Kazakhstan proposes shorter workdays for women

Tengrinews.kz – A proposal to introduce shorter workdays for women, modeled after Scandinavian countries, and to extend paid maternity leave to two years has been submitted to Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov by Mazhilis Deputy Karakat Abden.
In her parliamentary inquiry, Abden highlighted recent reforms aimed at enhancing state policies on women’s leadership.

“Despite progress, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has noted a gender imbalance in government roles. Initiatives by the 'Auyl' party have driven positive changes, with an 8% increase in female district mayors over the past six months. However, we need systemic changes, not just numerical improvements,” Abden stated.

According to 2023 data, women accounted for 55.7% of civil servants, but only 20.3% held leadership positions. Since Kazakhstan’s independence, women in political roles have never exceeded 15%.
Abden proposed extending paid maternity leave to two years and implementing shorter workdays for women.

“This will strengthen family institutions and allow working mothers to dedicate more time to raising their children,” she explained.