Kazakhstan's Autism Crisis Exposed as MPs Demand Urgent Reforms
Despite constitutional guarantees prioritizing citizens' rights and well-being, thousands of families in Kazakhstan are left to face autism alone, lawmakers warn.
MP Guldara Nurumova has exposed a systemic failure in supporting people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), raising the issue in a parliamentary inquiry during a plenary session of the Mazhilis, reports our correspondent.
Nurumova emphasized that while the new Constitution enshrines the primacy of citizens' rights and welfare, in practice, thousands of families are abandoned to confront autism on their own. Official figures show that Kazakhstan has registered over 21,000 children with autism—a number that has surged more than fivefold in the past five years. In 2022, the prevalence reached approximately 60 cases per 100,000 children.
Yet the existing support system remains patchy. The country operates around 80 rehabilitation centers, adopts international standards, and develops inclusive education programs. However, these measures fall far short of ensuring full integration. "Today, we face a paradox: no single agency bears full responsibility for outcomes," the MP stated.
The Ministry of Health does not classify autism as a condition requiring medical rehabilitation, the Ministry of Labor limits its role to assigning benefits, and the Ministry of Education engages only with children who can be integrated into mainstream schooling.
As a result, Nurumova stressed, only a handful receive a real chance at full social integration. Most families, meanwhile, are forced into constant caregiving for their adult children, often pushing one parent out of the workforce entirely.
"A strong state is judged not by its reports, but by how its most vulnerable live," she argued. Kazakhstan lacks a unified system to support people with autism—from early diagnosis through adulthood—while international best practices call for continuous assistance, including education, employment, and supported living. "We propose establishing an interagency support framework, introducing autism screening for children under one, and developing family assistance measures—such as day centers and vocational adaptation," Nurumova urged.
The authors of the inquiry frame the issue as not just a matter of social policy, but one of justice—a principle enshrined in the Constitution.
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