
Yes.
Disseminating research results might be become base for practical application of
some recommendations of the Project as on the state level, as on level of civil
society. Some provisions of the Project can be used by civil and political
unions, experts, analytics, workers on such problems, and at political practice
as well.
6.
Is the timetable for the project realistic?
Yes,
realistic. However, absence of
parties, caused by re-registration, is not allowed to do necessary
investigations, which would add substantively outcomes and conclusions of the
Project.
7. Could
the project benefit a large number of people?
Undoubtedly,
this Project would be interesting as for experienced politics as for beginner
ones. In addition, the Project especially would be useful for women’s
NGOs, directed on serious political activities.
8.
Does the Fellow show evidence that he/she can think strategically about the
relevant project and/or field?
Yes,
which is confirmed by results of individual activity of Galiya, who works at
this area for around 10 years. Argument,
which proves it is also the fact, that many her recommendations are being
introduced as to work of Governmental Agencies as to political activities of
women’s non-governmental associations.
9.
If the Fellow were to re-apply for continued OSI funding for follow-up
work associated with the project, would you support continued funding?
Yes,
reasons of that are mentioned above. However, if the Fellow continues her work
in frame of the Project without funding, she anyway, can count upon my support
and help.
10.
Are there other appropriate founders that may support the project?
Governmental
funds may support those plans, which are developed on the base of research
outcomes. But research themselves
are being supported very rarely. For the whole history of “gender”
appearance in the country, only 2 women’s research projects were supported
by the National Academy of Sciences. So,
chance to get funding in Kazakhstan, is very doubting.
As for international funds, their programs, as a rule, low funded and
short-term.
Recommendation
on other potential
contacts
for Researcher:
For
improving the Research, I can recommend to continue working with those political
parties and societal & political unions in Kazakhstan, which as have been
registered as getting ready for new registration.
Additional comments (Please, comment work of researcher and all aspects
of the IPF Program).
Galiya
Khassanova has made significant, maximally possible work in such unfavorable
circumstances. The Fellow has done
following: division women’s movement into political periods in frame of
party system evolution, identification of peculiarities of every stage, studying
experiences of some countries doing effective gender policies, and developing
needed recommendations.
Galiya
Khassanova has made serious work on collecting, working out and analyzing
information materials. In result of the Project, Researcher significantly has
widened connections of the Project with representatives of scientific
institutions and societal activists, politicians, national experts, etc. (wide
consultancies with politicians, women leaders, experts-analytics,). Range of
outcomes and analytical works were sounded in public events (conferences,
seminars, trainings).
Project
is implemented in time.