Preliminary results of the Multi Indicator Cluster Survey 2011 presented in Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan joined the programme by conducting MICS of the third global round in 2005-2006. The fourth global round was conducted in 2010-2011, in which Kazakhstan also took part, the press service of the UNICEF in Kazakhstan reports.

"We have noticed the overall improvement of women's and children's status in Kazakhstan on which I would like to congratulate the Government of Kazakhstan. There is a notable decline in Infant Mortality Rate from 32 cases per 1,000 livebirths in 2006 to 22 - per 1,000 livebirths in 2010. Access of children of 36-59 months old to early child education programme increased from 16 percent in 2006 to 37 percent in 2010, " said acting UNICEF Representative in Kazakhstan Radoslaw Rzehak.

The goal is to monitor the state of women and children as well as measure the key indicators to track the progress towards Millennium Development Goals and Action Plan "A world fit for children". MICS provides information on a number of new indicators on the level of households, on state of health, education, child development, domestic violence and many others, which is difficult to get through routine statistics.

This MICS has been unique for Kazakhstan as our country covered nearly half of the costs to conduct the survey. UNICEF provided technical and financial support, and the UN Population Fund also rendered financial support for conducting the MICS in Kazakhstan.

Currently, the MICS data are being verified and processed, and the final MICS results are expected to be publicized by the end of 2011. MICS is widely used by the Government, Parliament, other state bodies, NGOs as a crucial source of information on the state of women and children in the country.