20 WAYS UNICEF IMPACTED CHILDREN Kazakhstan's Economic Performances Have Been Remarkable Over the Past Two Decades
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20 ways UNICEF impacted children in Kazakhstan Turning points: UNICEF Action in 20 Y of Independent Kazakhstan ears Russian Federation Astana The United Nations Children's Fund K a z a k h s t a n UNICEF in Kazakhstan 010000, Astana, Block 1, Beitbitshilik St, tel.: +7 (7172) 323 969, 322 878; email: [email protected] website: www.unicef.kz China Uzbekistan Kyrgyzstan Turkmenistan Tajikistan Islamic Republic of Iran Afganistan Pakistan Table of contents 5 | Forward - UNICEF Representatives 6 | Kazakhstan: a long way since independence 8 | UNICEF at a glance 9 | Kazakhstan: progress towards children 11 | UNICEF and Kazakhstan: 17 years of history 14 | Real lives stories 27 | UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors 28 | Your support is essential UNICEF has been working Kazakhstan since 1994. For the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the independence of Kazakhstan, UNICEF wishes to thankthe Government of the Republic of Jun Kukita, UNICEF Representative for Kazakhstan Focusing Kazakhstan, NGOs andthe general public on the most vulnerable children for their continuous support and tremendous commitment to act for the protection of children's rights. “I am honoured to join and lead UNICEF's team in Kazakhstan. I am impressed by what has already been achieved since the independence of Kazakhstan, and I look forward to joining hands with the Government of the Republic to further improve the lives of children. This brochure highlights some of the impacts of UNICEF's cooperation on children during the last 20 years of Kazakhstan's independence. 20 WAYS UNICEF IMPACTED CHILDREN Kazakhstan's economic performances have been remarkable over the past two decades. However, like many other fast growing economies, widening disparities remain as a major challenge - across oblasts, between IN KAZAKHSTAN rural and urban areas and among children from different groups. UNICEF recently re-focused its programme towards reducing inequalities and achieving “equity”, collaborating with the Government and other partners to ensure equal opportunities and improved basic This brochure introduces to UNICEF's social services for all children, particularly focussing on the most vulnerable. Therefore, we will continue working on creating major positive impacts on the lives of children in Kazakhstan, particularly those who work in the country and provides a live in remote areas, disadvantaged communities, and difficult circumstances. UNICEF Kazakhstan's vision is to become a driving force to help build a caring and inclusive society where selection of major interventions and every child lives in a loving family and community environment, feels secure, happy and empowered, and enjoys the full realization of their potential and rights. In achieving this we also look forward to continuing our collaboration with the civil society, UN agencies, contributions to the development of and bi-lateral and corporate donors who have been generous in contributing to the advancement of child rights and equity in the country. Kazakhstan over years of independence. Thrilled to see the future positive impacts on many more children, I am also convinced that Kazakhstan has all the ingredients to become a role model of child friendly and socially responsible economy in the world.” REAL LIVES Jun Kukita Children, mothers and social workers tell us UNICEF Representative, September 2011 their story. The stories of real lives impacted by UNICEF. 1 RATIFYING THE CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD 2 REACHING UNIVERSAL VACCINATION UNICEF's goal is to work with all governments to ensure that the rights of all children enshrined in the Since 2002 Kazakhstan has achieved vaccine Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) are respected. The CRC was one of the first international independence in which all expanded programmes treaties ratified by the Government of Kazakhstan in 1994. Millions of children have since benefitted from increased government actions and spending on education, health and social programmes in the country. of immunization(EPI) and additional vaccination Many national legal documents and policies were improved in order to make them compliant with this are covered by the Government of Kazakhstan international treaty. including the sustainability of the cold chain, which was designed and established with The Republic of Kazakhstan was very active and confident in preparing periodic reports on the implementation of the UN CRC and its optional protocols. The country has already submitted three UNICEF's support in 2005. The immunization periodic reports to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (2003, 2007) and the fourth periodic coverage for EPI is over 97%. Now the target is to report is due in 2011. reach the remaining 3% of children who are most marginalized. « If the country aims at the membership amongst 50 most competitive world economies, there is a need to introduce social parameters corresponding to international standards. The competitiveness of the country is not only about commodities and bank services; Immunization campaigns were UNICEF's first a strategic vision for economic development based there must be competitive capacity in the social sphere.” major impact on the children of Kazakhstan. Since on integration into the global economy. Benefitting NursultanNazarbaev, 1994, the diphtheria epidemic has been localised, from the wealth of natural resources, in particular President of the Republic of Kazakhstan cases of measles and mortality from poliomyelitis from the exports of oil and gas, Kazakhstan has (Case study, UNICEF's mid-term review, 2007, p. 3) have been cut significantly. In 2002 Kazakhstan graduated to the rank of a middle-income country. was certified by the World Health Organization as It enjoyed strong economic performance from 2000 After signing the Convention on the Rights of the Child President Nursultan Nazarbaev (centre) speaks with UNICEF Executive Director James Grant (right). Also apolio free country and re-certified so in 2011. to 2007, with an average GDP growth of 10%. This attending were (left-right) Kazakhstan first Lady Sara Nazarbaeva and Kazakhstan's Permanent UN Mission Ambassador Akmaral Arystanbekova. February 1994 Following UNICEF's guidelines, Kazakhstan resulted in poverty rates to fall, and enabled became the first country in the region to substantially increased spending on social introduce and accomplish the vaccination of all programmes. new-born babies against the hepatitis B virus and Despite the strong overall economic trends in pneumococcus, therefore saving countless lives in Kazakhstan, the deepening of the world economic the country. Nowadays the Government of crisis which started in 2008 had negative repercus- Kazakhstan is able to accomplish independently, sions: GDP growth sharply declined to 3.2% in 2008 with no donor support, the advanced and to 1.2% in 2009. However, in 2010 it recovered, immunization programme on a regular basis. reaching 7%, according to the World Bank. The rapid economic growth was also accompanied by increases in living standards and better human development outcomes. According to the United Nations, in 2010 the country passed from middle to Kazakhstan: high in the human development ranking. a long way since independence In 1991, when the Soviet Union collapsed, the social protection sector in Kazakhstan experienced a serious decline – the majority of people, including children, were living in extreme poverty, unem- ployed and socially unprotected. Social budget expenditures also decreased dramatically. Since its independence, Kazakhstan has maintained 6 7 3 PRIORITISING INFANT AND MATERNAL MORTALITY REDUCTION 4 DECREASING UNDER-FIVE MORTALITY RATES Joint efforts of the Government of Kazakhstan building capacities of national institutions and Since 1999, the annual number of under-five deaths in Kazakhstan has reduced by nearly 50%. and UNICEF contributed to the progress towards NGOs, UNICEF is also fully committed to working UNICEF has been an advocate to reduce anaemia, a major cause of infant mortality. However, MDG5 and4 (Reduce child mortality and Improve with the Government to ensure that, with a focus for each 1,000 lives, 28 children still die maternal health). The annual maternal mortality on the most vulnerable children, each child born in rate has beenreduced by 45% since 1999, but the Kazakhstan gets the best start in life, lives pro- before the age of five years old - 32 in rate still remains high. The Ministry of Health has tected and healthy, and that children's best villages and 24 in cities. UNICEF therefore declared its decrease by two-fold to be interestsare a national priority. therefore continues working with the number one priority, along with infant Government to eliminate those mortality. Analysis shows that over half of preventable deathsand thus to attain infant mortality and a third of maternal MDG 4. mortality are the result of the poor quality maternal and child health services and can be averted. The experience of several On-going partnerships in middle-income countries proves that Kazakhstan maternity care and healthy motherhood UNICEF's activities would not have been programmes, including the prevention of successful without cooperation with the unwanted pregnancies and transmission state bodies of the Republic of Kazakhstan. of HIV/AIDS, can significantly reduce Within the framework of the2010-2015 maternal mortality. Country Programme Document, which was signed by the UN Children's Fund and the Government, UNICEF cooperates with the Ministry of Health,