KazNU Experts Contribute to the Development of Evidence-Based Approaches to Poverty and Social Policy

On 29 April 2026, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University hosted an international round table entitled “Income Inequality and Poverty in the Regions of Kazakhstan: Measurement, Structural Determinants and Social Policy.”

The event was organised by the Department of Economics of the Higher School of Economics and Business as part of research project AP23489032. It brought together representatives of government institutions, an international organisation, research institutions, universities, academic staff, young researchers and doctoral students.

The round table provided a platform for discussing poverty and income inequality in Kazakhstan’s regions, improving approaches to their measurement and monitoring, identifying structural determinants, and developing priorities for effective social policy. farabi.university
Main Areas of Discussion
The participants considered several interconnected dimensions of poverty and regional inequality:
- current trends in income inequality and poverty across Kazakhstan’s regions;
- methods for measuring and monitoring poverty;
- regional differences in living standards;
- the influence of education and human capital;
- labour-market conditions;
- infrastructural constraints;
- public access to education, healthcare, infrastructure and basic services;
- the role of small and medium-sized enterprises in improving living standards;
- the effectiveness of social policy;
- disparities between urban and rural areas;
- cooperation between government institutions, academia and international organisations.
The discussion demonstrated that poverty cannot be assessed solely through income indicators. Access to essential services, education, healthcare, infrastructure and employment opportunities must also be considered when analysing its causes and dimensions.
Participation of Government, Academic and International Experts
The round table involved experts whose professional responsibilities are directly connected with statistics, social assistance, economic research and the analysis of poverty and inequality.

Metin Nebiler, Senior Economist for Poverty and Inequality in Europe and Central Asia at the World Bank, delivered the keynote presentation. He emphasised the importance of reliable and comparable data for understanding the structure, dynamics and regional characteristics of poverty and for developing effective public policy.

Representatives of the Bureau of National Statistics of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Meirambek Zhumadildin and Samal Kereybayeva, contributed to the expert discussion.

Other speakers included:
- Professor Zaure Chulanova, Deputy Director General for Research at the Institute of Economics of the Committee of Science;
- Asia Kurmankulova, Deputy Director of the Department of Social Assistance of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Population of the Republic of Kazakhstan;
- Zhansaya Temirbulatova, PhD researcher and Associate Professor at AlmaU;
- researchers, academic staff, young scholars and doctoral students.
The participation of government officials, statisticians, researchers and an international expert enabled the discussion to connect academic findings with the practical needs of social-policy development.
KazNU’s Research and Expert Contribution
Acting Dean of the Higher School of Economics and Business Zhanna Ermekova highlighted the importance of social inequality for the country’s sustainable development and noted that income inequality reflects broader socioeconomic processes affecting people’s quality of life.

The discussion was moderated by Professor Galiya Dauliyeva, Head of the Department of Economics, who emphasised the practical importance of cooperation between researchers, government institutions and international organisations.

KazNU doctoral student Anar Ismagulova drew attention to the need to consider not only income but also people’s access to education, healthcare, infrastructure and basic services when measuring poverty.

Through the round table, Al-Farabi KazNU contributed research findings and expert analysis to an interdisciplinary discussion involving institutions responsible for national statistics and social assistance. This created an opportunity to consider how research evidence and improved measurement methods can inform social-policy priorities.
Recommendations and Practical Significance
Following the round table, the participants formulated practical recommendations aimed at:
- improving social-policy mechanisms;
- strengthening research on regional income differentiation and poverty;
- improving the quality and comparability of poverty-related data;
- developing more comprehensive approaches to measuring poverty;
- taking regional, labour-market, human-capital and infrastructure factors into account;
- strengthening cooperation between government institutions, researchers and international organisations.
The available publication confirms that recommendations were formulated, but it does not provide their full text or information about their subsequent incorporation into government programmes or regulatory documents. Therefore, the event should be presented as a research and expert contribution to social-policy discussion rather than as confirmation that specific policy decisions have already been adopted.
Contribution to Sustainable Development
The round table supported the objectives of Sustainable Development Goal 1 — No Poverty and Sustainable Development Goal 10 — Reduced Inequalities.

By bringing together academic researchers, government representatives, statisticians and an international expert, KazNU supported evidence-based dialogue on poverty, regional inequality and access to essential services.

The practical importance of this work lies in strengthening the evidence base that public authorities and other stakeholders may use when developing social-support measures, regional development programmes and approaches to poverty reduction.
Official Resources
1. Experts presented the results of the poverty study — official publication of Al-Farabi KazNU.
2. The Department of Economics held a round table on “Income Inequality and Poverty in the Regions of Kazakhstan: Measurement, Structural Determinants and Social Policy” — official information on the event and research project AP23489032.
Original Publication
The original material “Experts presented the results of the poverty study” was published on the official website of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University on 29 April 2026.

View the original publication