Children growing up in poverty face a range of challenges that affect their lives in significant ways. These challenges include problems like not having enough food, access to clean water, legal citizenship, chronic illnesses and exposure to violence. Although Kazakhstan, a relatively affluent country in Central Asia due to post-Soviet economic growth and social development, has made remarkable progress in reducing poverty from 47% in 2001 to just 2.7% in 2017, many underprivileged and displaced children still experience severe poverty.

Despite making great efforts to tackle the issue of child poverty in Kazakhstan, as of 2021, 47.2% of those living in poverty were children. One of the reasons poverty persists, despite social and economic reform, is a consequence of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, which brought Russian families and children escaping the draft announcements to Kazakhstan in 2022. Also, as Kazakhstan is still a developing country, many children live in rural areas. They are in low-income households without proper access to education, water or health care. A small percentage of children between 5 and 14 experience child labor. Many of them work 13 hours daily, harvesting tobacco for international export.

Child Poverty and Disability

Child poverty in Kazakhstan has significantly impacted children with disabilities. Many families have had to make the difficult decision to place their disabled children in institutions due to the lack of community resources and social support. Under Kazakh law, parents are required to relinquish their guardianship rights when a child is institutionalized. Former residents of these institutions have reported incidents of abuse, punitive measures and the denial of their rights.

In 2011, UNICEF and the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Republic of Kazakhstan revealed that 14,052 children were raised in 210 residential state institutions, including 1,586 infants. These organizations also found that children and staff reported cases of neglect, physical violence, hospitalization and sedation as punishment, as well as forcing older children to take care of younger children.

Efforts for Reform

To tackle the issue and decrease the number of children in state institutions, the government allocated funds monthly to support guardians and relatives in fostering children. National programs and charity events such as “Dobrota vo blago detyam” (“Goodness for the sake of children”) and “Kuan sabi” (“Cheer up baby”) were introduced to support children in orphanages and state institutions and to identify families who are willing to adopt children. These initiatives have enabled around 900 children from state institutions to enjoy summer and winter breaks with contributing families in Kazakhstan.

In 2011, the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population wrote a letter on the report’s findings, promising to take legal action to protect the rights of children with disabilities who reside in state institutions. It also advised institutions to specifically train staff in the conduct and communication with children with disabilities.

The good news is that active reform is taking place in Kazakhstan, with the Human and Child Rights Commissioners and the Parliament taking massive strides together in UNICEF’s advocacy for reforms. These efforts specifically address children and focus on social protection, prevention of violence and childcare reform. Partnerships with other organizations to increase youth and volunteering programs helped achieve progress for children in gender equality, nutrition, health, safeguarding and protection and education.

Fighting for Safety

The #BeSafe volunteering program, in collaboration with UNICEF, helps tackle social safety in Kazakhstan, supporting girls’ leadership. Another collaboration is the drafting of a National Plan on Child Protection Against Violence, Suicide Prevention, Children’s Rights and Well-Being for 2023–2025, which encourages the promotion of gender equality, prevention of violence against children and women, family support services and positive parenting.

Child poverty in Kazakhstan has been decreasing. Despite being a developing nation, Kazakhstan’s collaboration with UNICEF and other organizations has resulted in significant improvements in child poverty statistics. This demonstrates that positive change is achievable, and the goal of eliminating poverty, particularly child poverty, is attainable.

– Hannah BZ
Photo: Flickr