Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Achieving gender equality, ensuring women's rights, freedoms and legitimate interests, and strengthening their role in public and state life is an important component of state policy in the countries of Central Asia. To increase the role of young women in the public, political and business life of the Central Asian countries, it is important to train future women leaders.

On 10-12 November 2021, Regional training camp for girls on leadership, mentoring and gender equality in Central Asia is taking place in Bostanlyk district of Tashkent region under the auspices of Central Asia Women Leaders Caucus. The event is organized by the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan and UNDP with the support of the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia and UN Women.

More than 30 girls from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan participate in the training camp, which aims to increase the capacity of girls and young women from Central Asia and hone their leadership skills to participate more actively in public and social life. The trainings will help to promote women entrepreneurship and develop professional skills and leadership abilities of girls of the region.

Tanzila Narbaeva, Chairperson of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan and Chairperson of the Central Asia Women Leaders Caucus, and Matilda Dimovska, UNDP Resident Representative in Uzbekistan delivered welcoming speeches at the opening of the event.

In her speech, Tanzila Narbaeva, Chairperson of the Central Asia Women Leaders Caucus, noted that comprehensive support of the younger generation, their empowerment, assistance in establishing and developing ties among girls in the region both in regional and bilateral formats is one of the priorities of the Uzbekistan’s chairmanship in the Caucus. 

- We believe in you and will support your efforts and aspirations to contribute to the processes of sustainable development in the region, help you realize your potential in politics, economy, education, science, finding solutions to urgent environmental issues, maintaining peace and stability, strengthening friendship and partnership between our countries, Tanzila Narbaeva said.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, UNDP Resident Representative in Uzbekistan Matilda Dimovska emphasized the importance of training future women leaders, honing their leadership skills, increasing their access to global knowledge and practices, which will help enhance the role of women in public, political, academic and business life in Central Asia. 

- The countries of the region need women's leadership, skills and talents of women and girls to solve vital problems in all areas, from combating climate change to rebuilding economies and communities, Matilda Dimovska summed up.

During the training camp, participants discussed the evolution of women's role in public and state life in Central Asia, heard information about international norms aimed at ensuring gender equality, as well as the relevance of the "Women, Peace and Security" global agenda.

The participants have participated in training on public speaking on gender equality, girls' leadership and achieving the SDGs, development of scientific potential of women and girls, fundamentals of entrepreneurship and economic empowerment of girls.

At the end of the event it is expected that the Address of participants of the regional training camp to members of the Central Asia Women Leaders Caucus will be adopted. This document will include proposals to support girls in the region, particularly in terms of developing professional skills and leadership qualities and expanding opportunities for them in various areas.