On June 2, 2023, the Department of Sociology and Social Work at al-Farabi Kazakh National University (KazNU) held a session on capacity building titled «Prevention of Social Orphanhood in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals» in a hybrid offline/online format. This session was organized as part of a joint three-year international project between the Department of Sociology and Social Work (KazNU) and the Department of Applied Social Sciences at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU).

      Kazakhstan not only supports the global agenda of the Sustainable Development Goals but also plans to open a UN Regional Hub on Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan. The United Nations has identified 17 Goals that directly or indirectly relate to children, encompassing economic, social, and environmental aspects. Issues such as poverty, inequality, maternal mortality, unemployment, and others contribute to the increase in the number of orphaned and vulnerable children.

     The objective of this session was to discuss and expand the scientific and practical potential in preventing social orphanhood, reducing inequality, and enhancing the social well-being of children within the framework of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The session brought together representatives from the academic community and practitioners, serving as a platform for discussing research conducted by social work master's and doctoral students.

     The session commenced with welcoming remarks by the head of the Department of Sociology and Social Work at KazNU, Dr. Gulmira Abdirayimova. In her speech, she emphasized the significance of collaboration between governmental bodies, non-governmental organizations, and the academic community in implementing effective programs to prevent social orphanhood.

     Tatiana Fedotova, Deputy Director of the private children's home "Kovcheg," shared practical case studies on working with families facing difficult life situations during her presentation. Aminat Dzhaupueva, the coordinator of "Dom Mama" in Almaty, highlighted the significance of the "Dom Mama" project in preventing social orphanhood. Dr. Aygul Mustafina, PhD, senior lecturer at the Department of Sociology and Social Work at KazNU, underscored the importance of considering the global agenda of the Sustainable Development Goals and highlighted the significance of social work in achieving the goals of sustainable development. The presentations by master's students from the Social Work educational program, Rabil Yamira, Anel Myrzaraimova, and Moldir Enkebaeva, on psychological aspects of family reunification, international experience in social work, secondary orphanhood, and other topics, also generated great interest.

     After the presentations, session participants engaged in active discussions covering various aspects of preventing social orphanhood, the role of social workers, effective approaches and methods of working with families in difficult life situations, as well as the issue of secondary orphanhood and possible solutions. The session concluded with a summary and conclusions highlighting the significance of preventing social orphanhood in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in Kazakhstan, which will yield positive short-term and long-term outcomes in reducing poverty, inequality, and improving the health and well-being of children.