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A Generation at Risk
Children in the Central Asian Republics of Kazakstan and Kyrgyzstan
Written by Armin Bauer, Nina Boschmann, David Jay Green and Kathleen Kuehnast

E-mail or fax the Publications Unit at + 632 636 2648 to order the printed version of this publication. Applicable shipping cost will be charged.
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Books, Periodicals, Studies, and Reports

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Hardcopy price: $10.00

ISBN: 971-561-097-8

Paperback (Publication Date: April 1998)
In stock

Children in Central Asia are currently experiencing an enormous rift in what were once constants in their everyday lives. In spite of the high regard for them in the Central Asian societies, the transition has had devastating effects on many families. Children bear much of the social costs of this transition period and are at risk of losing the ability to realize their own development potential.

This book analyzes the condition of children in Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic. It highlights the legal and cultural determinants of childhood development in the Central Asian republics, and describes the impact of transition on children and young people. The book then analyzes government, NGO, and external support for child development and ends with operational recommendations for a child-sensitive development strategy in Central Asia. 158 pages.

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Contents

Foreword [ PDF: 340kb | 14 pages ]

Acknowledgment

Contents

Graphs, Photos, Boxes, and Tables

Abbreviations

  1. Introduction [ PDF: 258kb | 9 pages ]
    1. Introduction
    2. Transition in Central Asia
    3. Challenges for Human Resources Development for Children
    4. Need for Comprehensive Child Development Policy in the Central Asian Republics
    5. The Asian Development Bank and this Study

  2. Children in Central Asia: Good Preconditions in the Family and in Society [ PDF: 353kb | 10 pages ]
    1. Historical Tradition: First Call to Children
    2. Children’s Legal Status
    3. Children and the Demography of Central Asia
      1. Decreasing Birth Rates
      2. Migration

  3. Transition and its Social Costs for Children [ PDF: 464kb | 34 pages ]
    1. Children and the Costs of Transition
      1. Many Costs of Transition
      2. Restructuring and Social Costs
    2. Increasing Poverty and Inequity
      1. Economic Depression Accompanied Independence
      2. Increasing Incidence of Poverty
      3. Decreasing Equality in Sharing the Burden of Transition
    3. Problems in the Labor Market
      1. Weak Labor Markets; Growing Unemployment and Falling Real Wages
      2. Youth Unemployment
      3. Collapsing Vocational Education System
      4. Increasing Importance of Family Labor
      5. Special Problems in Company Towns
      6. Active Labor Market Policy Missing
    4. Deteriorating Social Infrastructure
      1. Divestiture of Social Assets
      2. Lack of Heat for Schools, Hospitals, and Homes
      3. Failing Transport Restricts Access to Schools
      4. Poor Sanitary Conditions
      5. Worsening Housing Conditions and Faltering Access to Communal Services
    5. Environmental Problems for Children
      1. Air Pollution
      2. Litany of Water Related Problems
      3. Nuclear Radiation Problems

    6. Deteriorating Education, Health, and Social Protection System [ PDF: 598kb | 46 pages ]
      1. Deteriorating Education System
        1. Achievements in the Soviet Period
        2. Problems Brought by Independence
        3. Sectoral Issues
        4. Increasingly Exclusive Education
        5. Integrated Childhood Development in Danger
        6. Urgent Need for Education Reforms
      2. The Impact of Declining Health-Care on Children
        1. Increasing Childhood Diseases
        2. Growing Child Malnutrition

    7. Growing Social Problems and Especially Vulnerable Children [ PDF: 368kb | 15 pages ]
      1. Growing Social Problems
        1. Suicides, Alcoholism, and Drug Addiction among Children and Young People
        2. Increasing Youth Crime
        3. Fragmentation of the Family
      2. The Most Vulnerable Children
        1. Neglected Children and the Homeless
        2. Street Children
        3. Children in Detention Centers
        4. Deteriorating Care for Orphans
        5. Decreasing State Support for Handicapped Children
        6. Increasing Number of Teenage Pregnancies

    8. Promoting Child Development [ PDF: 360kb | 13 pages ]
      1. Government Policies to Protect and Promote the Development of Children and Young People
        1. Public Social Expenditures
        2. Social Sector Reforms
        3. Special Agencies to Promote Child Development
      2. Private Sector Support for Child Development
      3. External Assistance for Child Development
        1. Child-related Work of International NGOs
        2. Official Assistance for Child Development

    9. Perspectives and Conclusions [ PDF: 155kb | 5 pages ]

    10. Appendixes
      1. Appendix 1: The Bank’s Program for Action [ PDF: 145kb | 4 pages ]
        1. The Bank’s Social Dimensions Strategy
        2. Investing in Children: The Bank’s Program Strategy for Central Asia
        3. Framework for Child-sensitive ADB Cooperation
      2. Appendix 2: Organizations and Persons Consulted [ PDF: 332kb | 10 pages ]

    11. Reference Materials [ PDF: 240kb | 8 pages ]

ISBN 971-561-097-8
Publication Stock No. 011296

This is a publication of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The views expressed are those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the official policy of the Bank or of the Governments of the Kyrgyz Republic and Kazakhstan.

This book is also published in Russian. It may be reproduced or translated into other languages without prior permission from ADB, provided (a) the parts used are distributed free of charge (not for profit), and (b) acknowledg-ment is given to ADB as the source.

The Programs (East) Department of ADB would be grateful to receive copies of any reviews or adaptations or translations into other languages.

Copies (US$10) of this publication can be obtained from: Office of External Relations, Asian Development Bank, P.O. Box 789, 0980 Manila, Philippines; e-mail: adbpub@adb.org; Fax No.: ++63-2-6362648

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