Gender Policy

The link between improved gender equality and accelerated economic development is widely acknowledged by leading international financial institutions. Recognizing this, the Bank is committed to directing efforts and resources towards creating a society that values women and men equally.

The Bank cooperates with a number of international and foreign organizations whose experience shows that the application of gender-sensitive approaches is important and contributes to the sustainable development of the country’s economy. Moreover, many financial institutions already today declare their readiness to support organizations, such as the European Investment Bank and many others.

The Bank is committed to taking into account, analyzing and addressing gender issues in the planning, implementation and evaluation of internal documents, projects and studies in order to achieve the following objectives:

1. Promoting equality between women and men;
2. Collecting high-quality data disaggregated by gender;
3. Creating a social, physical, and psychological environment that supports equal and fair treatment of both men and women.

The Bank actively supports women’s initiatives and female leadership. The Bank has joined the global United Nations initiative on the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs). These principles were developed in 2010 by UN Women and the United Nations Global Compact. The document serves as a practical guide for businesses and the corporate sector and provides a set of recommendations for promoting gender equality and empowering women across three key areas: within the workplace, in the consumer market, and in the community through the implementation of social projects and collaboration with civil society. By signing the WEPs, the Bank has made a public commitment to advancing gender equality and empowering women, affirming its strong and active stance on the issue.

In addition, Lazzat Ibragimova, the Chair of the Management Board, has consistently promoted the values of gender equality throughout her professional career in Kazakhstan. Under her leadership, the Damu Entrepreneurship Development Fund launched the first credit line in Central Asia dedicated to supporting women-owned businesses, financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). In 2016, Suma Chakrabarti, EBRD CEO, presented Lazzat Ibragimova with an award recognizing her contribution to gender equality. In 2023, the Bank became the only institution from Kazakhstan to receive an award from the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Program for its active promotion of gender equality in the country.

Since 2021, the Bank has implemented the Umay women’s mortgage program in partnership with the Asian Development Bank. This program helps women across various income levels and professions in Kazakhstan acquire their own housing. In 2024, the Bank signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Asian Development Bank for the Project on Inclusive and Green Housing Finance in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The goal of this project is to promote gender equality, foster sustainable economic growth, and support green development. Implementation of the project will lead to an increase in the acquisition of energy-efficient, sustainable, green, and affordable housing by women and contribute to the development of the green mortgage market.