At the Asian Women’s Forum in Samarkand, it was noted that thanks to the high political will of the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, issues of ensuring women’s interests, gender equality, and strengthening the family have become priority areas of state policy.

Chairperson of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan Tanzila Narbayeva noted that thanks to this, the participation of women in socio-political, economic, and spiritual life and in making important decisions has significantly increased.

A national legislative framework has been formed in accordance with international standards in the industry. Over the past five years, more than 80 regulatory legal documents have been adopted.

To properly implement the gender equality policy and ensure its full implementation, the Achieving Gender Equality Strategy in the Republic of Uzbekistan 2030 was adopted. Work is progressing at an accelerated pace to implement it in all areas and systems.

“Concepts such as conducting a gender examination of legislative acts, adopting a national budget on a gender basis, and a gender audit are being introduced into practice”, said Mrs. Narbayeva. “The role of women in state and public administration is strengthening. The number of women in parliament and executive bodies has increased. Today, a female class has been formed: female ministers, deputy ministers, hokims and deputy hokims, heads of non-governmental non-profit organizations, and their number is increasing yearly”.

In developing a new generation of women leaders, attention primarily focuses on expanding their educational opportunities. All conditions have been created for women to receive education and engage in science. Preferential loans and special quotas are allocated, and the state pays the total amount of the master’s degree students’ contract.

Today, more than half of students in higher education institutions are girls and women. Let’s compare the 2017 figures, when enrollment in higher education was 9 percent, with the current enrollment of 43 percent. It becomes clear that the percentage of girls pursuing higher education has increased sharply.

Also, in addition to the still traditional fields of education, medicine, and sewing, women have actively entered such advanced areas as the digital economy and information technology. Of course, this activity will become even more intensified in the future and yield positive results.

Thanks to the opportunities provided, the number of women entrepreneurs has doubled in recent years and exceeded 200 thousand. Accelerated work is underway to train women in professions and provide them with loans on preferential terms.

“Another large-scale resolution of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan has been adopted to support women’s entrepreneurship and employment. This year alone, $100 million has been allocated for creating women’s small businesses and entrepreneurship”, the Chairperson of the Senate noted.

Norgul Abduraimova, UzA