Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation of the Republic of Uzbekistan

The event was opened by Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation Kongratbay Sharipov.

- Today the role of women in science, the opportunities created for them are huge. We hope that great results will be achieved as a result of the projects funded under the "Olima ayollar" competition. Such events serve to raise the status of women scientists in society, to ensure their activity in all spheres.

This competition has been regularly held since 2021 within the framework of state programs on scientific activity in accordance with the Presidential Decree "On measures to further accelerate work on systemic support for families and women". Based on the results of the competitions in the past years, 92 projects with a total cost of 120.0 billion soums have been financed, and more than 500 of our scientists have conducted scientific research within the framework of the projects. As a result of these projects, a number of scientific innovations in chemistry, physics, mathematics, mechanics, biology and agriculture have been created.

Within the framework of the event, a panel discussion on the topic "Woman Scientist - Engineer of the Future" was held. It was attended by Charlotte Adrian, Ambassador of the European Union to Uzbekistan, Nigina Abbaszadeh, Permanent Representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Shahlo Turdikulova, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor, Aziza Abdurakhmonova, Coordinator of Erasmus+ National Office, and Gulnara Abdurakhmanova, Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation of Tashkent State Economic University. The panel discussion touched upon the role of women in society in Central Asia, the opportunities created for the education of women and girls, and others.

- Achieving gender equality in science is not only a matter of social justice, but also a strategic imperative for scientific excellence, innovation and sustainable development. By removing systemic barriers to women's participation and advancement in science, we can unlock the full potential of our collective talents and create a brighter future for all," said Charlotte Adrian.

The event was followed by children's musical performances as part of the project "Creation of a multimedia product aimed at increasing the activity of children with disabilities in society through the art of choreography", funded by the results of the competition of applied projects within the framework of state programs on scientific activities.