Kazakhstan Launches Ambitious Five-Year Plan to Transform Children's Futures

Kazakhstan's "Children of Kazakhstan" Concept Adopted for 2026–2030

At the start of 2026, the government approved the Children of Kazakhstan concept for 2026–2030, which designates the protection of children's rights and legitimate interests as one of the highest priorities of state policy.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has consistently upheld the principles of prioritizing child safety, defending their rights, and creating full-fledged conditions for education, development, and the well-being of every child. At his initiative, foundational reforms and laws have been adopted and implemented.

As a judge of the Turkestan region's specialized interdistrict juvenile court, I fully support the goals and objectives of this concept. At the same time, I would like to highlight certain observations from my daily work.

In today's world, the need for early cultivation of responsible parenthood is increasingly recognized. The idea that future mothers and fathers should be prepared for their roles as early as their school years is gaining traction.

In Turkestan region, people adhere to traditional ways of life and respect their elders, which facilitates the upbringing of the younger generation. Yet, as educators and wise elders often note, there is frequently a lack of proper parenting from mothers and fathers themselves. After all, everything begins with the family—with the first words spoken, the first books read, and the first examples set. Only by instilling in children respect for themselves and others, a love of knowledge, and a sense of justice can we hope to raise a strong, honest, and thoughtful generation—one that will build its world not on fear and aggression, but on love, understanding, and responsibility.

Our society faces numerous challenges—social, cultural, economic, and political. Overcoming them depends decisively on the quality of our human capital, meaning the personal qualities shaped in childhood and youth.

Schools and universities must do more than impart knowledge; they must foster thoughtful, responsible individuals capable of building relationships and caring for others. This is why it is crucial to introduce specialized courses into the curriculum—subjects focused on family life, child-rearing, and psychological literacy.

Reading also plays a vital role in personal development. We must therefore cultivate practical reading skills. Through literature, children encounter different perspectives and cultures. They learn empathy, critical thinking, debate, and analysis. Literature is not merely entertainment—it is a powerful tool for education. Developing a culture of reading is a strategic imperative, especially in the digital age, where visual content is displacing meaningful engagement with text.

On the other hand, the primary institution of upbringing is the family. It is here that a child first discovers the world, learns to trust, and develops communication skills. The family should be a place where they feel safe, loved, and understood. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. What matters is not just the physical presence of parents but the quality of their care—emotional maturity, sensitivity, and the ability to accept and support their child.

It is worth noting the commitment of Kazakhstan's Supreme Court, the Turkestan Regional Court, and the nation's entire judicial community to improving efforts in preventing and addressing family crises. This is evident in the ongoing reforms within the judicial system.

One notable example of these measures is the establishment, by presidential decree, of specialized interdistrict juvenile courts. These courts protect children's interests, help preserve families, and prevent conflicts and their destructive consequences for minors.

In this regard, the Turkestan Regional Specialized Juvenile Court—the only one of its kind in Kazakhstan—has adopted a practice where, in divorce proceedings, issues such as property division, child custody, visitation rights for the non-custodial parent, and alimony are all addressed simultaneously. This approach helps avoid unnecessary delays and saves time.

Overall, courts are actively using conciliation procedures and mediation to resolve disputes without escalating conflict. After all, behind every court case lies someone's life, fate, and a child's happiness.

However, some argue that jurisdiction over property disputes between spouses with minor children is not entirely appropriate. They believe such cases should be heard in general jurisdiction courts, as property conflicts often involve extended family members beyond just the spouses.

In our view, the practical workload of juvenile court judges must be reduced. This issue could be resolved by ensuring that lawsuits for divorce, paternity establishment, and alimony claims—under the Civil Procedure Code—are filed in the court nearest to the plaintiff's and defendant's place of residence, as is already being done in some regions of the country.

Ultimately, this problem could be addressed by increasing the number of judges. Additionally, it might be reasonable to introduce mandatory consultations with family psychologists before legal action is taken—that is, before filing for divorce. We believe many conflicts could be resolved at this stage if family members were given the chance to be heard and understood by specialists in this field.