What is being proposed?
A provision is being added to the legislation regarding the introduction of a monthly "Bala Irysy" benefit, which will be provided to children from the moment of their birth until they reach the age of three.The amount of this benefit will be determined by the government of the Kyrgyz Republic.
A new Article 10-4 is also being added, which describes the procedure for assigning the monthly "Bala Irysy" benefit.
- The "Bala Irysy" benefit will be assigned to children from birth until the age of three, provided that the parent submits the appropriate application and lives with the child. In the case of multiple births, the benefit will be assigned for each child. It will also be provided to children born to women who are in places of detention.
- Families are entitled to the "Bala Irysy" benefit regardless of other types of state assistance, except for the "Assistance to Residents of High Mountain Areas" benefit.
- The deadline for applying for the "Bala Irysy" benefit is three years from the date of the child's birth.
Reasons for Introducing the Benefit
According to data from the National Statistical Committee, the level of child poverty in Kyrgyzstan reaches 33.1%, which is significantly higher than the rates among the working-age population (25.7%) and the elderly (18.2%)."Every third child lives in poverty. 14% of children under 5 face chronic malnutrition, and 75% of children aged 6 months to 1 year do not receive adequate nutrition. This leads to a decrease in cognitive abilities and low labor productivity, which is estimated to reduce the country's GDP by 10%. If current social protection measures remain unchanged, by 2050, economic losses could amount to 129 billion soms," reports the Ministry of Labor.
Currently, the main support for low-income families is the "Family Assistance" benefit; however, it depends on income levels and does not take into account the age of children. Families with children under 3 years old are at an increased risk of poverty due to rising costs for food and medical care, as well as declining incomes.
76% of poor families with children do not receive the "Family Assistance" benefit, and 47% of those who do receive it do not meet the poverty criteria. Problems with the integration of information systems lead to errors in benefit assignments and create conditions for corruption.
In this regard, it has been decided to introduce a new monthly "Bala Irysy" benefit of 1,200 soms for each child from birth to 3 years old, regardless of the family's income.
This benefit will be assigned in addition to the "Family Assistance" and is aimed at:
- improving nutrition and care for young children;
- stimulating full cognitive development in children;
- reducing the financial burden on mothers;
- decreasing the risk of poverty for families with young children;
- preventing long-term social and economic losses.
