These benefits will start being paid from July 1, 2026. The Ministry of Social Policy promises to provide information soon about the necessary documents and procedures for receiving payments.
The agency reported that they are currently working on the mechanisms for implementing the program in cooperation with other government bodies and "Tunduk," adding that the process will be entirely online, eliminating the need for personal visits to government institutions.
What can you spend 1,200 soms on?
To understand how the new benefit can be used, we visited one of Bishkek's main markets — Osh Bazaar. At this market, simple children's overalls can be purchased starting from 600 soms, while higher quality models with patterns cost around one and a half thousand soms. Pants for newborns will cost about 150 soms, and hats range from 80 to 100 soms.The variety of diapers is also quite large, and prices depend on the brand and size. A pack of 36 diapers costs about 450 soms, while a pack of 48 costs approximately 1,300 soms.
In one of the pharmacies, baby formula from one brand costs between 500 and 900 soms, depending on the packaging. For more premium brands, the price can reach 2,500 soms per can.
What are parents' expenses for a child?
Parents share various figures when it comes to expenses for one child. Some indicate an amount of about 2,000 soms per month for a three-month-old baby, mainly for diapers. Others say their expenses can exceed 100,000 soms per month when considering not only clothing and food but also expenses such as nanny services, toys, outings, medical supplies, and other essential items for a child's development.Why do all children receive benefits, regardless of need?
President Sadyr Japarov stated that this decision was made in response to numerous appeals from citizens, aimed at assisting families with young children and combating child poverty.He also noted that there is a risk of abuse, but assistance should be available to every child.
"It is better for the state to pay additional benefits to those who are not in urgent need than to leave even one truly needy child without support," the president said.
Expert Opinions
Nazgul Turdubekova, founder of the NGO "League of Child Rights Defenders," commented that the decision to provide payments to all children under three years old is a good practice common in civilized countries. She emphasized that although the benefit amount of 1,200 soms is small, it should be increased in line with inflation.The expert noted that universal benefits can help avoid discrimination and corruption that sometimes arose in the allocation of payments. "Previously, many women with children could not receive support due to a lack of documents or low literacy. Now such assistance will be available to everyone, which is a significant step towards social justice," she noted.
Although 1,200 soms will not cover the full needs of a child, for many families it will provide reliable support to cover some basic needs, whether for purchasing diapers or new clothing.
It is also worth noting that in Kyrgyzstan, there is a one-time benefit "Balaga Suyunchu" of 4,000 soms, as well as "Üy-bülögö kömək" for low-income families. The "Bala Yrysy" program will be an additional measure to the already existing forms of support.
