This research work is devoted to assessing the sustainable development of regions in the example of Kazakhstan. Sustainable development is a strategically important aspect of the country, balancing economic growth, social well-being and environmental protection. The paper considers the key indicators used to assess the sustainable development of the regions of Kazakhstan. The Sustainable Development Goal Index (SDI) was calculated based on seven statistical indicators: gross regional product per capita, food security, unemployment rate, poverty rate, crime rate, education level, and environmental pollution in 14 regions and three cities from 2011 to 2021. The data was collected from the Bureau of National Statistics of Kazakhstan. The initial data of stability indicators were used as a matrix with dimensions m * n to calculate the weight coefficients. Further indicators were scaled and standardized. In addition, to evaluate the weighted index, a measure of the entropy of the indicator was calculated. As a result of the index calculation, it was revealed that the rating leaders are the regions with the lowest normalized poverty level, and these regions take the first place - the cities of Almaty, Astana and Shymkent. In comparison, the highest normalized poverty rate with the lowest positions are Turkestan, North Kazakhstan and Zhambyl regions. This work is essential for making effective decisions and developing targeted strategies for the sustainable development of Kazakhstan. It can be used as a basis for further research in the regional development sustainability field.

The development of “sustainable” finance, that is, financial instruments operating in the context of the implementation by companies of a set of environmental, social and governance principles (ESG principles), is gaining momentum in the main world markets. According to the Global Alliance for Sustainable Investments, these strategies already account for 35.9% of the total amount of invested assets. This trend is driven by a new global reality since the long-term development of the country and the company cannot be possible without resolving deepening environmental and social contradictions. In this regard, the purpose of this article is to develop recommendations acceptable to the practice of Kazakhstan based on the generalization of contemporary international experience in the development of various instruments of sustainable finance, as well as on studying institutional support measures for this process at the macroeconomic level.A review of the experience of several countries leading in the field of environmentally and socially responsible investment demonstrates both general and specific features that can be successfully implemented in Kazakhstan, which is at the initial stage of this process. The research methodology is based on a comparative analysis of public policy, regulatory framework, and national specifics of the models of the six selected countries and regions. The obtained results have corresponding practical implications in terms of sustainable finance and ESG criteria-based investing regulation advancement in Kazakhstan by foreign practices adaptation.

Gender disparities in the labor market have remained a critical area of economic research, particularly in understanding how men and women experience different employment conditions. This study aims to assess the quality of employment for men and women, focusing on the multidimensional quality of jobs, including formal and informal employment, unemployment, and access to highly qualified professions. The research employs a standardized approach using Z-scores to analyze deviations from average labor market indicators across genders, enabling a comparative evaluation of employment trends over the past decade. Data were drawn from national labor force statistics, covering a wide range of indicators such as labor force participation, employment rates, unemployment, and sectoral distribution. The results of the study show significant gender differences. The average level of the involvement of women in the labor force during the study period was 64.96%, while for men this figure reached 76.38%. The employment rate among women was 4.5% lower on average compared to men, and for women in informal employment, it was 20.16% versus 20.76% for men. Women also showed a higher unemployment rate: 5.71% versus 4.36% for men. The study also highlights the impact of external economic shocks, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, on labor market dynamics, exacerbating gender disparities. Future research should focus on developing policies that reduce informal employment and increase job stability for women. Further study of the long-term effects of global economic crises on gender differences in the quality of employment is also necessary to develop effective measures.

Demand for ethical and Sharia-compliant investment instruments has driven substantial academic interest in Sukuk, a key component of Islamic finance offering alternatives to conventional bonds. The paper aims to analyze research trends in the field of Sukuk through a comprehensive bibliometric and content analysis of publications indexed in Scopus and Web of Science from 1990 to 2024. Relationships between authorship patterns, institutional affiliations, geographical distribution, applied methodologies, and key findings are examined to identify emerging research trajectories in the field of Sukuk. The analysis covers the evolution of research topics over 33 years, assessing annual achievements, influential articles, keyword dynamics, and topical changes. The paper uses a hybrid method, including bibliometric and content analysis and a systematic literature review (SLR) using the PRISMA methodology, which ensures a high degree of scientific validity. The findings marked growth in Sukuk-related research in the past decade, with growing attention to sustainable finance (Environmental, Social, and Governance Sukuk), green Sukuk, and digitalization. Thematic mapping identifies five major research clusters in Scopus and six in Web of Science, emphasizing investment efficiency, regulatory challenges, Sharia compliance, and market integration. Additionally, the crucial impact of Sukuk on risk management and resilience was revealed during crises while uncovering ongoing gaps such as low secondary market liquidity, insufficient standardization, and limited cross-border compatibility. AcknowledgmentsThe study was funded by the Committee Science of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan “Investigating the impact of macroeconomic, political, and digital processes on financial sustainability of Kazakhstan” No. AP19674948.

For this, the primary aim of this study was to analyze of the impact of cultural accessibility and ICT (information and communication technology) infrastructure on economic growth in Kazakhstan, employing regression models to asses a single country data from 2008 to 2022. The research focuses on two sets of variables: cultural development variables (e.g., number of theaters, museums, and others) and ICT infrastructure variables (e.g., number of fixed Internet subscribers, total costs of ICT, and others). Principal component analysis (PCA) as employed to reduce the dimensionality of the data and identify the most significant predictors for the regression models. The findings indicate that in the cultural development model (Model 1), the number of recreational parks and students are significant positive predictors of GDP per capita. In the ICT infrastructure model (Model 2), ICT costs are found to have a significant positive impact on GDP per capita. Conversely, traditional connectivity indicators, such as the number of fixed telephone lines, show a low dependence on economic growth, suggesting diminishing returns on investment in these outdated forms of ICT. These results suggest that investments in cultural and ICT infrastructure are crucial for economic development. The study provides valuable insights for policymakers, emphasizing the need for quality improvements in education and strategic modernization of communication technologies.

The aim of the research is to assess the spread of a new type of finance –Fintech in our country in the financial services sector, the potential impact of Fintech on market players and identify its challenges. Issues related to the impact of the pandemic and Fintech development are widespread worldwide and have significant global significance. Fintech is a potential solution to social, environmental and economic problems in general by transforming financial markets in such a way that they are more efficient, and their impact has increased many times with the onset of the pandemic. The problems of developing the concept of Fintech development in Kazakhstan are being discussed in scientific circles, but it is still at the initial stages. This study is part of our research project aimed at getting a brief idea of what changes and how the functioning of the Fintech industry has changed due to the impact of COVID-19 in Kazakhstan. The research paper describes the sectors of the Fintech industry and what reforms have been carried out so that COVID-19 will help the sector flourish after the pandemic in Kazakhstan. The analysis tool is a statistical study of the financial market. The central result is the identification of current global trends in the development of Fintech in the country during the pandemic. It is based on the general scientific method of systematization of theoretical data, as well as on the method of comparative and statistical analysis.