Kazakhstan's New Apartments Fail Residents with Disabilities, Investigation Finds

New Apartments in Petropavl Unfit for People with Disabilities, Advocacy Group Finds

The public association Ardos Zhurek, which advocates for the rights of people with disabilities, has found that newly built apartments in Petropavl are entirely unsuited for residents with disabilities. The discovery was made during the implementation of the social project Point of Support, which addresses the needs of people with limited mobility.

According to Akzhan Karim, head of Ardos Zhurek, the project focuses on individuals with disabilities who face severe housing challenges—living in dilapidated homes or lacking shelter altogether. The mission of Point of Support is to reduce the risk of homelessness in North Kazakhstan Region and provide comprehensive assistance to women in difficult life circumstances.

However, as the project unfolded, activists realized that the problems faced by this vulnerable group are far more extensive than initially anticipated—and some are systemic, affecting all people with disabilities.

Karim told LITER that Kazakhstan has no provisions for constructing apartments specifically designed for people with disabilities. As a result, wheelchair users cannot independently use their own bathrooms or showers; they simply get stuck in narrow doorways.

The association decided to investigate living conditions for people with disabilities after an appeal from Petropavl resident Dina Mezenbekova, a mother of two and a first-group disability holder. Though she rents a ground-floor apartment, she cannot enter or exit the building in her wheelchair without assistance. The electric lift installed outside is out of order, turning even a small staircase into an insurmountable barrier. And once inside, she faces a host of other obstacles—standard layouts in new buildings are not designed with accessibility in mind.

"Apartments allocated to people with disabilities under state programs—or purchased with subsidized mortgages—are completely unadapted for their needs," Karim explained. "Bathroom doors are too narrow for wheelchair access, and residents cannot move freely within their own homes."

The association has now begun monitoring the housing conditions of people with disabilities to analyze the situation and present their findings to local authorities and social welfare agencies. Advocates plan to push for systemic changes with the support of the relevant ministry.

According to Akzhan Karim, in addition to equipping public spaces with designated parking spots, ramps, and elevators, it is essential to incorporate accessible apartments into the planning stages of multi-story residential buildings. These units should feature doorways wide enough for wheelchairs, electrical outlets at accessible heights, and other adaptations to ensure fully barrier-free living for people with disabilities.

The Support Point project, aimed at assisting the region's most vulnerable groups—women with disabilities and mothers raising children with special needs—launched in 2025. Over the course of its work, Karim noted, it became clear that many people remain unaware of the government support available to address pressing issues, particularly housing. He cited a case where simply providing information helped a mother of a child with disabilities secure her own home.

"We assisted a woman from Petropavl who had been renting an apartment with her daughter," said the head of the Ardos Zhurek public association. "We told her about Otbasy Bank's subsidized mortgage program for those eligible for housing assistance, helped her prepare the necessary documents, and soon this small family will move into their own one-bedroom apartment—possibly as early as April."

Through the Support Point project, the woman also received a mini-grant of over 700,000 tenge, purchased a sewing machine, and plans to start her own business.

"Beyond material support, we help participants unlock their potential—whether by gaining new skills, enrolling in professional courses, or attending creative workshops and training sessions that aid social adaptation," Karim explained.

He invited those facing severe hardship—whether living in dilapidated housing or without shelter at all—to join the Support Point initiative, which will continue through 2026.