Outcome KAZ_D_1.1

By 2025, all people in Kazakhstan, especially the most vulnerable are empowered with knowledge and skills to equally contribute to the sustainable development of the country (UNSDCF Outcome 1.2.)

In 2025, the outcome was partially achieved. UN Women contributed to measurable shifts in institutional practice, coordination, and stakeholder engagement that strengthened the ability of people in Kazakhstan — particularly women and vulnerable groups — to contribute more equally to sustainable development processes. A central achievement was the operationalization of the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) Knowledge Centre as a national platform for capacity development, knowledge exchange, and institutional learning. Through the Centre, 122 representatives of central government institutions strengthened competencies in gender expertise, gender-responsive budgeting, and gender-sensitive communication. Beyond training delivery, participating institutions began applying gender analysis more systematically in draft legislation, sectoral strategies, and budget discussions. In parallel, 811 representatives of local authorities enhanced their knowledge and practical skills on the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda and mechanisms to support women and children affected by gender-based violence, contributing to improved coordination between local authorities, crisis centres, and law enforcement and strengthening institutional responsiveness and women’s participation in local peace and security processes. The Knowledge Centre also strengthened engagement with the private sector: 109 representatives from 85 companies increased their understanding of gender equality and inclusive corporate practices, with a focus on the Women’s Empowerment Principles, leading participating companies to initiate internal reviews of workplace policies, leadership pathways, and non-discrimination standards, contributing to safer work environments and clearer pathways for women’s leadership and decent work. Regional engagement further strengthened the capacities of vulnerable groups. Through the Central Asian ance to End Gender-Based Violence and strong partnership engagement, women with disabilities, survivors of gender-based violence, women human rights defenders, grassroots activists, and women and girls exposed to technology-facilitated violence strengthened their capacities through 13 regional online webinars, reaching over 200 participants from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. The focus on peer exchange and practical tools enabled participants to move from awareness to action — including engaging in legislative consultations, improving referral pathways for survivors, advancing digital safety advocacy, and strengthening collective representation in policy dialogue — thereby enhancing agency and voice of groups traditionally excluded from formal decision-making spaces. The sessions addressed gender-sensitive legislation, survivor-centred support systems, strategic litigation, prevention of digital violence, women’s economic empowerment, and gender advocacy, facilitating practical knowledge exchange, peer networking, and the application of concrete strategies at community and policy levels. Multi-stakeholder engagement at national, regional, and global levels reinforced these capacity gains by facilitating adaptation of evidence-based practices into institutional systems and strengthening cross-sector coordination. UN Women also advanced this outcome through sustained support to the implementation and renewal of the WPS agenda in Kazakhstan. Building on the completion of the first National Action Plan on UNSCR 1325 (2022–2025), UN Women provided technical and expert support to over 15 state institutions and civil society organizations to assess progress, identify gaps, and consolidate lessons learned. Support to the national WPS review meeting strengthened shared understanding of women’s participation, prevention, protection, and leadership in peace and security, while strengthening inter-institutional coordination, clarifying institutional roles, and reinforcing accountability for integration of WPS priorities into national planning frameworks. . In addition, UN Women strengthened multi-stakeholder engagement and knowledge exchange on gender equality and women’s empowerment. In November 2025, UN Women, in partnership with the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Kazakhstan, co-organized the “Beijing+30: China-Kazakhstan Partnership for Women’s Empowerment” seminar, convening approximately 70 representatives from government, civil society, academia, media, and youth and women’s organizations. The seminar facilitated dialogue on progress and challenges in implementing the Beijing Platform for Action, highlighted the importance of international cooperation, and reinforced stakeholder commitment to integrating gender equality into national development strategies. Capacity to prevent and respond to domestic violence was further strengthened through a hybrid regional seminar held in Almaty, “Experiences with Aggressors in Central Asia and France,” organized by the French Embassy and the Central Asian Alliance to End Gender-Based Violence. More than 60 stakeholders from five Central Asian countries, including civil society organizations, law enforcement representatives, prosecutors, and crisis centre staff, enhanced competencies through the exchange of regional experience and evidence-based French practices on working with perpetrators. Overall, these interventions strengthened institutional and societal capacities, contributing to observable changes in behaviour and practice: government actors increasingly applying gender-responsive tools in policymaking; private sector actors initiating internal policy reforms; and vulnerable groups strengthening collective voice and participation in development processes. While sustained effort is required to translate these shifts into long-term structural transformation, foundations for more inclusive and participatory sustainable development pathways have been further consolidated.

By 2025, all people in Kazakhstan, especially the most vulnerable are empowered with knowledge and skills to equally contribute to the sustainable development of the country (UNSDCF Outcome 1.2.)

Progress was made in 2024 to achieve this outcome. In taking an essential step toward closing the gender gap in the tech industry, over 30 8th-grade from Balpyk Bi, Zhetysu region gained confidence and skills to pursue careers in STEM, with 60% committing to developing technology-related competencies. The young girls have increased knowledge and skills on 3D modelling, programming, robotics, and digital security. They also increased their understanding of critical soft skills such as teamwork, self-presentation, and creative thinking, while career guidance testing and expert consultations empowered the girls to identify their strengths and make informed career decisions. This transformative impact was driven by a collaborative initiative led by UN Women, M. Kurmanov school, EPAM, and supporting organizations on 13-14 November, 2024 Moreover, in 2024, the Central Asian Alliance to End Gender-Based Violence (EGBV) which is the UN Women – the MFA Kazakhstan Central Asian Initiative (hereafter - Alliance), worked in partnership with the TechnoWomen (Kazakhstan) Non-profit organization to increase knowledge on cybersecurity of over 500 women in rural Kyrgyzstan through digital safety training. These sessions provided participants with essential knowledge of digital trends, security best practices, and strategies for preventing online violence, enabling them to navigate the digital landscape with increased confidence and safety. Other key contributions of the Central Asian Alliance EGBV to achieve this outcome include: - 28 women and girls from the rural areas of Koshy and Taitobe villages in Kazakhstan enhanced their self-protection abilities through innovative EGBV Self-Defense Training. By integrating self-defence techniques with Emotional and Social Development (ESD) strategies, the program fostered greater self-confidence, intuition, and decision-making skills. Together, these initiatives equipped women and girls across the region with tools to address both online and physical threats, advancing the empowerment of rural women and the prevention of gender-based violence; - the engagement with women’s rights organizations and civil society organizations (CSOs) through the Regional CSO Network played a transformative role in strengthening collaborative efforts to address gender-based violence (GBV) and advance gender equality in Central Asia. The Regional CSO Network actively contributed to shaping the foundational structures of the Central Asian Alliance on Gender-Based Violence (Alliance) by developing its Statute, Principles, and Regulations. This ensured that the guiding framework reflects diverse civil society perspectives and is inclusive of grassroots realities across the region. Network members also played a pivotal role in the Alliance’s conference in June 2024, aligning strategic priorities, fostering cross-border collaboration, and sharing best practices among CSOs and government institutions. By facilitating broader engagement, they ensured the participation of local organizations in the Alliance’s activities, creating a unified and robust regional response to GBV. Their efforts strengthened institutional frameworks, empowered grassroots actors, and amplified the voices of women and marginalized communities.

By 2025, all people in Kazakhstan, especially the most vulnerable are empowered with knowledge and skills to equally contribute to the sustainable development of the country (UNSDCF Outcome 1.2.)

The outcome has not been achieved yet, however, UN Women Kazakhstan made substantial progress on the outcome in 2022. The Voluntary National Review (VNR) on the progress of SDGs implementation in Kazakhstan was visibly gender mainstreamed during development and Kazakhstan's presentation at the High-Level Political Forum in New York in May 2022. International and national communities gained awareness of the progress, achievements, challenges and lessons learned in the implementation of SDGs at the national level through the VNR. https://hlpf.un.org/countries/kazakhstan/voluntary-national-review-2022 UN Women contributed significantly to the results reflected in VNR by showcasing the outcomes of the joint project with the Government of Kazakhstan on the integration of Gender Responsive Budgeting in the national planning and budgeting system. More specifically, UN Women developed the methodology and conducted gender analysis of planning and budgeting processes with the example of the Akmola region at the local level and the Ministry of Education at the central level, in the area of education, healthcare and social protection. In addition, UN Women ensured the integration of a gender dimension into the entire VNR document. The National Women's Machinery recognised the role of UN Women's significant contribution in supporting the Government of Kazakhstan and national partners in advancing Gender Responsive Budgeting as well as demonstrating it on the global level through highlighting the VNR. UN Women successfully cooperated with the National Women's Machinery, the Ministry of National Economy, the Economic Reserach Institute, the Applied Economic Research Centre, the Akmola region Local Administration, and the Ministry of Education through this work. Thus, the original strategy and ToC for this outcome is still largely applicable.

By 2025, all people in Kazakhstan, especially the most vulnerable are empowered with knowledge and skills to equally contribute to the sustainable development of the country (UNSDCF Outcome 1.2.)

The outcome has not been achieved yet, however, UN Women Kazakhstan made substantial progress on the outcome in 2023 using its convening power and creating regional platforms that reemphasised GEWE and Sustainable development agenda importance. Women parliamentarians and women activists significantly strengthened regional cooperation in GEWE through the Dialogue of Women of Central Asia chaired by Kazakhstan in 2023. The Dialogue is a platform for discussing topical development issues and strengthening cooperation between women parliamentarians and women activists in the region, supported by the UNRCCA, UNDP, and UN Women. During 2023 the Dialogue delved into the role of women in innovation and technology, emphasized the critical importance of women’s participation in building Peace and Security in the region, and joined voices and committed to combat gender-based violence. UN Women contributed significantly to the results of the Dialogue by leveraging its convening power, and strong partnership with the Parliament, the Government, Civil Society Organisations, and the UN Entities. Civil Society bridged their vision and messages with the agenda of women at the decision-making level through the Dialogue, ensuring that voices were heard and considered during the development of legislation, policies, and programmes, as a result of UN Women support. https://eca.unwomen.org/en/stories/media-advisory/2023/06/media-advisory-kazakhstan-to-chair-the-dialogue-of-women-of-central-asia-2023-under-the-theme-role-of-women-in-innovation-and-technology-development https://astanatimes.com/2023/06/kazakhstan-takes-over-chair-in-dialogue-of-women-of-central-asia/ Moreover, UN Women has strengthened regional cooperation in addressing GBV. Through the creation of the Central Asian Alliance to End GBV. Created under the Spotlight Initiative, the Alliance initiated joint efforts in combatting GBV through strengthening institutional capacities, contributing to changes in legislation, addressing social norms, improving gender-sensitive statistics and ensuring Civil Society central role in these processes. UN Women ensured the sustainability of the alliance by mobilizing resources from the Government of Kazakhstan (USD400,000). In November 2023 over 150 representatives of Civil Society, international and governmental organizations from Central Asia convened in Astana to take stock of the Spotlight Initiative results and shape the Alliance’s vision and initiatives for 2024 and 2025. UN Women played a pivotal role in building a cooperative environment, strategically guiding partners to a vision leading to robust results to be achieved during 2024 and 2025. https://kazakhstan.un.org/en/238825-uniting-progress-eu-and-un-support-launch-central-asian-alliance-end-gender-based-violence https://eca.unwomen.org/en/stories/news/2023/07/uniting-for-progress-launch-of-the-central-asian-alliance-to-end-gender-based-violence In addition, in 2023 more than 60 rural women in four regions of the country enhanced practical competencies in cheese-making, felt needlework, and hop cultivation and production with the support of UN Women, therefore boosting their economic capabilities. The initiative was implemented jointly with rural local administrations and the National Women’s Machinery. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and the National Women's Machinery highly recognised the role of UN Women's significant contribution in supporting the Government of Kazakhstan and national partners in effectively bringing to reality and implementing the crucially important strategic initiatives such as the Dialogue of Women of Central Asia and the Central Asian Alliance to End GBV. In addition, UN Women successfully cooperated with the Parliaments and Senates of Central Asian countries, as well as the representatives of Civil Society Organisations, law enforcement bodies, Ministries, National Women’s Machineries, expert communities, diplomatic missions, and the UN entities. Thus, the original strategy and ToC for this outcome is still largely applicable.