View source for Women in Kazakhstan

{{Infobox women
|image         = Kazakh woman.jpg
|caption       = Kazakh woman, 2005
|gii           = 0.312 (2012)
|gii_rank      = 51st
|matdeath      = 51 (2010)
|womparl       = 18.2% (2012)
|femed         = 99.3% (2010)
|womlab        = 66.6% (2011)
| ggg          = 0.7218 (2013)
| ggg_rank     = 32nd
| ggg_ref      = <ref name="ggr">{{cite web|title=The Global Gender Gap Report 2013|url=http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GenderGap_Report_2013.pdf#page=20|publisher=World Economic Forum|pages=12–13}}</ref>
}}
{{Women in society sidebar}}
'''Women in Kazakhstan''' are women who live in or are from [[Kazakhstan]]. Their position in society has been and is influenced by a variety of factors, including local traditions and customs, decades of Soviet regime, rapid social and economic changes and instability after independence, and new emerging Western values.

==Historical context==
Kazakhstan gained its independence in 1991, after being a part of the Soviet Union for more than 70 years. Following its independence, Kazakhstan's economy, being in a period of transition, experienced, particularly in the 1990s, a strong decline and destabilization: by 1995 real GDP dropped to 61,4% of its 1990 level, resulting also in a [[brain drain]].<ref>http://www.kazakhstan.orexca.com/kazakhstan_economics.shtml</ref><ref>http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/briefing_note/join/2013/522303/EXPO-INTA_SP%282013%29522303_EN.pdf</ref> This situation of economic depression, coupled with emerging traditionalist views on women's roles in society, has had a negative effect on women. Nevertheless, the 1990s also had some positives for women, such as the accession to the [[Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women]] in 1998.<ref>https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-8&chapter=4&lang=en</ref> After its independence, Kazakhstan inherited an education system which was quite developed, but during the period of transition, shortly after the fall of the Soviet Union, the education sector suffered serious losses, was continuously under-funded, and school closures, especially in rural areas, were common.<ref>http://www.unescobkk.org/education/resources/resources/education-system-profiles/kazakhstan/sector-wide-challenges/</ref> However, today the [[literacy rate]] of women in Kazakhstan is among the highest in the world at 99.8%, similar to that of men (as of 2015).<ref>https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/kz.html</ref>

The “Concept of state demographic policy of the Republic of Kazakhstan” was ratified in 2000, which prioritized demographic problems on the same line with national security issues. It allowed addressing the issues of population rise and women's rights in accordance with the long run political model "Kazakhstan 2050 Strategy." <ref>{{cite web|title=The Analysis of Women’s Marital Rights in Kazakhstan: Challenges of Gender Equality. |url=https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/hrlc/documents/student-conference-2014/aizhan-kapyshevawomen27s-rights-full-paper-(1).pdf |website=www.nottingham.ac.uk}}</ref>

==Reproductive health and fertility==
The [[maternal mortality rate]] in Kazakhstan is 12 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 estimate).<ref>https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/kz.html</ref> The [[total fertility rate]] is 2.31 children born/woman (as of 2015),<ref>https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/kz.html</ref>  which is slightly above the replacement rate.<ref>https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/kz.html</ref> The contraceptive prevalence rate is 51% (2010/11).<ref>https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/kz.html</ref>

==Forced marriage and bride kidnapping==
[[Forced marriage]] and [[bride kidnapping]] are problems with which women and girls are confronted in Kazakhstan, although their exact prevalence is not known. In Kazakhstan, bride kidnapping (''[[alyp qashu]]'') is divided into non-consensual and consensual abductions, ''kelisimsiz alyp qashu'' ("to take and run without agreement") and ''kelissimmen alyp qashu'' ("to take and run with agreement"), respectively.<ref>Cynthia Werner, "The Rise of Nonconsensual Bride Kidnapping in Post-Soviet Kazakhstan", ''in'' ''The Transformation of Central Asia: States and Societies from Soviet Rule to Independence'' (Cornell University Press, 2004: Pauline Jones Luong, ed.), p. 70.</ref> Some kidnappers are motivated by the wish to avoid paying a [[bride price]].<ref>Werner, pp. 71–72.</ref>

==Women's rights==
The government reported to the United Nations their plan 2006-2016 Strategy for Gender Equality in Kazakhstan.<ref name=UNwomen>{{cite web|title=WOMEN’S ANTI-DISCRIMINATION COMMITTEE TAKES UP REPORT OF KAZAKHSTAN|url=http://www.un.org/press/en/2007/wom1590.doc.htm|publisher=United Nations}}</ref> In 2009 Kazakhstan introduced the law "On Prevention of Domestic Violence." The law provides comprehensive measures to prevent all forms of violence against women.<ref>{{cite web|title=Statement of Ambassador at Large of Kazakhstan at the 54th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women |url=http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/beijing15/general_discussion/KAZAKHSTAN.pdf|website=www.un.org}}</ref>

International Women's Day is an official state holiday in Kazakhstan.<ref name=IWD>{{cite web|title=Official Holidays |url=http://www.kazembassythailand.org/kazakhstan/national-holidays/}}</ref>

According to the “Youth of Central Asia. Kazakhstan” report prepared by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation and Research Institute Public Opinion, 84.8% of the youth think women in Kazakhstan have enough rights.<ref>{{cite web|title=Survey shows Kazakh youth are pleased with their country and future |url=http://astanatimes.com/2016/04/survey-shows-kazakh-youth-are-pleased-with-their-country-and-future/|website=astanatimes.com}}</ref>

Kazakhstan was ranked 30th out of 144 countries in gender equality in a 2016 report conducted by nonprofit organization Save the Children. The ranking places Kazakhstan ahead of countries such as the U.S. and Japan.<ref>{{cite web|title=Kazakhstan Ranks 30th among 144 Nations on Gender Equality |url=http://astanatimes.com/2016/10/kazakhstan-ranks-30th-among-144-nations-on-gender-equality/|website=astanatimes.com}}</ref>

==Women in government==
In December 2009 Kazakhstan adopted the law "On the state guarantees of equal rights and equal opportunities for men and women", which stipulates equal access of men and women to civil service.<ref>{{cite web|title=Statement of Ambassador at Large of Kazakhstan at the 54th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women|url=http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/beijing15/general_discussion/KAZAKHSTAN.pdf|website=www.un.org}}</ref> There are 28 women in Kazakhstan’s 154-seat Parliament, and women represent 25.2 percent of the lower house of parliament.<ref name=steppesisters>{{cite web|title=Steppe Sisters: Kazakhstan’s Rising Women Politicians|url=http://www.edgekz.com/steppe-sisters-kazakhstans-rising-women-politicians/|publisher=EdgeKZ}}</ref> As of March 2017, the share of women in the lower house of parliament was 27%, which is 10% higher than ten years before.<ref name="womeninkz">{{cite web |title=Women’s contributions give Kazakhstan reason to celebrate|url=http://astanatimes.com/2017/03/womens-contributions-give-kazakhstan-reason-to-celebrate/|website=astanatimes.com}}</ref>

==Women in Business==
In Kazakhstan 28% of manufacturing firms have female ownership.<ref name="wbes">{{cite web|title=Enterprise Surveys - Kazakhstan |url=http://www.enterprisesurveys.org/data/exploreeconomies/2013/kazakhstan#gender|publisher=World Bank}}</ref> 1.44 million women are engaged in business in Kazakhstan.<ref>{{cite web|title=Women Run About 700,000 Kazakh Enterprises|url=http://astanatimes.com/2016/03/women-run-about-700000-kazakh-enterprises/|website=astanatimes.com}}</ref> 44% of the country’s small and medium sized businesses are now run by women.<ref name="womeninkz"/>

Kazakhstan's first women's NGO the Association of Business Women of Kazakhstan holds regular summits dedicated to women in business and women's rights. The IV Eurasian Women's Summit was held in Astana in November 2015.<ref>{{cite web|title=Astana hosts IV Eurasian Women Summit |url=http://www.kazpravda.kz/en/rubric/eeu/astana-hosts-iv-eurasian-women-summit/|website=www.kazpravda.kz}}</ref> During the IV Eurasian Women's Summit, EBRD launched Women in Business programme. Under the programme, EBRD allocates multi-million loans to women-led SME's and assists them with accessing finance and business advice.<ref>{{cite web|title=EBRD launches Women in Business programme for Kazakhstan at Eurasian Women's Summit in Astana |url=http://www.ebrd.com/news/2015/ebrd-launches-women-in-business-programme-for-kazakhstan-at-eurasian-womens-summit-in-astana.html |website=www.ebrd.com}}</ref> The EBRD signed the first credit line under the programme in September 2016, providing 3.72 billion tenge (approximately US$20 million) to Bank CenterCredit for on-lending to women-led SMEs.<ref>{{cite web|title=EBRD launches Women in Business programme for Kazakhstan at Eurasian Women's Summit in Astana|url=http://www.ebrd.com/news/2015/ebrd-launches-women-in-business-programme-for-kazakhstan-at-eurasian-womens-summit-in-astana.html|website=www.ebrd.com}}</ref>

One of the sessions of Astana Economic Forum in 2015 was dedicated to the International Women’s Forum organised by the Kazakh Association of Business Women (ABW). The session was specifically dedicated to the economic benefits of gender equality in Central Asia and Afghanistan.<ref>{{cite web |title=Forum Empowers ‘Soft Power’ of Female Entrepreneurs|url=http://astanatimes.com/2015/05/forum-empowers-soft-power-of-female-entrepreneurs/ |website=astanatimes.com}}</ref>

In 2016 Kazakhstan held its first Women’s Entrepreneurship Day (WED) on Nov. 19. WED is a global women’s entrepreneurship support initiative launched in 2014 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City.<ref>{{cite web|title=Kazakhstan Joins Movement to Empower, Celebrate and Support Women in Business |url=http://astanatimes.com/2016/11/kazakhstan-joins-movement-to-empower-celebrate-and-support-women-in-business/|website=astanatimes.com}}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Kazakhstan_1002_(7817490516).jpg|Two young women in Kazakhstan
File:Кентау._Торговки_хлебом_2007.10.JPG|Woman working in [[Kentau]]
File:Kazakhstan_1001_(7811405428).jpg|An elderly woman in Kazakhstan
</gallery>

==References==
{{loc}}
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Women of Kazakhstan}}

{{Kazakhstan topics}}
{{Asia topic|Women in}}
{{Women in Europe}}

[[Category:Women in Kazakhstan| ]]
[[Category:Women by country|Kazakhstan]]