Election races of candidates for deputies of the Majilis of the Parliament of Kazakhstan and maslihats (councils) of all levels are in full swing. There is a little more than a week left until the election day, which will be held on March 19. Political scientist, director of the Center for Current Research Alternatyva Andrii Chebotaryov on your Facebook page Told me about the features and trends of this year's elections in the Republic of Kazakhstan, and the main messages of the parties.
The current election campaign falls on International Women's Day this year. Thanks to the return to the electoral process of the majoritarian system, the number of women running for the Mazhilis of the Parliament (lower house of the parliament) and maslikhat (local councils) of all levels in single-mandate constituencies is impressive. Political parties are not far behind, including many women in their party lists. At the beginning of the pre-election campaign, a total of 80 women were present in the party lists for the Majilis elections, and 434 women were present in the maslikhats of regions and cities of republican significance.
Kazakh women, numbering 10,1 million, are also an active part of the electorate. Therefore, it is important for parties and individual candidates to convey in their programs and speeches what can encourage women voters to participate in voting and cast their votes for them.
The gender agenda is indicated in the pre-election programs of 5 out of 7 Kazakh parties. Yes, parties Mandate and NPCs are in favor of increasing the level of participation of women in public administration. Parties Baytak, NPK and OSDP call for lowering the retirement age for women to 58 years. At the same time, politicians supplement this requirement under the age of 55 for women with many children who raise four or more children and women who raise children with disabilities. Party Auil intends to contribute to the improvement of the social condition and the creation of comfortable conditions for rural women. Regarding the fighters for the interests of entrepreneurs from the parties Ak zhol and Respublica, then they probably approach the participation of women in the economy and politics as a natural state of affairs, without distinguishing them from the general composition of the electorate. But it is difficult to say how much the voters will appreciate this approach.
At the same time, all parties, to varying degrees, considered in their programs a topic close to women — family and child support:
Presidential Party Mandate offers:
— expansion of state and party support for large and single-parent families;
— employment of able-bodied family members in order to prevent their difficult financial situation;
— providing all needy families with children aged 2 to 6 with places in preschool educational institutions, including the creation of 2028 new places by 300;
— development of the institute of professional foster families, including doubling the salary of foster carers;
— introduction of separate assistance for children living in low-income families;
— support and development of family values in schools;
— increased punishment for domestic violence.
Party NPCs (People's Party of Kazakhstan) offers:
— raising the minimum wage to 140 tenge (~$317), as an important condition for providing and supporting families of three;
— affordable housing for mothers raising one to three children on their own, and free housing for mothers with many children;
— repayment of the mortgage at the expense of the state to families upon the birth of the fourth child;
— increase in child benefit to 70 tenge (~ $158) for each child;
— establishment and payment of monthly wages for mothers of disabled children - on a permanent basis, for mothers in single-parent families - until the child reaches the age of three;
— free education of children from large families in colleges and universities;
— establishment of lifelong status for mothers with many children, regardless of the age of the children;
— support for single-parent families, including the creation of the State Alimony Fund;
— strengthening of criminal punishment for domestic violence;
— introduction of state insurance for mothers with many children, mothers of disabled children and mothers in single-parent families.
Party A lot (Green Party):
— introduction of maternal capital for each child, regardless of the number of children in families;
— calculation of social assistance for households, taking into account the total number of family members, not only working people;
— creation of a support system for single-parent families, including ensuring the payment of alimony payments;
— making maternity payments during the entire relevant period.
Party Ak zhol (Democratic Party of Kazakhstan):
— subsidizing interest rates on mortgage loans for young families in the amount of 25% at the birth of each child;
— removal of illegally sold or used apartments from the social housing fund with further redistribution to families with many children who are waiting for them.
Party OSDP (National Social Democratic Party):
— reduction of the working day by 1 hour for women who have children;
— increase in child benefit.
Party Respublica:
— formation of a unified cultural space of the people of Kazakhstan, taking into account family values.
Party Auil:
— use of food payment cards for the poor and representatives of socially vulnerable groups.
Considering the value of the family for any person and society, as well as the family traditions of the Kazakh people, the relevant topic is close and understandable to the majority of citizens of Kazakhstan. Due to the efforts of parties and individual candidates, the issue of the comprehensive well-being of the family is being actively discussed nationwide. The main thing is that with the election of a new composition of deputies of the Majilis of the Parliament and maslykhats of all levels, all or at least most of the promises mentioned above will be implemented.
To always be aware of the most important things, read us at Telegram
