Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 1 March, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev chaired a videoconference to further improve the support system for women and further strengthen their status in society.

In the history of our people, along with great scientists and commanders, there were many no less great women who gave life and inspired our ancestors to great deeds. And today the women of our country selflessly work for the benefit of society in various regions and regions. In recent years, a number of laws, decrees and resolutions have been adopted to improve their lives and ensure their rights and interests.

In 2021, 2 trillion soums of loans and subsidies were allocated under women’s entrepreneurship programs for more than 200,000 projects, and 320,000 women received permanent jobs. 190,000 women were trained in professions, more than 4,000 were provided with funds for a down payment to purchase housing.

2,000 girls were admitted to higher educational institutions on the basis of a special grant. As a result, women made up 60 percent of students who entered universities last year.

Since 2020, the “women’s notebook” system has been introduced, about 900 thousand women included in it have been provided with socio-economic, medical, legal and psychological assistance.

The next topical tasks in this direction were discussed at the meeting.

At present, more than 630,000 women are registered in the Women’s Notebook, 200,000 of whom are unemployed. Unfortunately, cases of crime among women, as well as domestic violence and harassment against them, are not uncommon.

The head of our state said that the role and influence of mahalla activists, the public and representatives of the older generation in solving these problems are not felt.

- Both our prosperous life today and our bright future depend on women. If we want our people to be satisfied with us, first of all we must create decent living conditions for our mothers and sisters. If the mother is satisfied, then the family is satisfied, if the family is satisfied, then the society is satisfied," said Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

This goal is defined as one of the most important directions in the development strategy of our country. For the systematic implementation of the tasks in the field in the context of mahallas, today the State Committee for Family and Women Affairs was established by decree of the President

The chairman of the committee will be both Deputy Prime Minister and a member of the Senate. The heads of the regional, district and city branches of the committee will also hold the position of deputy khokims.

The Committee will manage the Women’s Support Fund and the Women’s Notebook Fund. The positions of deputy chairmen for women and families in 9309 mahallas of the country will also be transferred to the committee system, and the position of a women’s activist will be introduced in each mahalla.

- Now in every district there will be a system that will listen to women. And then on my desk there will be objective figures about what women need and where, how the issues of their education and upbringing of children are,” the head of state said.

Prior to this, women’s issues were dealt with by the Ministry for the Support of Mahalla and Family. In connection with the creation of a separate committee, it was reorganized into the Ministry of Support of the Mahalla and the Older Generation.

It is planned to create a new system in this area as well. In the field, this task will be assigned directly to the khokims, the corresponding position of deputy khokim will be abolished. The chairman of the mahalla will ensure the coordinated activities of the hokim’s assistant, youth leader and women’s activist.

In addition, the activities of the People’s Reception Offices will be organized at the mahalla level.

At the meeting, the head of state paid special attention to the issues of social protection of women. It was instructed to introduce a procedure in accordance with which, from 1 September 2022, women working in the private sector will be paid pregnancy benefits by the state. It was noted that 200 billion soums will be allocated from the budget this year, and 1.7 trillion soums in 2023.

Regarding the issue of improving the living conditions of women, the President said:

- Once upon a time it was not possible to give women preferential housing, there was no legal basis, no money.

At the meeting, it was decided to send women at least 40 percent of subsidies for mortgage loans.

Specific measures will also be taken to improve their health. In particular, 6,000 women will receive high-tech medical care this year. Women with disabilities will be provided with rehabilitation facilities. Cancer screening will be organized for 3 million women. Instructions were also given to vaccinate girls and provide women of childbearing age with medicines and vitamins free of charge.

Getting a good education and acquiring a profession is one of the issues that the President pays priority attention to. The meeting made historic decisions to increase women’s access to education.

In particular, a program to support women’s education for 2022-2026 will be developed. It will provide for the creation in the capital of a university in the field of textiles will be established on the basis of a public-private partnership. Also, technical schools of the university with the participation of cotton-textile and woolen clusters will be opened on the ground.

From the new academic year, for the first time, interest-free loans for 7 years will be arranged to pay for education contracts. For this, 1 trillion 800 billion soums will be allocated to banks this year, and 8 trillion soums in the next five years.

Another news: from the next academic year, the state will compensate the amount of contracts for girls studying in the magistracy from the budget. Contracts for the education of students from low-income families, as well as orphan students, will be paid by local budgets.

In order to significantly increase the proportion of women among scientists, at least 300 quota places for admission to doctoral studies will be allocated annually.

Instructions were given on the creation of Centers for the Assessment of Qualifications at monocenters and universities, and the training of women in professions in demand.

It is planned to adopt the Business Women program for 2022-2024. In total, 8 trillion soums will be allocated for its implementation. Entrepreneurship courses will be opened for women and preferential loans will be provided.

The head of state stressed the need to support entrepreneurs who provide employment for unemployed women. Numerous tax incentives and trade preferences for such business entities have been announced.

Issues of strengthening the legal protection of women were also discussed. Today, women subjected to domestic violence are provided with special protection for a period of 30 days. However, there is a gap in this system.

In this regard, the protection of women from harassment and violence will now be provided by the court, and special protection will be established for up to one year.

Strengthening the family and increasing the responsibility of parents in raising children is also a topical issue.

The President proposed the creation of the Okila Ayollar movement, consisting of respected and educated women.

- This movement should become the “conscience of the mahalla”. Because without enlightened mothers it is impossible to build an enlightened society,” said Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

The officials were instructed to organize and control the implementation of the measures determined at the meeting. Active women, heads of industries and regions spoke at the meeting.