Myth: 'The Constitution Is All About Rights and Nobody Mentions Duties'

Myth: 'The Constitution is just about demanding rights; duties are forgotten.' Fact: the section is titled 'Rights, Freedoms and Duties.' Duties are written out explicitly: taxes, defence, care for children and parents, protection of the environment. Rights and duties are inseparable.

Myths 1 min read 📄
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The myth

"Everyone just demands rights, and duties have been forgotten. The Constitution is about 'what I'm owed.'"

The facts

The relevant section of the Constitution is titled "Rights, Freedoms and Duties of the Person and Citizen." The word "duties" is right there in the heading.

Specific duties:

  • Observe the Constitution and laws
  • Pay taxes and levies
  • Defend the Republic of Kazakhstan
  • Care for children (maintain and raise them)
  • Care for incapacitated parents
  • Protect nature and the environment
  • Respect the rights and freedoms of others
  • Complete secondary education – an obligation, not only a right

How rights and duties are connected:

Your right Related duty How it works
Free education Pay taxes Schools are funded from your taxes
Security Defend the country The army and police are a collective effort
A healthy environment Protect nature Clean air is the result of shared responsibility
Social protection Pay taxes Pensions and benefits come from tax revenue

Breaching duties is not abstract:

  • Non-payment of taxes → administrative or criminal liability
  • Evasion of military service → liability under the law
  • Failure to pay child support → enforcement through the courts

Why this myth exists

The media discuss rights more often – they make better headlines. "Freedom of expression" is a story. "The duty to pay taxes" is not. But in the constitutional text itself, duties occupy as much space as rights.

Key facts

  • The section is titled "Rights, Freedoms and Duties" – duties are in the heading
  • Specific duties: taxes, defence, children, parents, environment, laws
  • Breaching duties brings real consequences (fines, courts, criminal proceedings)
  • The 2026 Constitution retains all duties and strengthens the environmental one
Related questions

Myth: “If a referendum has only one question, there is no real choice”

A single-question referendum is not automatically fake, invalid, or meaningless. If the issue submitted is a unified constitutional project, one question can reflect a yes-or-no decision on the project as a whole. The key issue is not the number of questions but whether citizens have enough information to make an informed choice.

Myth: “Everything changes the next day after the referendum”

No. Citizens voted on March 15. The Constitution was approved, but the entire legal system does not transform overnight. Implementation requires a transitional period, legal alignment, and institutional adaptation – the Constitution enters into force on 1 July 2026.

Myth: “Boycott is the strongest political response”

A boycott is not always the strongest strategy. According to the CEC, turnout reached 70.98% – the 50% threshold was exceeded. 87.15% voted in favor. The Constitution was adopted.

Myth: 'If the Constitution Was Adopted by Referendum, It Must Be Perfect'

A referendum confers legitimacy – but not perfection. The US Constitution began by enshrining slavery. Kazakhstan's 1995 Constitution required 56 amendments in 2022. Every constitution is a compromise. That is precisely why the 2026 Constitution builds in mechanisms for renewal: the Constitutional Court, amendments, and the Khalyk Kenesi.