Women take 1/3 of seats in Kazakhstan's Qurultay

By comparison, women's representation in the previous Parliament stood at 18.9%. The increased representation of women in the country's legislative body is one of the practical outcomes of consistent state policy aimed at ensuring equal rights and opportunities for men and women.

As the Ministry of Culture and Information noted, Kazakhstan is creating conditions to boost women's involvement in politics and public life, nurture their leadership skills, and increase their influence in decision-making processes.

As part of the Action Plan on Human Rights and the Rule of Law, approved by presidential decree, positions for external advisors to akims (regional governors) on gender equality were established across all regions of Kazakhstan in 2024.

That same year, the Government adopted an Action Plan to promote equal rights and opportunities for men and women, comprising 46 measures in education, healthcare, employment, social protection, and strengthening the gender equality framework.

Special attention is paid to developing women's political leadership.

For instance, the information and education program "Tomiris" was launched in 2022 with the support of the National Commission on Women's Affairs and Family-Demographic Policy under the President of Kazakhstan. To date, more than 1,670 women from all regions of the country have completed training. The program continues.

As part of a joint project between the Ministry of Culture and Information and UN Women Kazakhstan, training workshops for women were held in Astana and Almaty in May this year. Around 60 participants enhanced their leadership and political competencies.

Thus, the increased representation of women in the Qurultay reflects the results of a comprehensive state effort to create equal opportunities, develop women's leadership, and build conditions for women's full engagement in public and political life.

This work continues under the 2026-2028 Action Plan for the Implementation of the "Women, Peace. Security" Agenda, which includes 40 measures to expand women's involvement in peace and security processes, preventing violence, developing leadership, ensuring digital safety, and promoting sustainable development.

Previously, it was reported that Kazakhstan's population is distributed by gender as follows: 10,524,770 women and 10,065,819 men, meaning women outnumber men by approximately 459 thousand. It was also reported that the number of working women in Kazakhstan exceeds 4.5 million.

According to the Agency for Civil Service Affairs, women accounted for 56% of all civil servants in Kazakhstan as of January 1, 2026.