Ministry of Economy and Finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan

The session moderator is Ravshan Yunusov, Head of the Inclusive Growth Division of the UNDP.

Panel session participants:

• Ben Slay — UNDP Expert, USA (online);

• Farida Djumabaeva — ADB Senior Social and Gender Officer;

• Dilfuza Nurmatova — Director, Hamroh Company;

• Shahzod Omonov — Director of the Targeted Fund for the Development of Youth Entrepreneurship;

• Nodira Shotursunova — Deputy Chairperson, Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI);

• Nazira Dadakhanova — Associate, Advice for Small Business Programme, SME Finance & Development Group, EBRD;

• Farrukh Maksumov — Director of C-Space Startup Centre.

This panel session focused on expanding financial and infrastructure opportunities for women and youth, as well as developing access to quality education and modern digital skills, based on international best practices. Participants also identified the specific barriers faced in doing business and exchanged ideas on practical solutions to overcome them.

In their remarks, participants emphasized the importance of increasing the engagement of women and youth in achieving inclusive economic growth. They provided concrete recommendations on strengthening their role in the digital economy, e-commerce platforms, mentorship programs, and startup ecosystems.

In addition, international best practices were shared on ensuring the flexibility of education and skills development systems, improving financial literacy, creating guarantee mechanisms for women, and attracting investment for youth-led innovative projects.

Information Service

Ministry of Economy and Finance