US supports Kazakh Reforms for Women’s Rights & Empowerment

PRESS RELEASE

US supports Kazakh Reforms for Women’s Rights & Empowerment

March 21st 2022

Kazakhstan’s Chair of the National Commission for Women Affairs, Lazzat Ramazanova, met in USA capital city senior representatives of the US State Department, USAID, the World Bank, and the International Finance Corporation (IFC). All participants expressed their support in Kazakhstan latest reforms in the fields of Women and Human Rights.

Ramazanova, who operates in Kazakhstan under President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and is a Member of Mazhilis (the Kazakh Parliament’s the lower house), is in charge of Women Rights and Family Affairs as well as Demographic Policy. Key message during Ramazanova’s meetings in Washington D.C. were President Tokayev’s historic reforms aimed at creating New Kazakhstan. Ramazanova described the ongoing political, governance, human rights and socio-economic reforms announced by President Tokayev last week (Wednesday, March 16) and handed the message of New Kazakhstan to the representatives of US federal agencies.

The discussions on strengthening women’s rights, included key last three years achievements in Kazakhstan, as well as the Presidents new reforms. For example, mandatory 30% quota for women and youth in electoral candidates lists of political parties and its application for the distribution of parliamentary mandates; the adoption of the Action Plan for the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325; the abolition of the list of prohibited professions for women, and more.

Women's entrepreneurship plays a significant role in creating jobs and spurring economic growth in Kazakhstan. SMEs in Kazakhstan (small and medium enterprises) provide about 3.5 million jobs and 33% of GDP, and 50% of them are headed by women. Therefore, the parties discussed the possibilities of cooperation on specific initiatives for the development of women's entrepreneurship. One of such projects is the resource centers for support of women entrepreneurs created in Kazakhstan.

Dialogue about educational programs for businesswomen in Kazakhstan, has become productive: US organizations will support Kazakhstan’s initiative to scale up the work of the American Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE). Astana International Financial Center (AIFC) was selected as an implementing partner for carrying it out.

Another discussion was around President Tokayev’s policy of zero tolerance towards domestic violence. In this regard, the interest of the American side was to create family centers in Kazakhstan. Senior Policy Advisor at the Global Women’s Affairs, US Department of State, Beth Smith, welcomed Kazakhstan’s achievements and reaffirmed the US intention to establish a strategic bilateral dialogue in the field of strengthening women's rights.

Jamille Bigio, Senior Coordinator of the USAID Administrator’s Office for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women expressed her support for the reforms in Kazakhstan. At the same time, she announced USAID’s readiness to continue and deepen further cooperation in strengthening the rights of women and girls, through specific joint projects.

Henriette Kolb, Head of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) Gender and Economic Inclusion Group, spoke positively about the achievements of the Government of Kazakhstan in promoting women’s empowerment. At the same time, she gave separate recommendations on expanding financial products to support women entrepreneurs, announcing IFC's readiness for further dialogue on this topic.

Hana Brixi, the World Bank’s Global Director for Gender, noted Kazakhstan’s good record in terms of granting women broad economic rights and freedoms, providing access to education, technology, developing financial literacy, and positively assessed the development of gender statistics in the country. She emphasized that in all these parameters, Kazakhstan is an example for many other countries. The World Bank team of experts offered a number of proposals for further cooperation in empowering women in Kazakhstan.

Raushan Tulepbayeva, Counselor of Kazakhstan Embassy in the U.S; Nazgul Sagindykova, Secretary of the National Commission for Women, Family and Demographic Policy under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan; Nayab Khan, Advisor on South and Central Asia at Office of Global Women’s Issues, U.S. Department of State; Lazzat Ramazanova, Chairwoman of the National Commission for Women, Family and Demographic Policy under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.; Dina Daniyarova, Advisor to the Chairman of the Management Board, AIFC Authority.

Jamille Bigio, Senior Coordinator for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in the Office of the Administrator, USAID; Lazzat Ramazanova, Chairwoman of the National Commission for Women, Family and Demographic Policy under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Yerzhan Ashikbayev, Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the U.S.; Lazzat Ramazanova, Chairwoman of the National Commission for Women, Family and Demographic Policy under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan; Nazgul Sagindykova, Secretary of the National Commission for Women, Family and Demographic Policy under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan; Dina Daniyarova, Advisor to the Chairman of the Management Board, AIFC Authority; Beth Smith, Senior Regional Director, Office of Global Women’s Issues, U.S. Department of State; Sandrine Rukundo, Deputy Director on Women’s Economic Empowerment, U.S. Department of State; Nayab Khan, Advisor on South and Central Asia, Office of Global Women’s Issues, U.S. Department of State

For More details:

Embassy of Kazakhstan in the U.S.