Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 21 December 2020, a meeting of the Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan on ensuring gender equality was held. It was attended by members of the Commission, the Senate of the Oliy Majlis, the Youth Parliament, heads of relevant ministries and departments, representatives of non-governmental non-profit organizations, senior officials of khokimiyats, as well as media workers.

The meeting was chaired by the Chairman of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis, Chairman of the Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan on ensuring gender equality Tanzila Narbaeva.

During the event, the work carried out and the tasks for the future to ensure gender equality in the country, increase the social and political activity of women and provide them with comprehensive support, the results of the study of the activities of the Centers for the Rehabilitation and Adaptation of Victims of Violence and the Prevention of Suicides, as well as the events of the Association of Non-Governmental Non-Commercial Organizations under the Commission were considered.

It was noted that consistent work is being carried out in our country to increase the social and political activity of compatriots, expand their participation in public administration, and provide them with equal rights and opportunities. Thus, normative legal acts have been adopted aimed at comprehensive protection of the rights and interests of women. Today the share of women in leadership positions has reached 26.6%. In addition, for the first time in the last year’s elections, the proportion of women elected to the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis was 32%, and to the Senate and local Kengashes - about 25%. Although in the previous convocation, these figures were half.

In addition, in accordance with the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On guarantees of equal rights and opportunities for women and men", advisory councils on gender equality have been established in all ministries and departments.

Starting this year, at the initiative of the head of our state, the opportunities for girls in need of social protection to receive education have been expanded, and 4 percent state grants have been allocated for admission to higher educational institutions. Based on this new system, 950 girls in need of social protection are enrolled in 2020.

For the expired period of 2020, 166.3 thousand women were employed. 31.1 thousand were trained in professions, 48.4 thousand unemployed women were assigned unemployment benefits and their social protection was provided.

Women’s Entrepreneurship Centers have been set up in each region, and soft loans have been allocated by appropriate trust funds and commercial banks. Over the past period, more than 224 thousand women were allocated preferential loans in the amount of 6.9 trillion soums for the development of women’s entrepreneurship. At the same time, in order to target work with unemployed women in need of social support and vocational training, a “women’s notebook” has been established.

In addition, this year the Senate of the Oliy Majlis, together with the Federation of Trade Unions and the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, khokimiyats of regions and the city of Tashkent, has developed a new system for solving women’s problems and their comprehensive support. On its basis, a separate “Road Map” was approved for each district and city, within the framework of which more than 4.7 thousand women with disabilities received household appliances. At the expense of funds in the amount of 18.6 billion soums, the housing conditions of 1,040 women in a difficult social situation were improved.

During the meeting, a number of problems were noted that require an early solution. Thus, the work to ensure the employment of women was not organized at the proper level, cases of misuse of loans allocated within the framework of programs for the development of family and women’s entrepreneurship were revealed.

On this issue, information was heard from the heads of the relevant ministries and senior officials of the khokimiyats.

In addition, the meeting discussed the results of studying the activities of the Centers for Rehabilitation and Adaptation of Victims of Violence and the Prevention of Suicides.

It was noted that cases of violence against women have increased in recent years. To eliminate them, first of all, there was a need to improve legal mechanisms, and for this purpose a special law was adopted. A protective order has been introduced, such systems of communication with women as rehabilitation centers (shelters), hot lines, and Nazhod mobile applications have been created. In addition, from 25 November to 10 December, the action "16 days against violence" was held.

However, along with this, there are still disadvantages in the field. In the first 11 months of this year alone, 11,138 women who have been subjected to various forms of harassment and violence were issued protection orders by the internal affairs bodies. Of these, 9,916 or 89% were victims of domestic violence and harassment. 5,418 of them were physically abused, as a result of which 652 families broke up.

At the meeting, F. Eshmatova, Chairperson of the Senate Committee of the Oliy Majlis on Women and Gender Equality, presented information on the work done in this direction.

At the same time, the activity of the Association of Non-Governmental Non-Commercial Organizations under the Commission for the current year was considered. Speaking at the event, the head of the association, D. Kabulova, spoke about the existing problems faced by non-governmental organizations in the course of their work and the ways to solve them.

It was noted that civil society institutions, in particular non-governmental non-profit organizations, play an important role in achieving sustainable development goals. For the effective achievement of the National goals, it is advisable to involve them in these processes. But given the available opportunities in the implementation of the tasks, it was revealed that they are not fully used by non-governmental non-profit organizations. 

At the meeting, proposals and recommendations were also made to eliminate the identified shortcomings and tasks for the future were identified.