Qaraqat Äbden
Qaraqat Äbden | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 7, 1974 22 Partsyezda, Akmola Region, Kazakhstan |
| Occupation(s) | Economist, writer, politician |
| Years active | 1990s–present |
| Known for | Member of the Mäjilis since 2023; candidate in 2022 presidential election; founder of Qazaq Qyzy Public Association and "Asyl Böbek" Association |
| Notable work | You Are a Kazakh Girl. Be Proud! |
Qaraqat Jaqsylyqqyzy Äbden (, ; born 7 May 1974) is a Kazakh economist, writer, and politician currently serving as a member of the Mäjilis since 2023. Prior to this, she was a representative in the Astana City Mäslihat from 2016 until 2021.
Äbden launched her professional journey as an economist within private sector companies before transitioning into public administration, where she concentrated on tax-related matters across several government ministries in Kazakhstan. Formerly affiliated with the ruling Nur Otan, she held numerous roles within the party structure and presently acts as an advisor to the Äkim of Astana on social affairs.
During the 2022 presidential campaign, Äbden was put forward by the National Alliance of Professional Social Workers and achieved third place with 2.6% of the vote share. In the 2023 legislative elections, she obtained a seat in the Mäjilis through the Auyl party list.
She leads both the Qazaq Qyzy Public Association and the "Asyl Böbek" Association of Private Preschool Organisations, overseeing multiple childcare centers in Astana. Äbden is also the author of You Are a Kazakh Girl. Be Proud!, demonstrating her commitment to social development projects.
Early life and education
Born in 1974 in the village of 22 Partsyezda, Akmola Region, Äbden is the daughter of Jaqsylyq Äbdenov, who worked in construction, and Rysbala Şalabaeva, a teacher by profession. She completed her secondary education at Secondary School No. 10 in Jäirem, Ulytau Region, graduating with a gold medal. Subsequently, she earned a degree specializing in marketing and commerce from the Almaty Institute of National Economy. Later, she attained the academic title Candidate of Economic Sciences after defending her dissertation on Formation of Revenues of Local Budgets Using Non-Production Payments.
Career
Äbden’s career commenced as an economist at Orda, a private company based in Almaty. She then advanced to become a leading specialist within the Department of Large Taxpayers at Kazakhstan’s Ministry of State Revenues. Starting from 1999, she occupied various positions within the Ministry of Finance, including acting head roles for tax committees and departments responsible for taxpayer oversight and non-production payment issues.
In 2009, Äbden was appointed deputy director at the National School of Public Policy under the Academy of Public Administration affiliated with Kazakhstan’s President. Within Nur Otan, she managed analytics and coordination at its Higher Party School and served as a consultant for the Innovation Committee at its central office in Astana. In 2013, she established Qazaq Qyzy, Kazakhstan’s inaugural women’s institute dedicated to cultural and moral education, along with founding the "Asyl Böbek" Association of Private Preschool Organisations.
In March 2016, she took part in the Köktem Şuağy gathering with President Nursultan Nazarbayev. On 20 March 2016, Äbden secured election as a Nur Otan deputy to the sixth convocation of the Nur-Sultan City Mäslihat, representing electoral district number 19. During her tenure, she contributed on the Commission addressing Sociocultural Development matters.
2022 presidential election
On 7 October 2022, Äbden received the nomination from the National Alliance of Professional Social Workers to run in the 2022 presidential election. Her platform highlighted the enhancement of living standards, advocating for a respectable quality of life, and underscored the principle that "the greatest asset of the nation is its people." She identified herself as a "socially focused" candidate, emphasizing support for families, youth, children, and seniors, while proposing improvements in cultural heritage, education systems, healthcare services, and social welfare as foundational elements of society.
You are a Kazakh Girl. Be proud!
In December 2019, Äbden authored You are Kazakh Girl. Be Proud!, a work addressing the contemporary role of Kazakh women within society. The publication promotes traditional values and offers a critique of feminism. Upon its release, it generated debate for allegedly endorsing nationalist and gender-biased perspectives. Numerous copies were distributed to rural libraries and orphanages through donations.
Questions were raised concerning government financing directed toward Äbden’s Qazaq Qyzy public organization, notably the allocation exceeding 17.5 million tenge for distributing the book. Detractors accused her of inappropriate use of public funds. In response, Äbden argued that the criticisms misrepresented her intentions and reaffirmed her support for feminist principles despite differing viewpoints expressed in her book.
Holiday ban proposals
Throughout her 2022 presidential campaign, Äbden advocated for prohibiting holidays such as Halloween and Valentine's Day in Kazakhstan, expressing worries about their effects on Kazakh cultural identity and values. She condemned the commercialization and Western origins of these festivities, asserting they contradicted traditional Kazakh customs and exerted adverse influences on younger generations. Following the 2022 Seoul Halloween crowd crush, Äbden urged legislative measures to outlaw such celebrations and encouraged youth to engage with Kazakhstan’s national holidays to foster genuine cultural ties.
Transnational marriage tax
Äbden attracted controversy by suggesting a substantial tax on Kazakhstani women who marry foreign nationals, initially during her 2022 presidential bid and reiterated in April 2023 as a Mäjilis member. This proposal faced broad backlash due to allegations of ethnic discrimination, leading law enforcement official Dina Tanshari to call for Äbden’s parliamentary dismissal. Anas Bakkozhayev, leader of the Auyl faction in parliament, acknowledged the concerns but noted that not all faction members endorsed the measure. Subsequently, Äbden clarified that the proposal had been misunderstood and was no longer active, having addressed the matter publicly via social media.
External links
- Official website (in Kazakh)
- Personal reference (in Russian)