President Nazarbayev's new economic stimulus policy Nurly Zhol presents new opportunities for Women.

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Helen Clark: Speech at the Astana
Economic Forum on “Nurly Zhol –
New Opportunities for women”
May 21, 2015
It is a pleasure to be here at this event on “Nurly Zhol – New Opportunities” for women. I
thank Gulshara Abdykalikova, Secretary of State of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and the
Women’s Business Association for organizing this session. I also acknowledge Tawakkol
Karman, 2011 Nobel Peace Laureate.
The issue of women’s leadership is very close to my heart. As the first woman elected as
Prime Minister of my country, New Zealand, and, before that, the first to hold the position of
Leader of the Opposition, I have long been committed to making the path to leadership
accessible to other women as well.
But my belief in the importance of women’s leadership is not just personal. Gender equality is
a matter of human rights. It is a matter of sustainable development. And it is a matter of
common sense. If all members of society are equally empowered to contribute, the sum of
their efforts will be far greater than if certain groups, like women, do not enjoy equal
opportunity.
Here in Kazakhstan, as in countries throughout the world, gender equality is about creating
equal opportunities for women and men, and about making it possible for all to reach their full
potential, and contribute meaningfully to society. Investing in women and girls is one of the
best investments any country can make in its future.
This year, 2015, presents a “once­in­a­generation” opportunity to put women’s empowerment
at the center of sustainable development. The Millennium Development Goals will run their
course at the end of this year. In September, UN Member States are expected to adopt a new
set of Sustainable Development Goals. They are likely to include a standalone gender
equality goal, and to integrate gender equality across other goals.
In December, a new global climate agreement will be adopted at the United Nations Climate
Change Conference (COP21) in Paris. The challenge for both agendas is to go from goal
setting to taking action which will bring real benefits to the lives of all – women and men, girls
and boys.
Advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment requires approaching development
through a gender lens. If we do not specifically ask ourselves how women are affected by
laws, policies, and norms in their communities and countries – and how development plans
may impact on women and men differently, we will hold back progress for women and for
whole nations.
The challenges are clear. Today, women make up 22.1 per cent of the world’s
parliamentarians. That’s twice as many as twenty years ago when the landmark Beijing
Platform for Action was adopted, but it’s still short of the thirty per cent target set by the UN
Economic and Social Council in 1990. I am pleased to note that with women comprising 26.2
per cent women of its parliamentarians, Kazakhstan exceeds the world average. I commend
Kazakhstan on this achievement, and encourage the country to build on it and lift the levels
toward the target of thirty per cent, and beyond.
Women face many economic challenges. At least fifty per cent of the world’s women are now
in paid employment. That’s an increase from forty per cent in the 1990s. But women remain
disproportionately represented in vulnerable employment. Globally, on average, women earn
24 per cent less than men. Overall, women are less likely than men to have access to decent
work, assets, and formal credit.
It is encouraging to see that women in Kazakhstan run 41 per cent of all active, registered
small­ and medium­sized enterprises. But women in the labour force here earn on average
only 67 per cent of what men earn.
I am pleased to see that the new UNDP Country Programme Document for 2016­2020,
currently being finalized with the Government of Kazakhstan, will focus on more targeted
support to women entrepreneurs, and to women who are at risk of poverty and social
exclusion. Specifically, UNDP will support the growth of small­ and medium­sized enterprises
in non­extractive sectors, including in green energy and utility services, sustainable
agriculture, and eco­tourism. These are areas which can generate jobs and promote
environmental sustainability and gender equality.
UNDP works to share knowledge and experience from other countries in this and other
regions. We are engaged with Kazakhstan in developing a vibrant platform for South­South
exchanges and co­operation, involving experts and practitioners from our global network.
Earlier this month, I participated in the global conference on Women and Social Inclusion
which UNDP co­hosted with the Government of Argentina and UN Women. Initiatives like
those which the Government of Kazakhstan and UNDP have agreed to, which promote jobs
14 2 12
Leadership
Helen Clark became the
Administrator of the United
Nations Development
Programme in 2009, and is
the first woman to lead the
organization. She also
chairs the United Nations
Development Group.
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2. and entrepreneurship programmes targeting women, and at the same time promote the
“green” economy, generated great interest among participants at the conference.
It’s also vital to support greater women’s participation in all levels of decision­making – from
national legislatures to local councils and public administrations. Ensuring that women have a
seat at decision­making tables is not just a matter of fairness; it makes a positive difference in
shining light on issues which previously went unaddressed and which matter to the lives of
women.
In 2006 Rwanda passed a far­reaching law to combat gender­based violence. I am sure it
was no coincidence that 49 per cent of its parliamentarians were women. That was the
highest proportion in the world then. Today, women MPs comprise 63.8 per cent of the
Rwandan legislature – and that’s still the highest proportion in the world.
Progress for women will be accelerated when women have a critical mass of seats at
decision­making tables. If more issues of importance to women are to rise to the top of
political, legislative, and budget priorities, more women must sit at the top tables. At UNDP,
we support women’s leadership and participation in many ways, including by promoting the
inclusion of women in constitution­making bodies, national and local legislatures, and
electoral authorities, and by supporting women standing for public and other office.
Finally, let me emphasize that women must be drivers of development – not just passive
beneficiaries of plans designed by others. Those gathered here today have a wealth of
experience in women’s leadership and political participation. Women in Kazakhstan like
women everywhere must be agents of change, contributing to and driving development. I look
forward to a lively discussion today on how to advance gender equality and women’s
empowerment.
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