Round Table for the World Children's Day

Round table “Barlygy Balalar Ushin” (“Everything for Children”) dedicated to the World Children's Day (November 20) and 30 years of the Kazakhstan Independence.

The Secretariat for SDGs spoke about results of testing the Methodology of the Child Well-Being Index in Kazakhstan and the budget for children.

Round table on the child welfare “Barlygy Balalar Ushin” was held on November 19 in Nur-Sultan. Experts of the Secretariat for SDGs, Economic Research Institute JSC took part in the given event.

Bakytgul Khambar, Director of the Secretariat for SDGs of the Economic Research Institute (ERI) JSC, took part in the event.

Bakytgul Khambar spoke about the work carried out within the framework of testing the Methodology of the Child Well-Being Index and the budget for children. Her presentation included information on main results of the study, sociological survey and interview conducted in nine regions of the country.  

“In general, more than 18 thousand citizens from all regions of the country took part in voting for the indicators, more than 1,000 experts took part in discussions and developed more than 120 proposals within the framework of the Index Methodology as well”, the speaker stressed.

She noted that all the norms of ethical control were observed as part of the sociological research, including mandatory receipt of parent's permission to pass an online questionnaire and interview.

Deputy Chairman of the Committee for Children Rights Protection of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan Dulat Zhekebayev, Deputy Director of the Department of Maternal and Child Health of the Ministry of Healthcare of the Republic of Kazakhstan Olzhas Iskakov, President of the Y. Altynsarin National Academy of Education Gani Beisembayev, Head of the Kazakhstan Children's Fund PF Elvira Vatlina, Deputy Director of Almaty Department for Quality Assurance in Education Guldana Omarova also spoke at the round table.

Deputy Chairman of the Committee for Children Rights Protection of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan Dulat Zhekebayev said that the country has adopted more than 45 LSIs in the field of protection of children's rights. Today, 9 ministries and departments are engaged in ensuring the children rights in Kazakhstan, while at the local level – 100.organizations of education, health, social protection. The Committee for Children Rights Protection of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan is defined as a coordinating and specialized agency that takes comprehensive measures to protect the children rights and their well-being.

“In Kazakhstan, more than 70% of children have access to a personal computer and smartphone. So it is important to work to prevent cyberbullying, which can have a negative impact on child”, the speaker stressed.

Deputy Director of the Department of Maternal and Child Health of the Ministry of Healthcare of the Republic of Kazakhstan Olzhas Iskakov noted that infant and maternal mortality is being systematically reduced in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Therefore, in 2020, 877,869 children with 96 diseases were covered by free medicine provision for a total amount of more than KZT 24 billion. On recommendation of UNICEF, 33 medica.organizations have been awarded the status of Child-Friendly Hospital to support breastfeeding, 85.6% coverage of children exclusively with breastfeeding has been achieved.

Head of the Kazakhstan Children's Fund PF Elvira Vatlina told about the existing problems faced by children. The speaker noted that there is a negative trend of child suicide, early pregnancy and crimes against children in the country.