Targeted Social Assistance Scheme Reviewed in Kazakhstan

Upon the request of the Government of Kazakhstan the ILO is providing technical assistance aimed at assessment and improvement of the targeted social assistance scheme (TSA) that has been recently introduced in the country. The project, funded by UNDP-Kazakhstan and entitled “Decent Work: Integrated Approach to Social Sphere in Kazakhstan / Targeted Social Assistance Scheme” is implemented with a visit to three key cities – Astana, Karaganda and Almaty.

29 July 2003

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Meeting with specialists of the Karaganda Oblast Social Protection Department

The mission team discussed on a unique database of TSA beneficiaries created by the department specialists

In July 2003 the ILO mission (M. Ouchi, ILO associate expert on social security, and S. Upadhyaya, lead consultant) visited Kazakhstan. The objective of the mission was to examine the existing TSA schemes and to provide recommendations on methodological frameworks for TSA. In Astana the mission was received by Ms. Tamara Duisenova, Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Protection of Population (MOLSP). Ms. Duisenova spoke highly about close cooperation between the ILO and the Republic of Kazakhstan. The TSA project will help the Government of Kazakhstan to acquire additional expertise and methodology to improve the quality of social protection for the local-income families that, in turn, would be a base of further improvement of quality of social protection in the Republic as a whole, said Deputy Minister.

On 7 July the Ministry and UNDP/ILO organized a roundtable to discuss the ILO Inception Report on Targeted Social Assistance in Kazakhstan. Comments of the local experts and of the Ministry officials will be incorporated in the final report.

The second city on the mission’s route was Karaganda. There, at the Karaganda Oblast Social Protection Department the mission team discussed on a unique database of TSA beneficiaries created by the department specialists. The database will serve as a background material for further assessment of presently functioning TSA scheme in the Karaganda oblast.

In Almaty the work was mostly concentrated on assessing and reviewing statistical data related to the subsistence minimum, poverty line and individual/household income. The ILO mission team also met with the UNDP colleagues to discuss the project implementation issues.

The TSA project is expected to be completed by the end of 2003, and a final report will be presented at the roundtable and workshop in Astana.