WOMEN’S ACCESS TO WORK AND DECISION-MAKING IN KAZAKHSTAN’S CIVIL SERVICE

Abstract

Kazakhstan’s civil service consists of the majority of women, yet female civil servants are underrepresented in leadership positions and face distinct career challenges. Using a triangulation method, consisting of 13 semi-structured interviews, one focus group, and a documentary analysis of policy documents, this study examines the extent to which women have fair and equal access to recruiting, promotion, decision making, and pay opportunities in civil service within the capital city of Kazakhstan. The major findings of this policy analysis exercise reveal that women in Astana’s civil service face implicit cultural or social biases and lack access to influential informal networks, which hinder their professional advancement. In addition, some female civil servants tend to prioritize job stability over career aspirations, partially for reasons of personal choices. Finally, Kazakhstan’s legal basis for gender equality in civil service is underdeveloped, which underlines a significant gap in institutional support for female civil servants. Thus, the study contributes to gender equality discourse within public administration and provides policy recommendations for policymakers to build a more equitable and inclusive civil service in the country that includes improving transparent mechanisms in recruitment and promotion, initiating leadership programs, and enhancing work-life balance policies targeted for women.