Is it possible to achieve gender equality in Kazakhstan: Focus on employment and social protection
| Author | Zhanna Khamzina,Yermek Buribayev,Yerkin Yermukanov,Aizhan Alshurazova |
| Date | 01 March 2020 |
| Published date | 01 March 2020 |
| DOI | 10.1177/1358229120927904 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Article
Is it possible to achieve
gender equality in
Kazakhstan: Focus
on employment and
social protection
Zhanna Khamzina, Yermek Buribayev ,
Yerkin Yermukanov and Aizhan Alshurazova
Abstract
International ratings confirm that Kazakhstan is a leader in Central Asia in addressing the
causes of gender inequality; however, there are still significant gender differences in key
areas. In particular, gender discrimination in the labor market is complex: when hiring or
dismissing, while restricting access to certain professions and positions, in matters of
promotion and careergrowth, when remuneration is paid for performing the same work,
not related to differences in labor efficiency. Discrimination is especially sensitive in
relation to pregnant women and women with young children. Discrimination continues
with access to social measures for avoiding poverty and in the pension system. Further
progress requires more strategically significant and focused actions to identify and bridge
the remaining factors of systemic discrimination and gender gaps. In the article, we show
the insufficientattention of the legal scienceof Kazakhstan to the problemsof regulation of
equality. We present the author’s methodology for analyzing labor and social legislation
from the perspective of regulating gender equality, consisting of several assessments:
Kazakhstan’s fulfillment of international obligations; implementation of the principle of
nondiscrimination in labor and social legislation; administrative andjudicial mechanisms to
protect against discrimination based on sex; and opportunities for implementing best
foreign and international practices for the regulation of equality.
Department of Law, Kazakh National Pedagogical University named after Abai, Almaty city,
Republic of Kazakhstan
Corresponding author:
Yermek Buribayev, Department of Law, Kazakh National Pedagogical University named after Abai,
050010 Almaty city, Dostyk ave. 13, Republic of Kazakhstan.
Email: yermek-a@mail.ru
International Journalof
Discrimination and theLaw
2020, Vol. 20(1) 5–20
ªThe Author(s) 2020
Article reuse guidelines:
sagepub.com/journals-permissions
DOI: 10.1177/1358229120927904
journals.sagepub.com/home/jdi
Keywords
Discrimination, employment, gender, Kazakhstan, social protection
Introduction
Female discrimination remains the most common form of inequality. Women continue
to be discriminated against in almost all aspects of employment. The data of official
documents (Kazakhstan, 2016) show that gender-differentiated differences in wages,
occupational and vertical segregation, difficulties associated with a combination of
production and family responsibilities, the disproportionate predominance of women
in part time, informal temporary employment, and discrimination due to maternity or
marital status continue to exist despite legislative and programmatic initiatives.
Gender discrimination inhibits economic growth . Because of its influence on the
unequal distribution of power between men and women in the family, in the economic
sphere, and in public life, discriminatory social institutions limit women’s economic
opportunities (OECD, 2014). Th e absence in Kazakhstan of paid par ental leave for
children under 3 years old, of a sufficient number of childcare institutions, as well as
of family-friendly policies, together with gender gaps in wag es and domestic work,
create obstacles for women to fully participate in economic of life. The national econ-
omy cannot work at full strength since restrictive and discriminatory factors restrain half
of the population of Kazakhstan.
Gender-sensitive social protection policies provide an opportunity to accelerate the
path to gender equality: applying a gender approach to social protection will better meet
the specific needs of women from childhood to old age. For example, evidence suggests
that choosing women as the main beneficiaries of social protection programs can
increase their decision-making power in the family, with benefits for children’s nutrition,
health, and education (Newton, 2016). Similarly, a gender-responsive transformative
pension scheme will reduce poverty among older women, given their higher life expec-
tancy, gender inequality in labor participation (wage gap and access to paid pension
schemes), specifics women regarding saving behav ior and their care responsibilities
(OECD, 2019a).
Waiting for gender balance to equalize on its own is unacceptable. Kazakhstan is
losing not only the opportunities for economic development but also the most important
value – human capital.
The gender inequality in Kazakhstan in the field of employment is paradoxically
combined with high rates of the female university and postgraduate education. Women
make up the majority (55.9%) of those enrolled in universities. Women more often
continue their studies in graduate school, 61.2%of graduate students and 60.9%of
doctoral students are women. Women mainly study at pedagogical universities, study
culture and humanities, medicine, health care, and social disciplines. Despite the high
representation of women among applicants for a master’s degree or a candidate of
science, women are in the minority among professors of higher educational institutions.
6International Journal of Discrimination and the Law 20(1)
To continue reading
Request your trial