Members of the National Commission presented a report on the implementation of SDG 5 at the Parliamentary Commission meeting

On October 14, 2024, a meeting of the Parliamentary Commission for Monitoring the Implementation of National Goals and Objectives in Sustainable Development took place in Astana under the chairmanship of the Speaker of the Senate, Maulen Ashimbayev. The key topic of the meeting was ensuring women's rights and opportunities within the framework of Sustainable Development Goal No. 5 (SDG 5), which focuses on gender equality.

In his speech, the Speaker of the Senate emphasized the importance of achieving gender balance in Kazakhstan, noting that women make up more than half of the country's population—over 10 million people. "Creating conditions for their full realization is a key task for the state, and the President of Kazakhstan pays particular attention to this area," said the Speaker of the Senate.

Lazzat Ramazanova, Deputy Chairperson of the National Commission for Women Affairs, Family and Demographic Policy under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and Aziza Shuzheeva, a member of the National Commission, delivered reports on the measures undertaken by the National Commission to enhance women’s economic empowerment. The reports highlighted critical issues such as the gender pay gap and the underrepresentation of women in political and economic spheres.

The Deputy Chairperson emphasized the need to improve programs aimed at promoting women’s employment, paying special attention to rural areas. The importance of carefully analyzing current initiatives and, if necessary, revising them to increase women’s participation in the economy was highlighted. It was stressed that the introduction of gender-sensitive management would help increase women’s economic activity and strengthen their position in the business environment.

In her speech, Aziza Shuzheeva pointed out that in Kazakhstan, gender policy is often limited to the social sphere, focusing on supporting vulnerable groups and combating domestic violence. She proposed revisiting this approach, emphasizing the economic participation of women. The speaker called for the development of a new program, “Women’s Entrepreneurship 2.0,” aimed at engaging women in the digital economy and creating conditions for their successful business ventures.

The meeting concluded with a discussion of key issues related to increasing women's economic activity and improving gender policy in Kazakhstan, with a focus on current challenges and solutions.