Social Protection Profile

The system of social protection established in the Kyrgyz Republic in the early 90ies inherited the soviet system and needed to be reformed in the context of new environment. Current social protection system in Kyrgyzstan includes social insurance (old-age, disability and survivor pension insurance), social assistance (monthly benefit for low-income families with children and social benefit, i.e. the benefits for vulnerable groups and those who don't have the right to social insurance) and social services. Social insurance includes: pension insurance, medical insurance and workplace accident (occupational safety and health) insurance. As for the social assistance, it is oriented mainly to the needs of socially vulnerable groups of population (including through the social services).

Social insurance

(a) Pension: insurance and social assistance.

The pensions are guaranteed to all citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic, i.e. all citizens have the right to labour pensions, social and other types of benefits. In 2011, the average pension exceeded the minimum subsistence level. In 2012, the number of pensioners reached 551 976 people, including 413 958 old age pensioners, 89 216 disabled pensioners, and 48 802 survivor beneficiaries. At that, this number slightly exceeded the figures of the past 4 years.

(b) Medical insurance includes basic, compulsory and voluntary medical insurance. The introduction of the compulsory medical insurance at the end of 90ies, when health-care expenditures dropped down from 3.7% in 1991 to 1.9% in 1999 in relation to GDP, allowed to support healthcare institutions and to avoid their critical underfinancing.

The functions of healthcare provider and payer (the buyer of the healthcare services) were split to introduce the market mechanisms into the healthcare system of the Kyrgyz Republic. The Compulsory Health Insurance Fund (the CHI Fund) represents the payer and operates under the Ministry of Healthcare.

Social assistance

The current system of social assistance is the system of public relations between social protection authorities and needed citizens. The Kyrgyz Republic was among the first in Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) to start the reform of social protection system. The reform took place in 1995-1998. As a result of the reform a new model of social protection system was introduced. This model allowed to apply targeted approach to the most vulnerable groups of population and to guarantee the adequacy of payments provided to citizens eligible for such payments.

Today, social protection (including social insurance and assistance) is implemented through six mechanisms:

  • Monthly benefit for low-income families with children (hereinafter referred to as the “MBLIF”);
  • Monthly social benefit (non-contributory) for citizens who couldn’t work (elderly, disabled, children etc.) (hereinafter referred to as the “MSB”);
  • Pension (contributory) for citizens who couldn’t work (elderly, disabled, children etc.);
  • Allowances substituting benefits (compensations);
  • Social services provided to the vulnerable groups of population;
  • Social insurance benefits for working citizens (see. social insurance).

The Strategy of social protection development of the Kyrgyz Republic for 2012-2014 approved in 2011 is the first document that reflects government’s comprehensive vision of the future social protection system, which implementation needs all the measures to be taken. The assistance provided by the state should be targeted and efficient. The Programme of social protection development of the Kyrgyz Republic for 2015-2017 was developed in 2014 and adopted in February 2015 (see The Programme for 2015-2017).

Social service

According to the Law of the Kyrgyz Republic “On the basic principles of social services provision to population”, social servicing is the activity of social services aimed to provide social and legal assistance, benefits, services on social adaptation and rehabilitation for deprived citizens. According to the Law, the system should include minimum the following facilities: a) assisted-living facilities: - residential care facilities for elderly and disabled people, for disabled children, for orphans and children deprived of parental care. b) day centers: - social service centers for elderly, disabled persons, and disabled children; - centers for in-home care provision; - social shelters for children and teenagers; - social rehabilitation centers for children and other individuals with disabilities; - centers providing social assistance to families and children. c) other centers: - urgent psychological counseling centers (telephone emergency services, etc.); - urgent social assistance services (mobile teams); - funeral services and social welfare services. Besides, the network of facilities providing social services include: - mercy organizations (hospices); - overnight homes; - centers providing psychological and educational assistance; - crisis intervention centers for males and females; - geriatric centers; - special care homes for lone senior citizens; -centers providing assistance for children deprived of parental care; - centers providing assistance for orphanage leavers (centers for social adaptation); - halfway houses for the victims of abuse; - paid assisted living facility for war and labor veterans, etc.

Overview of social protection system of the Kyrgyz Republic is available here 

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