As part of the visit, the EU and UNDP representatives explored the Public Service Centers (PSC) in Termez city and the first ever self-service corner in Uzbekistan that is located in Guliston mahalla, one of the most populous (population approx. 4.5 thousand people) mahallas of Shurchi district.

There, the members of the mission got acquainted with the self-service corner created by the joint project of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the European Union, and UNDP “Improved Public Service Delivery and Enhanced Governance in Rural Uzbekistan” (IPSD), where people can independently receive public services through an interactive touch table.

The Public Service Center of the Shurchi District of Surkhandarya is one of the seven centers selected as pilot objects under IPSD. The PSC is equipped with modern IT and communications technologies (servers, PCs, network and telecommunication devices, video surveillance devices, devices for user feedback, etc.), a comfortable waiting area for citizens, and a modern air conditioning system.

From October 2021 to June 2023, 1781 citizens applied to the expert of Women’s Advisory Groups (WAG) in Shurchi district, including 639 women, 257 men, 435 young people, 79 older people, and 36 people with disabilities. All of them were provided detailed information about the public services and helped to get online public services. 533 citizens were advised on legal, psychological, business, and social issues.

With the EU finding, UNDP is supporting the Ministry of Justice in creating inclusive conditions for all visitors through technical support and expertise focused on the compliance of the PSC with modern, inclusive urban planning standards and technical requirements, including a particular focus on people with special needs.

To promote regional cooperation and stability, UNDP will continue to contribute to multi-sectoral efforts for equitable and inclusive development of Surkhandarya region.

UzA