Abstract:
Relevance. The well-being of citizens is a key focus of national policies worldwide. Kazakhstan, however, is characterized by significant regional disparities
in social well-being, which necessitates targeted programs and investments to
improve conditions in less developed areas.
Research Objective. This study aims to develop a national adaptive social
well-being index to evaluate and spatially map the regions of Kazakhstan.
Data and Methods. The methodology included identifying indicators through
a literature review and regional data, conducting an expert survey to weight
them, and creating a social well-being index. A spatial analysis was then used to
calculate the index for each region.
Results. The social well-being index shows significant disparities across regions. Astana, Almaty, and Atyrau demonstrate strong social welfare, driven by
economic growth and advanced social infrastructure. In contrast, Karaganda,
Pavlodar, and Shymkent show lower social welfare, highlighting the need for
targeted interventions and investments.
Conclusion. The findings offer valuable insights for policymakers to design
strategies for sustainable socioeconomic growth in Kazakhstan. The proposed
index can help national and regional authorities monitor social well-being
