Sustainable development goals are at the centre of young people's attention.
Within the framework of the ‘poverty eradication’ track of the Sustainable Development Goals programme, organised by Bolat Saylan, Professor of the Department of History of Kazakhstan, Faculty of History, Doctor of History, a meeting was held with the participation of students of the faculties of History, Geography and Nature Management on the theme ‘Poverty alleviation in Central Asia after independence’.
The event featured reports and special presentations on how Central Asian countries are fighting poverty. On the topic of poverty alleviation in each Central Asian country, 4th year students of the Faculty of History spoke separately. Maral Adilet spoke about periods of increasing poverty and governmental measures taken in this regard. He noted the increase in poverty in Kazakhstan from 2013 to 2016 from 6 to 11 per cent. Only when the economy stabilised and the social support system improved did the poverty rate fall again. The situation in Kyrgyzstan is not easy either. Nurali Ikyyllas delved into poverty in Kyrgyzstan and said that in the mid-90s, 60 per cent of the population lived below the poverty line. Economic crises, unemployment, weakness of the social support system - these are the factors that exacerbate poverty. The problem of poverty in Uzbekistan requires special attention. Bekarys Kurmangaliyev noted that poverty is high in rural areas and the problem among women and children has even deepened. Although the state has adopted several programmes to reduce poverty, their effectiveness is still questionable. The fight against poverty in Tajikistan is not limited to measures within the state. Akdame Modibekova spoke about the investments and programmes of international organisations, including the World Bank, in Tajikistan. Although the poverty rate in the country has decreased since 2000, the situation in rural areas remains difficult. Lack of awareness and limited information on poverty in Turkmenistan made it difficult to determine the exact size of the problem. Dias Dastanov noted that the percentage of Turkmenistan's population below the poverty line varies greatly between official data and UN reports. Fighting poverty in Central Asian countries is not only a state political issue, but also the responsibility of every citizen, especially young people. Thanks to education and information, young people are ready to contribute to improving the socio-economic situation of society. In this direction, effective ways to eliminate poverty are strengthening support of the state and international organisations, introduction of innovative solutions, development of entrepreneurship.
Aina Zhadigerkyzy,
4th year student
Kairat Askar, 1st year student