Online
Date
23 February 2026
Time
14:00 (Kyrgyzstan time)
Abstract
Women in Kazakhstan are under pressure to conform to dominant heteronormative rules of femininity and purity due to the nation-building process following the fall of the Soviet Union and the remaking of the "Soviet woman" paradigm in society. Gender equality and women's active participation in the building of socialism were promoted in the Soviet Union's official discourse.
The post-independence Kazakhstan is among the countries with the highest teenage pregnancies globally: the average adolescent fertility rate is six times higher than in OECD countries and comprises 30 cases per thousand girls. The policy-oriented studies and academic literature outlined several reasons responsible for teenage pregnancies, which include lack of sexual education and limited access to contraception.
Nadira Mukhamejan will present an article based on her research work on how tradition and the Kazakh concept of yiat (shame) play a role in gender norms construction in Kazakhstan. She has contributed her article to the Anthology “Women in Central Asia: Images and Challenges in a Changing World” published by CHHU and initiated by CSI’s REPAGE project. As part of her presentation, she will provide a comprehensive historical overview of gendered norms construction in Kazakhstan and discus the results of her research work.
About Speaker
Nadira Mukhamejan is a researcher studying the impact of gender aspects on water policy in Central Asia. She earned a Master’s degree in International Master’s in Security, Intelligence and Strategic Studies (IMSISS) from the University of Glasgow, the University of Trento, and Charles University, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the Kazakh-German University.
In her research, she analyses how state and international discourses shape water security, often overlooking gender vulnerabilities.
As a member of the Central Asian Youth Water Network, National Coordinator of COY16, and Youth Coordinator of the Swiss Water Partnership (SWP Youth), she promotes youth engagement in environmental decision-making processes.
Date and time: 23 February 2026, 14:00 Kyrgyzstan time
Format: Online
Language: English