Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Today, a solemn ceremony was held in Nukus district of the Republic of Karakalpakstan to open a new inclusive Public Services Center (PSC) with the assistance of the United Nations Development Program and the European Union.

This center is one of the 7 that were selected as pilot sites under the Joint Project of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the European Union and UNDP in Uzbekistan "Improving the provision of public services and increasing the level of governance in rural areas of Uzbekistan." The project helps to equip new Centers in the pilot regions, as well as the PSC in Nukus district, with modern IT and communication equipment (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.

During the construction of the building, special attention was paid to its compliance with modern urban planning standards and the creation of the most comfortable conditions for citizens, especially for people with disabilities. The new Center has an electronic queue system, an information kiosk, a modern zone for self-receiving electronic services, a children’s playground and a mini-library. There are also information stands and posters to raise awareness of visitors about the ways and possibilities of obtaining public services on their own.

In order to create convenience for the population, a procedure has been introduced for using public services on an extraterritorial basis, that is, regardless of the place of residence and stay. The new PSC in Nukus district provides 280 public services and is able to serve up to 300 people daily.

The center is aimed at all segments of the population, including women with young children, persons with disabilities, youth and the elderly. So, to improve access to public services, the Public Services Center is equipped with ramps, handrails, as well as wheelchairs, tactile tiles for visually impaired people, an information desk with a building plan in Braille, a special adapted table for the convenience of receiving public services for people moving in a wheelchair and a specially equipped toilet room.

“This is a place where women can get free legal or psychological help, develop new skills and receive consulting support to start their entrepreneurial activities. At the Public Services Center, young people can try themselves as a volunteer, and any resident can get the necessary knowledge on using online services” - Ivana Zivkovic, Assistant Administrator and Regional Director for Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

In the PSC of Nukus district, as in other pilot centers, several initiatives are being implemented:

“Women’s Advisory Groups” (WAGs), which raise awareness among women, older people and people with disabilities in rural areas of Uzbekistan about the possibilities and procedures for obtaining public services, as well as provide the necessary legal, psychological and advisory assistance.

The Volunteering Program, which aims to involve volunteers in the work of Public Service Centers to provide public services to vulnerable groups. All volunteers are trained to prepare them to interact with the population in the provision of public services in remote areas.

For the population as a whole, it is planned to organize courses to improve computer literacy, the use of ICT and a single portal of public services my.gov.uz.

Increasing citizens’ access to public services in Uzbekistan, especially the most vulnerable, has been a key area of reform for the Uzbek government in recent years. These reforms have helped Uzbekistan move closer to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals: Goal 5: Gender equality, Goal 10: Reducing inequalities, Goal 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions by 2030.