In Kazakhstan, Gender Imbalance Persists Even Among Teenagers

A recent study by Finprom.kz, conducted in partnership with the National Statistics Bureau, sheds light on how Kazakhstani citizens allocate their time across work, leisure, and household duties. The findings reveal significant gender disparities that begin in adolescence and continue into adulthood. Unequal Distribution of Labor at Home The study was based on data from a modular survey conducted every five years, involving approximately 12,000 respondents nationwide. Participants maintained daily activity logs, including both weekdays and weekends. On weekdays, men in Kazakhstan work an average of 9 hours and 7 minutes, about an hour longer than women. However, when it comes to household duties and childcare, women spend more than twice as much time: 2 hours and 13 minutes compared to 48 minutes for men. The gap widens on weekends, with women spending 4 hours and 44 minutes on domestic tasks, compared to 1.5 hours for men. Meanwhile, men spend more time on social media, television, and reading the news, around 1.5 hours on weekdays and nearly 3 hours on weekends. Women engage in these activities roughly an hour less. A similar trend appears in general leisure and relaxation time, where men again lead. Gender Norms Form Early Gendered patterns in domestic labor emerge as early as adolescence. Boys aged 10-14 spend about 1 hour and 6 minutes a day on household chores, while girls dedicate 1 hour and 52 minutes. Cooking accounts for a large portion of this difference, with girls spending an average of 44 minutes on meal preparation. The study also found that parents with higher education levels spend more time with their children, regardless of employment status. Interestingly, unemployed men spend three times less time with their children than employed men, regardless of the day of the week. This correlation was not observed among women. Despite traditional assumptions, men dedicate nearly as much time to personal care as women. On weekdays, men spend 1 hour and 17 minutes on hygiene and grooming, just 3 minutes less than women. On weekends, they spend even more: 1 hour and 40 minutes, compared to 1 hour and 29 minutes for women. Unemployed men consistently surpass women in this area. Regional Disparities and Stress The study highlighted notable regional differences in time use. In North Kazakhstan, residents spend about 1.5 hours daily on cooking and eating, while in Shymkent, the figure is nearly double. Shymkent residents also spend just 8 minutes a day on rest and reflection, compared to over an hour in Mangistau. Cleaning and laundry take up 1.5 hours a day in Shymkent, one of the highest rates in the country. In contrast, residents of Astana spend just 39 minutes on these tasks. Screen time also varies significantly. On average, Kazakhs spend 2 hours and 3 minutes daily on digital content. In North and East Kazakhstan, this climbs to 2 hours and 40 minutes. Residents of Almaty, Ulytau, and Shymkent average 2 hours and 14 minutes, while those in Kyzylorda and Mangistau spend the least, 1 hour and...

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.