«Southern Kazakhstan», №19-20(18.717-718), 8.02.2010

O.Sivtsova

Today women in government or in a head of a large company are not unusual. Mechanism for the implementation of the strategy of gender equality in our country for the period 2006-2016 is operating at full power. Although work is still enough. What was done in the region for the last year and what kind of emphasis will be placed in future, “Southern Kazakhstan” decided to ask the Secretary of the Commission for Women, Family and Demographic Policy at Akim of SKO D. Mamanova.

-Dana Abdamitovna, our region is quite actively involved in the implementation of the Strategy of Gender Equality. But it is difficult to say that during this time dramatically increased the number of women who are engaged in the leadership positions in the political area Indeed, the number of them keeps on the same level for several years. Thus, there aren’t any ladies among five Vice-Akim. (in 2008-1) Ladies managed to win the chair of the first leader only in seven rural areas. Three heads of the regional offices, one of them is the director of the department. From the total number of government employees, women make up over 35 percent. But the reason is oddly enough in the low activity of the women. Our southern mentality is like that, for many women family, children and household chores are in the first place. However, today the school of political leadership which I created with our Commission continues to work. Last year the training was held by the request of the President on the Fifth Forum of Women of Kazakhstan on the project “Education of young girls and women”, 30 people have been trained in the center of training of civil servants in our region.

-How do you assess the participation of our women in the economic transformation?

If we analyze the labor market, the total number of the employed population of women is 46.5 percent, unemployed is 59.9. The most demanded is technical specialties today, which are dominated by men’s specialties.Thus, from the provided on January 1, 2010 vacancies "female" professions are only 15 percent.Among the directions to social work places by the “Road Map” and “Youth Practice” are minority women professions too, it is about the third.

For the changing this situation at the beginning of the previous year on the initiative of the Commission with the financial support of regional chamber of commerce and industry was opened the school women’s economic advancement. We conducted eight of seminars to train 200 beginners of entrepreneur and those who are not the first year in this business. And the best women-entrepreneurs took part in the regional forum “inspired woman”. Abdamitovna Dana, I know that women’s NGOs in our region make an invaluable contribution to the promotion of gender equality. No one event does not pass without their participation and no matter to which aspects it may concern. We cooperate with NGO "Sana Sezim» in providing assistance to victims of violence and human trafficking, implement the project "Promoting women's access to justice." Jointly with South Kazakhstan Affiliate the Association of Business Women of Kazakhstan was implemented the project “Hotline “Red Apple” which has received more than 9 thousand calls on the issues of family planning, HIV/ AIDS and other health related lifestyle. In addition the implementation of the project “Karlygash-mothers against smoking” is continued.Jointly with NGO “Center Support Initiatives” we are engaged in a long term work on the problems of child abandonment and patronage. Our Commission has taken an active part in the opening of six informational – resource centers in rural areas of the region, initiated by NGO “Bereke”. And I named only a small part of that which has been done in cooperation with NGO.  How many conducted seminars and round tables, actions! We are planning to continue this fruitful partnership.

-Dana Abdamitovna, What are the main achievements of the last years? On what would you like to direct your force this year?

- I am glad that over these years we have made big steps forward in the field based on folk traditions education of the children in the family and the relationship between parents.  But, there are a lot of work to do in the areas of our region for today, where according to the most of the villagers a woman place is not in the civil service, a woman place is at home. And we would like to increase the activity of rural NGOs to engage them in obtaining grants for the implementation of social projects.

-Good luck on your business! Thanks for the interview!