| Economic restructuring and privatisation in Kazakhstan had serious employment and social effects pushing a significant proportion of the population into unemployment, hardship and poverty. The overall aim of the project was to enhance the effectiveness of social service delivery throughout Kazakhstan and to strengthen the role and function of the employment service. During implementation TA and training was provided at both ministry and regional government levels, to assist in developing workable strategic options (including costed option papers) for strengthened social service provision to meet the challenges created by transition.
Strategic options were formulated after a detailed analysis of current legislative barriers, financial constraints, and administrative and operational limitations and a study of EU best practice in social service provision and financing. With the assistance of leading EU experts’ policy documents were developed for the rationalisation of social services in the health, education and cultural sectors each of which contained detailed funding options/projections.
Subsequently, three local pilot initiatives were implemented in the target regions and the strategic options were revised in light of the experience gained from the pilot programmes. Throughout the programme targeted training programmes were delivered to numerous high-level national and regional government officials from either the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, related Ministries or regional service delivery offices.
Pilot projects involved a social and economic analysis of the Aktyubinsk Oblast, future economic development and an assessment of the revised employment and social services from an operational, administrative, legal and financial perspective. The project undertook the training of local officials in social security measures, development of national and local policy options and the piloting of numerous mitigation measures. The project successfully developed a Social Partnership Information Centre in Astana and a social support centre in a single industry town hit by restructuring.
In addition to generating a number of forums for discussion of social development and poverty alleviation issues in Kazakhstan the project also established a guarantee fund for micro-credits which has stimulated around 100 new jobs. The work involved comprehensive review of experience on social asset transfer and established new management control systems for service delivery. The areas focused on health services, employment protection, education, public and business administration mainly due to inherent problems with service delivery and financing. The work proceeded through creating, in partnership with local administration and communities, pilot actions which demonstrated new sustainable means of service delivery. 
|
