At a conference on the results of the October 27 elections to the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis and the local Councils (Kengashes) held in Uzbekistan, representatives of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE/ODIHR) noted the high degree of preparation for the elections.
International observers emphasized the active participation of women in the work of election commissions, focusing on the fact that this increased participation plays a key role in achieving gender equality.
Representatives of the OSCE/ODIHR also noted that the majority of the parties presented programs that focused on the development of the country. In addition, they recognized the need for the participation of people with disabilities in the electoral process, for which all conditions were provided.
One of the positive aspects of the elections was the broad representation of women among candidates. The gender quota for women was increased from 30% to 40%, allowing women to win 47 of the 150 seats in the Legislative Chamber, representing 45% of all candidates.
The Central Election Commission (CEC) developed a roadmap for implementing ODIHR recommendations to further develop electoral reforms. These elections took place against the backdrop of ongoing reforms since 2017 in socio-economic development, governance, the judiciary, and the protection of fundamental freedoms.
Aziza Alimova, UzA