New technologies for human development in Kazakhstan National human development report - 2006 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY for the development of human potential and the current status of technological development in Kazakhstan. Present-day development trends The purpose of create the need for a new approach to Technologies as a tool for social and economy is human defining the purpose of development and human development the economy. The traditional definition development The first chapter looks at human aiming to ensure a states the main purpose of an economy is to meet growing human needs with development as an end, to which human decent life finite resources. Today, recognizing the development factors such as economic important role of human development, growth, education, healthcare and go- this definition should be changed to say: od environment are the means: new “The purpose of an economy is human technologies are regarded as a tool for the development aiming to ensure a decent development of human potential. life”. Human development is understood Thus, innovations improve productivity, to be the continuous expansion of profits and people’s income and ensure human opportunities to enjoy or have access to better quality goods and a choice of political, economic, social, services. New technologies have a positive spiritual and cultural participation. A effect on human and social health by decent life implies broad-based access reducing deaths and increasing births and to high-quality education, healthcare, life expectancy. The introduction of new social schemes, healthy food, extensive technologies in education is vital to the participation in society and other benefits competitiveness of national human capital. contributing to human development Modern technologies promote effective both culturally and financially. resource use and can contribute to public Having committed to the UN-declared participation in society. concept of development from the However, the authors also mention the perspective of opportunities, Kazakhstan potentially mixed human development has made continued efforts to promote implications of new technologies. There its human development level. The most are economic risks that can significantly valuable resource in the long-term affect the overall effect of new development strategy “Kazakhstan-2030”, technologies on economic development, a key national development document, while environmental and manmade is people. The 2030 strategy also identifies risks preclude unconditionally positive national development priorities that help impacts of new technologies on human improve all spheres of life for each and development. At the same time, access every Kazakhstani. to new technologies may contribute to Kazakhstan’s strong economic deve- growing inequality in relation to income, lopment has allowed it to put new items on place of residence, age, sex, etc. the development agenda to facilitate the Therefore, multi-dimensional effects of implementation of the Kazakhstan-2030 new technologies on human development strategy. These new challenges are set forth suggest the need for a selective approach in the President’s Address to the People of to the development, choice and use of Kazakhstan of 1 March 2006 “Strategy for technologies. The chapter recommends Kazakhstan to become one of the world’s the development of criteria for choosing New technologies 50 most competitive countries”. The new technologies to promote increased can become a Strategy emphasizes the need for innovative income levels, improved literacy and tool for enlarging development, which will be the basis for life expectancy and other human people’s choices Kazakhstan’s breakthrough in the context development components, and minimize of globalization. risks. The National Human Development Report “New Technologies for Human Human development as Kazakhstan’s Development in Kazakhstan” recognizes strategic priority the importance of new technologies, As with the previous report, the second which are considered through a human chapter reviews the status of human development prism, and assigns primary development in Kazakhstan through an focus to the government’s work in the overview of the Kazakhstan-2030 Strategy interests of its people. The Report calls for and identification of new challenges to be reflection on the need for an innovative addressed to ensure sustainable human stage of national development, highlighting development. The authors believe that the some of the pitfalls that can hinder principal national concept should now be human development. It acknowledges the transition to sustainable development, the role of technologies in the develop- which is an objective requirement that can ment of human capital and discusses realize the long-held dreams of the Kazakh Kazakhstan’s human development level, people in terms of national welfare, nature, as well as progress towards the Millennium culture and each Kazakhstani’s health Development Goals, use of technologies and well-being. New technologies for human development in Kazakhstan To ensure sustainable human deve- and low qualifications of the cadre with Multi-dimensional lopment at the current stage, Kazakhstan technical education. effects of new needs to: In the area of funding of research and technologies on - improve life expectancy. Not only development (R&D): limited commitment of human development business and private sectors to participate should Kazakhstan work to increase suggest the need for births, but also take care of those already in R&D programs and projects and lack of correlation between R&D outcomes and a selective approach born. In particular, the excessively large to the development, disparity between female and male life market needs and context. expectancies should be addressed; In order to promote innovative business choice and use of development recommendations are pro- technologies - address the health targets of the vided to ensure links between science and Millennium Declaration relating to production. To this end, attention should reduced child and maternal mortality, be paid to the innovative activity of large halting and reversing the spread of HIV/ and small enterprises, such as the rate of AIDS and other diseases; use of innovation and the responsiveness - ensure that extracting companies of businesses to innovation introduced and the Government join the Extractive by competitors, which can contribute to Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI); competitiveness of such businesses through - achieve a number of targets reduced production costs. related to professional government and In addition, an important factor in decentralization and continue anti- the introduction of new technologies corruption efforts; is the infrastructure facilitating human - improve the quality of education development: ensuring social receptiveness towards Soviet period standards, based towards the introduction of technologies; on the needs of both the economy and equal access of a wide community and human development; all groups of the population to social and technological resources; a high rate and - develop fundamental and applied flexibility of production; extensive use in all sciences. spheres of life. Specifically, the chapter attempts To ensure sustainable human to show the relationship between com- development at the current stage, petitiveness and the development of Kazakhstan needs to: national human capital. The chapter’s message is that, although an important - improve life expectancy. Not only step towards the long-term development should Kazakhstan work to increase strategy Kazakhstan-2030, Kazakhstan’s births, but also take care of those already aim of becoming one of the world’s 50 born. In particular, the excessively large most competitive countries should not disparity between female and male life be considered the ultimate goal of the expectancies should be addressed; country’s development. It serves a higher - address the health targets of the The principal and more complex goal of ensuring broad- Millennium Declaration relating to national concept based opportunities for all people of reduced child and maternal mortality, should now be Kazakhstan in all spheres of life or, in other halting and reversing the spread of HIV/ the transition words, human development. AIDS and other diseases; to sustainable Current and future status of new - ensure that extracting companies development technologies in Kazakhstan and the Government join the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI); Developing national capacity in science and technology is instrumental to achieving - achieve a number of targets related a high level of economic productivity to professional government and de- through the use of new technologies to centralization and continue anti- ensure the human development and corruption efforts; economic and social well-being of the - improve the quality of education nation. towards Soviet period standards, based The review of the current status of and on the needs of both the economy and trends in the development of science and human development; technology focuses on the key components of science and technology, including - develop fundamental and applied strengths and weaknesses of the scientific sciences. and research system. The following challenges are identified: Specifically, the chapter attempts In the area of human resources: the to show the relationship between com- ageing of highly qualified cadres (scientists petitiveness and the development