Uzbekistan to improve access and quality of social services for vulnerable people with World Bank support

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved today a US$100 million concessional loan for Uzbekistan to implement the Innovative Social Protection System for Inclusion of Vulnerable People (INSON) Project. The project aims to improve access to and quality of social services for vulnerable people in Uzbekistan.

The project is also co-financed by a US$2 million grant from the Early Learning Partnership, a multi-donor trust fund housed at the World Bank that aims to support vulnerable children’s development and learning. These funds will be used to evaluate the impact of social services provided at the community (mahalla) level on the well-being of vulnerable children in Uzbekistan and to improve their quality.

“We welcome the efforts of the Government of Uzbekistan to enhance the capacity of the national social protection system to provide inclusive and effective support to vulnerable people,” noted Marco Mantovanelli, World Bank Country Manager for Uzbekistan. “This project will help build the legal and institutional foundations of the care economy. It will also expand access to quality on-demand social services that are currently underprovided to thousands of vulnerable people across the country, including older people, persons with disabilities, survivors of gender-based violence, and vulnerable children.”

The project will be implemented by the National Social Protection Agency (NASP) under the Office of the President of Uzbekistan, in close collaboration with various government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and Uzbekistan’s international development partners.

The expected project outcomes include the following:

• Establishing and operating more than 50 community-based territorial social service centers (TSSCs) across the country, targeting the most vulnerable groups.
• Improving access for over 50,000 vulnerable people, including older people, persons with disabilities, and vulnerable children, to quality social care and rehabilitation services delivered by the above-mentioned TSSCs.
• Supporting the NASP in developing the legal and regulatory framework to improve cost and quality standards for social services delivered at home, community centers, and residential centers.
• Creating the conditions for the emergence of a regulated and accredited market for the provision of social services by private providers. The establishment of TSSCs is expected to reduce demand for institutional-based care and to stimulate the market for the private provision of social services.
• Establishing a social case management system to provide personalized support to vulnerable people.
• Equipping 1,200 persons with disabilities, including at least half who are youth aged 15-24, with professional skills and employment opportunities.
• Providing quality legal, health, psychological, and other services to all women attending 29 Women Adaptation and Rehabilitation Centers across the country. They will also be empowered through short-term training courses on digital skills, financial literacy, and certain professional skills.
• Laying the foundation for shock-responsive social protection in Uzbekistan. This includes the development of policies, emergency procedures and the piloting of a new climate adaptation program. The program will cover 100,000 poor people in rural areas to increase their awareness on climate-related risks and improve their resilience to climate shocks.
• It will provide seeds for climate-resistant crops, tools, and training in climate-smart agriculture and climate adaptation practices.

By implementing these activities, the authorities will expand social and economic opportunities for the project beneficiaries, ensure their integration into society, and improve their overall well-being.