Committee of Family and Women of the Republic of Uzbekistan

As a result of the large-scale reforms carried out in Uzbekistan under the leadership of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, women strive to fully realize their potential in all spheres of life — politics, economy, science, business, social life and the public administration system. Through the equal conditions created for women in the conditions of the new Uzbekistan, guarantees on the basis of legislation and wide opportunities in practice, their activity, initiative and contribution to the development of society are increasing every year. This serves as an important factor in the sustainable development of the country, economic growth based on human capital, and the establishment of an inclusive society.

In particular, an important initiative of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly-the proposal to hold the Asian women’s forum – took the approach to women’s issues not only at the National, but also at the regional level to a completely new level. This initiative further strengthened Uzbekistan’s prestige as a leading and enterprising state in ensuring gender equality, expanding women’s rights and opportunities.

This prestigious forum was organized at a high level in the city of Samarkand on may 13-14, 2024 and was held on the topic” regional approach to issues of economic, social and political rights and empowerment of women”. The event was attended by representatives of more than 30 countries from the Asian region, heads of UN, OSCE, FAO and other international organizations, industry experts and active women.

The Forum participants not only exchanged experience, but also created an effective platform for constructive dialogue and close cooperation on current issues such as active participation of women in life, reproductive health, education, business and social protection. More importantly, the forum provided an opportunity to clearly define practical directions for gender equality.

The Samarkand declaration adopted at the end of the Forum is an important international document that serves to further deepen cooperation in the field of women’s rights and empowerment in the region. In it, such directions as solidarity between states and international organizations, increasing the prestige of women in society, making them active participants in various areas were set as priorities.

More significantly, it was agreed to hold this important international conference on a permanent basis every two years. This is evidenced not only by the fact that strategic cooperation with the UN has reached a new level, but also by the fact that Uzbekistan is entering the ranks of the leading countries in the field of gender equality on a global scale.

In Uzbekistan, the quality of life of the population, social stability and the creation of equal opportunities for all citizens, in particular women, have become one of the priorities of state policy. Of particular importance in this regard is international cooperation, especially the continuous and effective ties established with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

UNFPA is an internationally leading organization in the fields of gender equality, population issues, and women’s rights advocacy. The cooperation between this foundation and Uzbekistan has deepened year after year, becoming rich with systematic approaches and clear results. This cooperation is reflected not only in legislative and institutional reforms, but also in significant changes in the life of the population.
 

In recent years, a solid foundation of reforms has been created in Uzbekistan in the field of population. A number of reforms were carried out by the government aimed at improving the welfare of the population, reducing poverty and improving the social protection system. According to a 2023 report by the World Bank, the poverty rate in the country has doubled. And before 2030, the goal was to reduce this figure to 7 percent — indicating that such reforms have strategic directions.

At the same time, the implementation of gender policy in the new Uzbekistan, strengthening the social activity of women and ensuring their worthy place in society, has risen to the level of government policy. In this regard, The family and women committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan acts as a leading and coordinating body and has established effective cooperation with UNFPA in a number of directions.

The projects of the committee in cooperation with UNFPA — trainings, seminars, scientific and practical conferences and training programs-serve to form a culture of gender equality in the country, to expand the legal, economic and social opportunities of women. These efforts are being implemented as part of the National gender Strategy, which was designed until 2030.

On the basis of this strategy, more than 80 regulatory legal acts have been adopted to date. In particular, the laws”on equal rights and guarantees of opportunities for women and men”, as well as”on the protection of women from harassment and violence” strengthened the national legislative framework and clearly defined legal guarantees. In addition, as a result of cooperation with UN institutions, modern mechanisms for the practice of Uzbekistan are being implemented — such as gender expertise and international experience-based approaches to gender auditing in the national budget. This guarantees the consideration of gender issues at all stages of government policy.

Obviously, such complex approaches are not limited to official documents or reforms — they are introduced into life and bring significant positive changes in women’s lives. Through projects in partnership with UNFPA, the fact that women are showing their potential, stepping into an active lifestyle and finding their place in society as an equal citizen is one of the most important results in this direction.

Indeed, support for socially vulnerable segments of the population, prevention of violence of various manifestations, promotion of a healthy lifestyle and increase the economic activity of women-has become one of the most important priorities of the social policy of Uzbekistan today. Each step taken in this direction serves not only to ensure equality and stability in society, but also to strengthen the principles of inclusive development.

Such comprehensive reforms are carried out in harmony with national legislation and international legal norms. In particular, the projects developed and implemented within the framework of the ongoing cooperation with UN institutions, in particular, UNFPA, serve as an important tool in the implementation of Uzbekistan’s sustainable development strategies.

Today, the full realization of the potential of women in the socio-economic development of the population, the further expansion of their rights and opportunities, is one of the priorities facing the state. In this regard, the Committee on family and women of the Republic of Uzbekistan, in cooperation with UNFPA, is implementing effective programs aimed at ensuring gender equality and eliminating problems affecting the quality of life of women.

These programs covered areas such as activating women’s participation in family, community and economic activities, increasing their legal awareness and financial independence, reproductive health, protection against violence, and creating a healthy environment. They are consistently implemented not only in central cities, but also in remote and low-income regions of the country.

For example, in 2024, trainings organized in Surkhandarya region on the topic “prevention and warning of gender violence”, as well as seminar-trainings dedicated to “principles of gender equality and women’s rights in Islam”served the same purposes. These activities aimed to give participants in-depth knowledge about the role of women in family and society, reproductive health issues and the fight against gender violence in terms of Islamic doctrine, and have contributed significantly to the formation of a culture of gender equality in the general public.

International cooperation, especially joint programs with agencies in the UN system, are bringing Real positive changes even in the most remote areas of the country. A clear example of this is the Joint Program aimed at the socio-economic restoration of the islet region, implemented in the Republic of Karakalpakstan.

Within the framework of this program, which was carried out jointly by UNFPA, UNDP, UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and The family and women committee, 365 socially vulnerable women living in Moynok, Bozatov and Kungrad districts were selected and conducted special training courses aimed at increasing leadership potential. As a “facilitator”, they have become carriers of knowledge and skills for more than 110 other women in their neighborhood.

This process paved the way not only for the formation of a layer of local leading women, but also for their increased economic and social activity. Through trainings, participants acquired excellent knowledge and skills in important areas such as financial literacy, entrepreneurship, business planning, maintaining a family budget, reproductive rights, gender equality and building a healthy family.

As a result, the self-confidence of women was strengthened, the necessary conditions were created for their involvement in Real economic activities. A competition of business projects was held between the most active and promising participants, and the winners were provided with the necessary equipment and technical equipment to start their work. This not only stimulated the expansion of families ‘ sources of income, but also the growth of economic activity at the local level.

Above all, projects like these are instrumental in building the capacity of women to increase their place in society, actively involve them in socio-economic processes and find solutions at the local level. Thus, the work in cooperation with UNFPA serves as an active tool in the construction of a society in Uzbekistan that is inclusive, sustainable and relies on human potential.

Within the framework of this project, a special Business Project competition was organized between the most active and promising participants in order to fully realize the potential of women in society and ensure their economic independence. Women who won this competition were provided with practical assistance in the form of the necessary equipment, technical equipment and financial support for their entrepreneurial activity. This, in turn, not only increased their family income, but also ensured the active participation of women in local economic processes, laid the groundwork for their formation as an independent and active person in society.

Through such projects, women are able to fully demonstrate their abilities and capabilities, increase professional maturity and strengthen their place in life. This experience was evident in the active and efficient functioning of the family and women’s committee system at the local level, with reforms being put into practice in places as well. Similar strategic approaches serve to ensure not only economic stability, but also social equality. In particular, the international conference “using demographic dividend in Uzbekistan: realizing the potential of women and youth through the development of human capital”, organized in November 2024 with the cooperation of UNFPA, the committee for family and women and a number of ministries and departments, shows that these issues have reached a higher level. During this conference, national strategies aimed at the effective use of the existing demographic advantage in our country in socio-economic development, the development of human capital and the realization of the potential of women and young people were discussed. Zulayho Makhkamova, chairman of The committee on family and women, emphasized that expanding the opportunities of women and young people in her speech is a decisive factor in the future development of New Uzbekistan, women and young people are not only beneficiaries of development, but also important contributors to sustainable development, and all opportunities are being used in our state to exploit this potential.

Also, the Permanent Representative of the UNFPA in Uzbekistan Nigina Abaszada noted that unique demographic opportunities in Uzbekistan serve to accelerate sustainable development. It also evaluated the policy being pursued in our country on gender equality and human potential development as an important direction leading to sustainable development. In his view, ” the current political will and reform environment in Uzbekistan provides a solid foundation for international cooperation. By expanding the reach of women and young people, prioritizing investments, the country can transform demographic change into a powerful force of economic and social progress”.

Sabine Mahl, UN Permanent coordinator in Uzbekistan, noted that Uzbekistan is doing consistent work in bringing to life the issues envisaged for sustainable development purposes approved by the UN, for these purposes, the interests of the population, employment of women and young people occupy a special place. The effective organization of work in this direction plays an important role in the economic development of the country. It is the introduction of innovative approaches to this direction, a clear knowledge of demographic dynamics, that is very important for the future. Social and employment services should have a large role of government in expanding opportunities, eliminating unemployment, informal employment problems. In this regard, it is advisable to implement policies that promote the formation of knowledge and skills of young people and women, inclusive development and social well-being.

The conference served as an important platform for high-level dialogue that brought together government representatives, private sector leaders, scientific circles, and civil society to address demographic stability and trends. The conference was also a logical continuation of the large-scale reform process carried out by the family and women’s Committee and was instrumental in improving national gender policy on the basis of international experiences. Such comprehensive approaches to the activities of the committee serve not only to solve current problems, but also to effectively use demographic dividend in the future, to fully mobilize human capital and strengthen the principles of equality in society.

Indeed, the continuous cooperation between The family and women’s Committee and the UN serves to harmonize the reforms carried out in the country with international criteria. This cooperation acts as an important mechanism to strengthen the social protection of women of Uzbekistan, to make them active participants in various aspects of life, and to realize demographic opportunities on a large scale.