Translation of sadenova’s post (RUS)

“Family Politics in the Context of Demographic Changes: Basic Concepts and Global Tendencies,” A. Samakova, G. Abdykalikova

Smaller families have become the norm in Kazakhstan. Half of all households have one child, one-third have two children and only 6% have four or more. The last category is comprised, to a large extent, of oralmans, ethnic Kazakhs returning to their homeland.

The number of divorces is growing, with every fourth marriage affected. Every fourth marriage is also childless (in a third of the cases, the husband is responsible). The influence of fathers in raising children is decreasing. There are half a million families in which women raise the children single-handedly. Also growing is the number of persons who have never been officially married. Every fifth child is born to non-legally married parents.

The number of single-parent families has also increased, since a considerable percentage of citizens, especially in the younger generations, are not in officially registered marriages. The number of divorces also acts as a constraint on birth rates. The number of marriages in 2009 (139 707) exceeded the number from 2008 (133 170).

A serious problem is social orphanage – that is, children being given up for adoption while the parents are still alive. Today in Kazakhstan there are 42.5 thousand such cases. Children are being raised in orphanages, boarding schools and foster homes; the most serious problem for them is finding a home when they leave the orphanage at age 18 or the youth home at age 23.

Another major concern is the nation’s health. The Women’s Health Index is 30% (in ecological disaster areas it is 10-20%). Over half of women of reproductive age are anemic. The highest oncological mortality rate is found among women with breast cancer.

Over half of all males have excretory/reproductive system issues. Both men and women suffer from sexually transmitted diseases. Another serious problem is domestic violence. Only last year, over 20 thousand complaints were filed by women who claimed to have been beaten. This is equal to the number of reports received annually by crisis centers.

There are currently more females than males, largely due to the unusually high mortality rate among men. Out of ten 30-year-old males, four (38.7%) do not live past the age of 60. As a result, the number of widows and fatherless children is growing. This often leads to financial problems, limited opportunities for education and, consequently, a higher risk of unemployment.

The overall mortality rate remains high. Reasons include cardiovascular disease, physical trauma and poisoning, respiratory diseases, tumors, infections and parasitic diseases. The effect of the country’s ecological situation on public health remains strong.