Abstract
The Semipalatinsk nuclear test site, active for 40 years from 1949, had a profound impact on over one million people. The subsequent high proportion of mortality and disability among the next generation poses a significant challenge for Kazakhstan as a legacy of the Soviet Union. This paper explores the access to education for children affected by the nuclear tests after the closure of the test site. The main data collection tool was semi-structured interviews with professionals from the health, education and social protection sectors, as well as civil activists in the nuclear-affected regions. The findings of this paper are based on a thematic analysis. The study found limited access to education for this particular group of children, which can be attributed to the adverse implications of the political and economic crisis during the first two decades of the newly independent state and the underdevelopment of inclusive education in Kazakhstan.