Currently at least 16,000 persons with psychosocial and intellectual disabilities in Kazakhstan have been deprived of legal capacity and a guardian has been appointed to make all decisions for them. This guardianship regime subjects them to discrimination and is the ultimate form of stigmatization. It prevents them from exercising their human rights and isolates them from society. Kazakhstan must ensure that persons with psychosocial and intellectual disabilities can exercise their rights fully as equal members of society by putting in place a system of support for persons with psychosocial and intellectual disabilities to replace the guardianship.
