Uzbekistan’s Senate Approves Action Program to Implement the Gender Equality Strategy for 2026

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — At the 13th plenary session of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis, lawmakers reviewed the implementation of tasks set out in the Comprehensive Action Program for 2025 to carry out the Strategy for Achieving Gender Equality in the Republic of Uzbekistan through 2030, as well as approved the Comprehensive Action Program for its implementation in 2026.

During the discussion, it was noted that over the past period 15 regulatory legal acts had been adopted to ensure equal rights and opportunities for women and men and to improve the economic and social conditions of women.

The proportion of women in the national personnel reserve has doubled compared to previous years, reaching 27 percent.

Gender indicators have been developed, and their integration into the budget planning process has been ensured for all ministries and agencies in the preparation and formation of draft budget programs.

An updated version of the Methodology for Conducting Gender Audits in government bodies and organizations has been adopted. Based on this methodology, gender audits were carried out at the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation.

A Gender Equality Strategy for 2025–2030 in the agricultural sector has also been developed and launched for implementation.

Over the past year, four rounds of the “Women Leaders School” training program were completed, with 244 women participating, 60 of whom were subsequently appointed to managerial positions.

Thanks to the allocation of 12 additional quotas for women at the Higher School of Judges for the 2025/2026 academic year, women accounted for 38 of the 164 trainees, or 23 percent.

In 2025, 21 women-led startup projects were supported with funding totaling 12.4 billion soums. Political parties conducted more than 100 outreach and advocacy events aimed at promoting a positive image of women in politics, reaching over 27,000 citizens.

Uzbekistan’s efforts to comprehensively support women and ensure their rights received high recognition from the international community. At the 151st session of the Inter-Parliamentary Union held in Geneva in October 2025, it was noted that Uzbekistan ranks 15th in the world in terms of women’s activity in the lower house of parliament.

According to the World Bank, the country is among the top five states that have made the greatest progress in expanding women’s economic and political rights.

In the Open Gender Data Index, Uzbekistan ranked among the world’s top 20 countries, while in the Gender Equality and Governance Index it rose from 103rd to 52nd place.

The session also included a critical analysis of the reasons for lagging behind certain target indicators.

Senators emphasized the need to expand women’s economic activity, reduce the gender pay gap, ensure broader involvement of women in high-income financial and IT sectors, and increase their representation in executive bodies of state-owned enterprises, including boards of directors and supervisory boards.

The importance of eliminating stereotypes related to gender equality and actively promoting relevant standards among the population was also highlighted.

Senators concluded that the new Program would contribute to fulfilling Uzbekistan’s national and international commitments and stressed the need for the timely implementation of the tasks and measures outlined in the Program.

Following the discussion, the Senate adopted a corresponding resolution on the matter under consideration.