ASTANA – Despite women making up nearly half of Kazakhstan’s civil service, their presence in senior leadership roles remains limited, especially in the local governments of the country’s three largest cities: Astana, Almaty and Shymkent, reported Kazinform news agency on June 12.
Photo credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto
According to official data provided to Kazinform, as of April 1, 2025, women represent 50.1% of the civil servants in Astana’s city administration – 492 out of 983 employees. However, only 124 women hold leadership positions.
In Almaty, 560 out of 1,162 public servants are women (48.2%), with 127 of them in management roles. Meanwhile, Shymkent reports a much lower ratio – 306 women among 858 staff members, of whom only 63 are in leadership.
Age-wise, nearly half of all city hall employees in the three cities are under 35 years old – 464 in Astana, 558 in Almaty and 415 in Shymkent.
When it comes to top posts such as district akims (governors) and heads of departments, female representation is even lower. In Astana, women head only 2 of 23 departments – public health and economic planning, while all six districts are led by men.
Almaty fares slightly better, with three women heading departments such as tourism, public health, and land relations. Two of the city’s eight districts – Nauryzbai and Zhetysu – are led by women.
In Shymkent women lead three departments – internal policy, education, employment and social protection, while all five district akim positions are held by men.
Sabina Sadiyeva, a public administration expert, says these figures reflect broader structural challenges facing women in government.
“According to national civil service reports, women make up 55% of the total workforce, yet only 39% of management roles. And when it comes to senior-level leadership, the share drops to about 8–10%,” she said.
Sadiyeva notes that while legal barriers to hiring or pay discrimination have largely been eliminated, informal cultural and societal expectations still constrain women’s professional advancement.
She also pointed to recent local elections as an indicator of societal attitudes.
“Under the appointment system, women made up 11% of rural akims. But once direct elections were introduced, the share dropped to between 2% and 9%. That tells us a lot about persistent gender biases,” she added.
Sadiyeva advocates for systemic changes to better support women in civil service.
“Measures like enforcing limits on overtime, ensuring proper leave and protecting work-life balance are crucial — not just for women, but for the overall health of public institutions,” she said.
