At the present stage, one of the most important areas of activity for the Ministry of Internal Affairs – in cooperation with government agencies and the public – is the prevention of offenses among minors, as well as the protection of children from all forms of unlawful encroachment.

According to data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, during the period from August 7 to 8 of this year, targeted preventive operations were conducted in the cities of Astana, Shymkent, and the Abai Region. The primary goal of these measures was the early identification of risks and the prevention of unlawful actions – both by minors themselves and against them.

Particular attention was paid to identifying children found unaccompanied by adults during nighttime hours. This work is aimed at preventing situations in which minors may become victims of offenses. As a result of the operations, over 480 parents were held accountable for failing to provide adequate supervision over their children's whereabouts during the night.

No less significant was the suppression of alcohol and tobacco sales to minors. For such violations, 28 business owners were brought to administrative liability.

Preventive work is built on the principle of proactive action. Timely detection of problematic situations and targeted responses make it possible to prevent offenses and safeguard the well-being of children.

Child safety is a shared responsibility. The police perform their statutory functions, but the decisive role belongs to parents. It is they who must know where their child is, who they associate with, what they are doing, and how they spend their free time.

Going forward, the internal affairs bodies intend to continue conducting regular, targeted operations and to take the full range of measures aimed at protecting the rights of minors.

The overarching goal of this systematic work is to ensure a safe childhood for every child.

Prepared by Viktor PANAEV