At the Government session chaired by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov, Minister of Labour and Social Protection Svetlana Zhakupova reported on the systematic measures taken for the social protection of persons with disabilities, primeminister.kz reports.
The Minister noted that in accordance with the Social Code provides state support on the principle of creating a just society, equality and inadmissibility of restriction of human rights in the field of social protection.
In the international arena, Kazakhstan is actively implementing a human rights-based policy, having ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and joined the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Optional Protocol to the Convention was ratified in June 2023. In March this year, an Initial Report on the implementation of the provisions of the Convention was successfully submitted to the UN Committee. Social security expenditures for persons with disabilities are implemented at the basic and mandatory levels.
Annually, the total expenditures from the republican budget and the State Social Insurance Fund increase by about 22 per cent. This year they totalled 748 billion tenge," Svetlana Zhakupova said.
The Minister added that state support for persons with disabilities is provided in a proactive format through the Social Services Portal. As of 1 November this year. 148 thousand people or 39% of the able-bodied among people with special needs are employed. At the same time, the employment rate in the regions does not reach 50%.
The leading sectors of employment are scientific activity, public administration, education, trade and health care.
By profession, 21% of persons with disabilities are employed as professionals, 19% are unskilled workers, 13% are specialists-technicians, 11% are managers and civil servants; workers in services, sales" Svetlana Zhakupova noted.
She said that from 1 January 2025 licensing of entities providing special social services for persons with special needs, regardless of the form of ownership, will be introduced. Licensing will be carried out by the Committee of Regulation and Control in the field of social protection of the population. This process is fully digitised.
According to the data announced, today in Kazakhstan 110 thousand people receive special social services in 1021 organisations, including 177 non-governmental organisations working under the state social order. From the new year, a system of per capita financing will also start, which will make it possible to determine the necessary amounts of social assistance and support, taking into account personalised needs.
Taking into account the new trends in the development of society, the requirements to the level of professional training of social workers, their skills and competences are increasing," Svetlana Zhakupova added.
It was noted that today educational modules on qualification levels of social workers have been developed. Professional standards for social workers at 8 levels have been approved. On the basis of the National Scientific Centre a centre of recognition of professional qualification in the field of special social services has been created. A special register of social workers has been established for systematisation and record-keeping.
To date, 9,568 out of 12,704 social workers have been trained and 7,537 have received certificates.
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