TASHKENT, 5 June 2020 - Strengthening social protection system is part of the Uzbekistan’s Government Annual State Programme and is gaining even more prominence and urgency in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Ministry of Economic Development and Poverty Reduction, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, Ministry of Makhalla and Family Support, Ministry of Healthcare, Pension Fund, Federation of Trade Unions, Confederation of Employers, Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the UN agencies came together to discuss cooperation  in offering all citizens of Uzbekistan improved income security and social support throughout their lives.

Mr. Sharakhmetov, Deputy Minister of Finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan, noted the importance of social protection reform in socio-economic development and achieving SDGs.

The Deputy Minister also noted that national Action Strategy 2017-2021 marks the strengthening of social protection system as one of the key priorities aimed at ensuring mandatory social guarantees, improving social support to the vulnerable population, social services, and developing public-private partnership in providing social services to the population. The development of the national strategy on social protection is part of the 2020 Annual State programme.   Mr. Sharakhmetov thanked the UN agencies for supporting the strategy development.

The UN Joint Programme on strengthening social protection system in Uzbekistan is implemented by UNICEF, ILO and UNDP. The Programme is focused on supporting the Government in developing a national strategy on social protection, designing an effective mechanism of interagency coordination and delivery of social protection, and improving social protection of people with disability. Thereby, the programme aims to contribute to a more inclusive economic growth, poverty reduction and human capital development, while accelerating the achievement of the SDGs.

Representatives of ministries and civil society partners share their views and ideas on development of national social protection strategy and expressed readiness and commitment to actively participate in that process.

The UN system has a long-standing cooperation with Uzbekistan in the area of social protection and welcomes the Government’s commitment to strengthening social protection system in the context of the ambitious health and socio-economic reforms and in response to the health and socio-economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.