Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — An Uzbek delegation presented the country’s achievements in gender equality at a high-level meeting on gender policy in Central Asia, held in Astana.

The event, titled “Five Years to the 2030 Agenda: Central Asia’s Perspectives on the 30th Anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action”, was organized with the support of UN Women and the Government of Kazakhstan.

The meeting brought together high-ranking representatives from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, including ministers, parliamentarians, gender equality experts, as well as representatives of international organizations, civil society, and the private sector.

Uzbekistan’s delegation was led by Orzigul Kozikhonova, Chair of the Senate Committee on Youth, Women, Culture, and Sports of the Oliy Majlis. It included representatives from government agencies and expert circles.

The delegates highlighted key reforms and initiatives aimed at empowering women in Uzbekistan, sharing successful experiences in implementing gender policies. They emphasized that Uzbekistan’s efforts in promoting gender equality and combating violence against women could serve as a model for the region.

UN Women Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, Belen Sanz Luque, welcomed the participants, stating: “We cannot wait another 30 years to achieve full equality. Political will, investments, and active civil society engagement are key to accelerating change.”

Speaking at the session, Orzigul Kozikhonova noted: “Uzbekistan is systematically working to ensure equal opportunities for women. We believe that the collective efforts of Central Asian countries will accelerate progress toward gender equality and the achievement of set goals.”

Deputy Director of Uzbekistan’s National Human Rights Center, Dilnoza Muratova, stressed: “Gender equality is not just a matter of fairness, but a foundation for sustainable development. We aim to create conditions where every woman can fulfill her potential.”

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance, Gulnora Rakhimova, stated: “Achieving sustainable gender equality requires not only legislative initiatives but also financial support. In Uzbekistan, we actively develop economic opportunities for women, including entrepreneurship support and access to financial resources.”

As part of the event, the Uzbek delegation held a meeting with Belen Sanz Luque, who highly praised Uzbekistan’s gender policy and expressed gratitude to the government for supporting the development of the UN Women country office. She acknowledged the country’s positive progress and expressed confidence that Uzbekistan would continue its active efforts in this direction.

The session served as an important platform for discussing the current state and future prospects of gender equality, as well as strategies for empowering women and girls in the region, especially in light of the remaining five years to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).