Project: Strengthening the Role of Women by Protecting the Rights and Increasing their Labour Activity

Brief Description

In order to prevent and eliminate the violence against women, the Women's Committee of Uzbekistan and the Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development of France (ACTED), with financial support from the European Commission have been implementing a project on “Strengthening the role of women by protecting the rights and increasing their labour activity in Uzbekistan” since January 2018. The project is implemented in partnership with 3 women's NGO’s: "Mehr Kuzda" (Tashkent), the Center for Social Protection of the Family "Oydin Nur" (Bukhara region), the NGO "Rakhimdillik" (Samarkand region). 

The project conducted research in 100 target mahallas (communities) in Samarkand and Bukhara regions and Tashkent on topics including family conflicts, domestic violence and women’s rights. The research identified the following gaps: limited support on social rehabilitation and adaptation, limited effectiveness of the system of prevention of domestic violence, lack of cooperation and awareness among women about their rights, especially, on rights violation in the context of domestic violence, and persistence of discrimination against women, both in society and family. Negative relations between daughters-in-law and mothers-in-law, lack of mutual respect between husband and wife, declining moral values, existence of stereotypes, compliance with Eastern mentality to protect the honour of the family, are some of the factors leading to discrimination against women. 

Based on these findings, the Women’s Committee of Uzbekistan has led the following measures:
Three round table meetings have been organized including government departments and bodies, and NGOs, in order to discuss the recommendations on the prevention of cases of domestic violence, and strengthening of close collaboration among all government units and structure and NGOs on addressing women’s issues. The recommendations were then transmitted to a range of institutions for implementation, including the departments of the Women’s Committee of Uzbekistan at the regional and district levels, specialists in mahalla committees responsible for women's issues, the Scientific and Practical Research Center “Oila” under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan and its divisions, women's NGOs providing assistance to women and children, representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, authorities of “mahallas” and the Union of Youth of Uzbekistan, among others.