The Government of Uzbekistan, together with UN agencies, with the financial assistance of the Joint Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Fund, completed the first project.

The results achieved by the Children's Fund and the Development Programme, the International Labour Organization together with the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan in 2020-2021 within the framework of a joint program in social protection were summed up at the meeting.

As it was noted, the main goal of this joint program, designed for two years, is aimed at forming the foundations of reforming the social protection system in Uzbekistan. The Joint Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Fund allocated $2 million for two programs. This will contribute to the improvement of the social protection system and the establishment of multilateral cooperation.

Chief Specialist of the Department for Social Protection of the Population and Budget Policy in the state social service networks of the Ministry of Finance of Uzbekistan Kamila Zakirova noted that the work carried out in the second direction of the joint program has yielded good results.

The Department took part in the implementation of the Single Registry of Social Protection in Uzbekistan. In 2019, the Single Registry of Social Protection was introduced as the first experience in Syrdarya region, and in 2021 it was introduced across the country. In 2020-2021, the Ministry of Finance, together with the ILO, UNDP, the World Bank and UNICEF, developed a National Strategy for Social Protection of the Population. It is planned that shortly this project will be submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers.

Thanks to the joint actions of the Government of Uzbekistan and the UN, the possibilities of using social assistance will be expanded. In particular, a Single Registry of Social Protection will be introduced in the country, which will increase the monthly number of applicants for social benefits by five times, that is, from 80 thousand to 400 thousand people, and the coverage of social benefits from 600 thousand to 1.2 million people.

It was noted that advanced approaches to the reform of the social protection system, the development of a National Social Protection Strategy and the reform of the disability assessment system have been introduced in Uzbekistan.

Nasiba Ziyodullayeva, UzA