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Society

Kyrgyzstan Sees Notable Drop in Poverty Rate

Kyrgyzstan’s national poverty rate dropped to 25.7% in 2024, marking a 4.1% decrease from the previous year, according to new data released by the National Statistical Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic. In 2023, approximately 1.871 million people in the country lived below the poverty line, with nearly 62% residing in rural areas. For 2024, the poverty threshold was set at 65,417 Kyrgyz soms (around USD 748) per capita annually. The extreme poverty line was defined at 41,349 soms (approximately USD 472). As of January 2025, Kyrgyzstan’s population stood at 7.3 million. Many Kyrgyz households, particularly in rural communities, depend on remittances from family members working abroad, primarily in Russia. According to The Times of Central Asia, around 600,000 Kyrgyz nationals currently live outside the country, with Russia remaining the primary destination. By the end of 2024, over 379,000 Kyrgyz citizens were registered with Russia’s migration authorities. A recent World Bank report on migration trends in Europe and Central Asia highlighted the significant economic impact of these remittances. In 2024, remittances accounted for approximately 24% of Kyrgyzstan’s GDP. The report also found that the poverty rate among households with a family member working abroad was under 10% but would exceed 50% without these external income flows. In a related development, China pledged USD 3.7 billion in assistance to Central Asian countries, including Kyrgyzstan, to support poverty alleviation initiatives. The commitment was announced by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the inaugural China-Central Asia Summit, held in May 2023 in the city of Xi’an. Xi stated that China would develop a plan for scientific and technological cooperation with Central Asia in the area of poverty reduction and encourage Chinese companies operating in the region to generate more employment opportunities.

Domestic Violence

Domestic Violence in Kazakhstan: What Has and Hasn’t Changed for Victims

The issue of domestic violence in Kazakhstan has sparked intensified public debate in recent years, particularly following several high-profile cases involving public officials, businesspeople, and artists. Against this backdrop, analysts at the Ranking.kz portal examined how the situation has evolved and how effectively the state is addressing the issue. Stubborn Statistics According to the Committee on Legal Statistics, Kazakhstan has seen a significant decline in overall murder rates, from 1,400 cases in 2010 to 449 in 2024. Similar downward trends are observed for other serious crimes, including rape, sexual assault, and manslaughter. However, the share of murders classified as domestic crimes has increased from 17% in 2018 to 23% in 2024. This means that nearly one in four murders now occurs within families, and the decline in domestic homicide rates has been far slower than the national average. Significantly, during the period when domestic violence was criminalized (2015-2017), the number of murders dropped markedly. After its partial decriminalization, the trend reversed, with rates beginning to rise again. A noticeable change came in 2024, when certain domestic violence offenses, such as assault and minor bodily harm, were reclassified from administrative to criminal offences. This shift led to a sharp increase in related criminal cases, reflecting a new legal approach rather than a sudden spike in incidents. Currently, family conflicts that do not involve serious physical harm are handled under Article 73 of Kazakhstan’s Administrative Code, which covers insults, humiliation, and property damage. In 2024, 74,300 cases were registered under this article, up from 60,500 in 2010, although the earlier figure included assault as well. Punishing the Victims A report by the Human Rights Commissioner sharply criticized the previous administrative model for punishing domestic violence, which typically relied on warnings or brief detentions. In many cases, fines were paid out of the family budget, effectively penalizing the victims themselves. “The effectiveness of measures to prevent and stop violence was 35% in 2023 and just 20% in 2020. In the remaining cases, the violence was repeated,” noted experts from the National Center for Human Rights. Alarmingly, 40-45% of domestic violence victims are men, according to the same report. It also points out that when women resort to killing abusive partners after years of suffering, it highlights the failure of state policies to provide adequate protection. “Violence continues, and current protective measures fall short,” the report concludes. According to the Kazakhstan Institute for Public Development, 6% of respondents nationwide reported experiencing domestic violence in 2024. The regional disparities are stark: in Mangistau, 38% of respondents said they had faced domestic violence, compared to 14% in Karaganda. Equally troubling is the limited awareness and use of support services. Nearly half of respondents had never heard of crisis centers. Of the 67,500 administrative and criminal domestic violence cases in 2023, only 4,400 victims, just 6.5%, sought help at such centers. In some regions, the rate was under 2%. Public Skepticism Remains High Surveys reflect widespread pessimism about progress on the issue. When asked how the domestic...

Religion

Majority of Kazakhstanis Are Religious, But Discrimination Persists, Studies Suggest

A recent study by analysts at Energyprom.kz sheds light on the religious landscape of Kazakhstan. According to data from the educational platform Jagran Josh, Kazakhstan's population includes approximately 15.4 million believers. The majority, 11.3 million, identify as Muslim, while about 4 million identify as Christian. A smaller segment, approximately 670,000 individuals, comprise atheists, agnostics, and those with no religious affiliation. Additionally, there are around 5,000 Hindus, 40,000 Buddhists, and about 50,000 practitioners of traditional local beliefs. It is important to note that these figures are compiled from various sources, some dating back to 2015 or earlier. Consequently, they are more suitable for broad international comparisons rather than a precise assessment of Kazakhstan's current religious demographics. Regional Characteristics of Religiosity More recent data, based on a 2024 survey of 1,500 respondents (aged 18 to 65) conducted by the Committee on Religious Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, provides deeper insights into domestic religiosity. The survey revealed that 24.1% of Kazakhstani citizens consider themselves practicing believers who strictly observe religious precepts. The majority, 62.7%, identify as believers but observe only some rituals and traditions. About 9.2% of respondents stated they do not consider themselves believers yet still participate in certain rituals. A smaller proportion, 1.3%, reported no religious affiliation and no participation in rituals, while 0.9% identified as convinced atheists and 0.5% as agnostics. Regionally, Shymkent recorded the largest share of conditionally religious people who observe only certain traditions, at 77.6%. The Atyrau region exhibited the highest proportion of strict practitioners, at 46%. Conversely, the Pavlodar region led in the number of non-believers who nevertheless participate in rituals, at 24.6%. Atyrau also had the highest proportion of complete non-believers, at 10%. In terms of religious affiliation, 65.1% of respondents identified as followers of the Hanafi school of Islam, with another 11.6% belonging to other branches of Islam. Orthodox Christianity was practiced by 14.8% of respondents, Catholicism by 2.1%, and Protestantism by 1.8%. Hinduism, Buddhism, paganism, and Tengriism collectively accounted for less than 2%. An additional 0.8% reported believing but not identifying with any particular religion. The proportion of daily prayers increased from 17.7% to 19.3% over the last quarter. However, 27.9% of respondents reported never praying. Regarding attendance at places of worship (mosques, churches, etc.), 6.2% visit regularly, 14.5% do so weekly, and 33.8% two to three times a year. Notably, 10.4% of respondents have never been to a place of worship. Daily religious discussions with relatives were reported by 4.3% of Kazakhstani citizens, while 27.3% admitted that they never discuss religion within their families. Religious Discrimination Over the past three months, 41.3% of respondents reported experiencing discrimination on religious grounds. The most frequently cited incidents included the publication of offensive images (19.3%), negative comments on social media (11.5%), bans on visiting mosques or churches by the clergy (7.8%), and restrictions on education due to wearing a hijab (10.8%). Although official statistics on incidents directly classified as religiously motivated are not maintained, 54 criminal offenses were recorded between January and April 2025...

Family Budget

Kazakhstanis Spend Over Half Their Family Budget on Food

Over the past two decades, food expenditures have claimed an increasingly large share of Kazakh family budgets. According to analysts at Finprom.kz, food accounted for 55.4% of total consumer spending in 2024, nearly 10 percentage points higher than in 2004, when the figure stood at 45.7%. The rise has been gradual, with a peak of 58% during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, followed by a slight decline. The Growing Burden of Food Costs This trend signals concern about living standards. Under UN benchmarks using the Engel coefficient, households that spend over 50% of their income on food are considered to have a very low standard of living The burden varies significantly across Kazakhstan’s regions. In the capital, Astana, where average incomes are higher, food accounts for 49.4% of consumer spending. In contrast, the economically vulnerable Turkestan region reports a figure of 62.6%. High levels are also recorded in the Almaty (62.1%), Zhambyl (61.8%), and Zhetysu (60.9%) regions. This regional disparity is not new. In 2004, residents of the capital and central regions also spent less on food than those in the country’s western and southern areas. Back then, Atyrau, Mangistau, and Almaty regions led in food expenditure shares. Rising Food Budgets Driven by Consumption, Not Cuts Despite the heavier budget allocation toward food, Kazakhstanis are not cutting back. On the contrary, consumption has grown in several food categories. Compared to 2004, annual per capita meat consumption has doubled to 82.6 kg. Consumption of fish and seafood has risen by 79.5% to 14.2 kg, and sweets by 51.4% to 43.1 kg. Only two categories saw declines: fruit consumption dropped by 41%, and potato consumption by 8.5%. These changes suggest that the rising share of food expenditures is driven more by shifts in dietary preferences and expanded consumption than by inflation alone. Food Spending as a Barometer of Prosperity Kazakhstan ranks near the bottom globally for food expenditure efficiency. According to 2023 estimates by Euromonitor International, the country placed 99th out of 105, with food accounting for 49.4% of total consumer spending. In comparison, food spending made up 46.5% in Uzbekistan, 36.9% in Turkmenistan, and just 29% in Russia. In high-income countries, the figures are significantly lower: 6.7% in the United States, 8.4% in Singapore, and 8.7% in the United Kingdom. These disparities reflect not only income differences but also broader variations in economic structures and the effectiveness of social policies. A Symptom of Structural Strain The trend in Kazakhstan highlights a broader economic challenge. While food consumption has increased, the rising proportion of household budgets spent on food signals a systemic issue: wages and social benefits are not keeping pace with rising costs and evolving consumer expectations. As long as more than half of family budgets are directed toward food, substantial growth in other sectors of consumer spending remains out of reach.

Work-Life Balance

From Overtime to Downtime: Tracking Work and Leisure in Kazakhstan

Analysts at Finprom.kz have examined average working hours across different employment sectors in Kazakhstan, along with how people typically spend their leisure time. Standard Hours and Overtime As of the first quarter of 2025, Kazakhstan had 9.3 million registered employed citizens, a 1.3% increase compared to the same period last year. The majority, approximately 7.7 million people, work standard hours ranging from 36 to 40 per week, representing a 7.5% year-on-year increase. Conversely, the number of people working overtime declined to 1.2 million, a 4.9% decrease. On average, Kazakhstanis now work 39 hours per week, an increase of one hour from last year. Men work slightly more, averaging 40 hours weekly, while women work around 38. Employees are more likely to work overtime, logging an average of 41 hours per week, compared to 36 hours for the self-employed. Most and Least Time-Intensive Sectors Mining remains the sector with the longest working week, averaging 43 hours. Those in wholesale and retail trade, transport, logistics, and administrative services average 42 hours. Employees in manufacturing, water supply and waste management, construction, and hospitality work about 41 hours weekly. At the other end of the spectrum, workers in agriculture, forestry, and fishing average 33 hours per week. Those in finance, insurance, and education work around 39 hours. Professions with the Heaviest Workload Among occupational groups, industrial, construction, and transport workers, as well as operators and drivers, top the list with an average of 42 hours per week. Trade and service sector employees follow closely at 41 hours. Farmers, fishermen, and unskilled laborers average 36 hours, while managers, civil servants, and technical staff work around 40 hours. Specialists average 39 hours weekly. Approximately 332,800 Kazakhstanis work less than a standard week, half the number from the previous year. The most common reasons include lack of work (122,800 people), reduced hours (56,700), sufficient income (34,200), employer decisions (31,500), and flexible schedules (18,300). How Kazakhstanis Spend Their Day According to official 2024 statistics, the average Kazakhstani spends most of their weekday attending to personal needs such as sleep, hygiene, and meals, totaling 12 hours and 6 minutes on workdays and 13 hours and 57 minutes on weekends. Sleep takes up the largest share: 8 hours and 48 minutes on weekdays and more than 10 hours on weekends. Meals and drinks occupy around 1 hour and 49 minutes during the week and 2 hours and 5 minutes on days off. Hygiene and self-care account for approximately 1 hour and 21 minutes on weekdays and 1 hour and 33 minutes on weekends. Work ranks second in terms of daily time use, averaging 5 hours and 16 minutes on weekdays and just 36 minutes on weekends. Leisure activities—including cultural events, sports, reading, and media consumption—rank third, taking up 2 hours and 40 minutes on weekdays and nearly 4 hours on weekends. Kazakhstanis also devote considerable time to household responsibilities, especially on weekends, spending about 3 hours and 32 minutes on unpaid domestic work and family care.

Aging Population

By 2050, Nearly One-Fifth of Kazakhstan’s Population Will Be Over 60

Kazakhstan is on the cusp of a significant demographic transition. A recent report by the Unified Accumulative Pension Fund (UAPF), the agency overseeing the country’s pension system, projects that by 2050, 19% of Kazakhstan’s population will be of retirement or pre-retirement age. The study, published on the UAPF website, reveals that as of January 1, 2025, Kazakhstan's population had surpassed 20.3 million. Of this total, 42.8% — approximately 8.7 million people — were under the age of 25. Another 48% (around 9.7 million) were between 25 and 65, while 9.2%, or about 1.9 million people, were over 65 and currently classified as pensioners. Overall, individuals aged 60 and older now make up 13.9% of the total population. According to UAPF forecasts, the national population is expected to grow to 26.3 million by the end of 2050. However, this growth will be accompanied by an aging trend. “This means that by 2050, on average, one in five Kazakhs will be aged 60 or older,” the report notes. This shift mirrors a broader global pattern of aging populations and declining birth rates. Life expectancy in Kazakhstan, which had declined during the COVID-19 pandemic, has rebounded significantly. It rose from 70.23 years in 2021 to 75.44 years in 2024. At the same time, the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has decreased from 3.32 children per woman in 2021 to 2.80 in 2024, with projections indicating a further drop to 2.42 by 2050. “With the gradual decline in birth rates and increased life expectancy, fewer people are entering the labor market, and the imbalance between pensioners and the working-age population continues to grow,” UAPF analysts stated. The report also predicts a neutral migration balance by 2050, meaning the number of people emigrating will roughly equal those immigrating for permanent residence. This marks a shift from earlier decades of net inward migration. Since 1991, over 1.15 million ethnic Kazakhs born abroad have moved to Kazakhstan permanently, according to data previously reported by The Times of Central Asia. As Kazakhstan confronts these demographic realities, policymakers will need to consider long-term strategies to ensure the sustainability of its pension system and the vitality of its labor force.