Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) —  A meeting chaired by President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has begun, focusing on the effectiveness of social protection and priority tasks for 2025.

At the beginning of his speech, the head of state expressed special gratitude to the UN Resident Coordinator in Uzbekistan, Sabina Mahle, UNICEF Representative Regina Maria Castillo, and the World Bank Regional Director for Central Asia, Tatiana Proskuryakova, for their participation in today’s meeting and their support in creating the new social protection system in Uzbekistan.

It was noted that this year, 102 types of social services have been transferred to the local mahalla level.

For instance, previously, people had to go through multiple commissions and clinics to receive prosthetics, which could take up to two months. Now, this issue is resolved in two weeks at the mahalla level, improving the lives of 100,000 people.

People can now select prosthetics from 95 manufacturers via an electronic system, which has increased competition and improved quality.

A service for the care of children with disabilities has been implemented, with applications being processed at the mahalla level. This has enabled 700 parents to return to work. Additionally, 4,000 elderly, immobile individuals were identified and are now receiving home care.

Social workers, visiting households, have assisted 95,000 people in need who were not included in the registers this year.

Disability status has been assigned to 51,000 people, 26,000 have received prosthetics, and 5,000 children with disabilities have been enrolled in kindergartens and schools.

Furthermore, unjustified benefit payments to individuals who did not need assistance have been prevented, and the saved funds have been retained in the budget.

Three months ago, 14,000 local leaders at the regional and district levels were appointed to work with 75,000 low-income families.

As a result, 17,000 individuals from these families have secured permanent employment, 14,000 residents’ incomes have increased through entrepreneurship and household plots, 30,000 children have received preschool, extracurricular, and vocational training, and 45,000 individuals in need have received medical assistance.

The meeting highlighted that not all leaders are efficiently organizing work to create jobs, increase the incomes of those in need, and provide targeted social services.

In particular, 1,000 leaders responsible for low-income families have shown no results, and 184 individuals have not visited these families even once.

Although the employment rate for people with disabilities in the country has reached 20%, the situation in the districts of Jalakuduk, Chimbai, Pastdargom, Chortok, and Denov has been deemed unsatisfactory.

Responsible officials have been tasked with transforming these districts into model regions and clearly defining tasks for each responsible person.

Moreover, it was criticized that out of 598 social facilities included in the Investment Program for 2025, the projects were not adapted for people with disabilities.

Regional and district khokims have been instructed to eliminate these shortcomings.

Regional khokims were supposed to create at least one model street with accessible conditions for people with disabilities this year.

Work has begun in Andijan, Samarkand, Surkhandarya, and Tashkent regions, but in other regions, not only were no projects developed, but no funds have been allocated.

Responsible officials have been instructed to complete these works within two months, and next year, one such street should be created in each district.

The Deputy Prosecutor General, I. Adhamov, has been tasked with taking strict measures against those who do not implement changes.

The President introduced 28 new initiatives in addition to the 34 important innovations in the field of social protection that have been implemented this year.

Next year, in order to lift 1.2 million people out of poverty, issues related to education, the organization of clubs, vocational training, healthcare, and improving housing conditions must be addressed.

"Early Development Centers" have been opened in Toylok and Kosonsoy, where 4,200 children from poor families and with disabilities receive preschool education.

Regional khokims have been instructed to establish such centers in every district.

The Minister of Preschool and School Education, K. Umarova, has been tasked with organizing family kindergartens in 1,000 mahallas with high poverty rates by 2025.

From the beginning of next year, 15% of places in family kindergartens will be allocated to children from low-income families, with partial compensation for their fees.

Additional Opportunities for Teaching Children from Low-Income Families Foreign Languages, IT, and Vocational Skills

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Additional opportunities will be created to teach foreign languages, IT, and vocational skills to children from low-income families.

By March 1, responsible officials have been instructed to open clubs and begin training 118,000 young people from low-income families.

Up to 80% of the expenses for these clubs will be covered by the state budget.

Graduates from low-income families who have completed training are expected to be admitted to higher education institutions in 2025 based on grants, with 3,500 spots allocated.

University rectors are also required to train 4,000 students from low-income families. Relevant instructions have been given to Minister K. Sharipov regarding this.

In 23,000 low-income families, there are bedridden patients who are cared for by parents, spouses, children, brothers, or sisters.

Starting next year, 19,000 of them will receive home care, and 4,000 will receive care on a daily basis with the involvement of mahalla social workers and the private sector.

As a result, 15,000 caregivers will be able to find employment.

The state will compensate up to 80% of the costs for the private sector services provided to poor families.

This system will be implemented in Tashkent by March 1, and in other regions by the end of the year.

In 460,000 low-income families, there is a need for medical assistance, and 6,000 families require improved housing conditions.

In this regard, in 2025, an additional 185 billion soums will be allocated from the Medical Insurance Fund for surgery for those in need.

Funds from the "Social Books" will be directed exclusively towards improving housing conditions, medical and educational services, and increasing the income of low-income families.

These funds will now be distributed based on the number of poor people in each district.

30% of the funds from the "Social Books" will be allowed for use by district khokims in cooperation with "Inson" centers to improve housing, roads, water, and electricity supply.

Another issue is that currently, 25,000 people live in 400 multi-apartment social housing units, but they are significantly distanced from their relatives and accustomed living conditions.

In this context, it was decided to abandon the practice of housing people in a single social building.

Now, individuals in need will be allowed to rent accommodation near their mahalla, with their expenses covered by the state.

Director of the Social Protection Agency M. Allayarov has been given the relevant instructions.

Currently, citizens need more than 10 documents, such as a birth certificate, disability certificate, pension book, student ID, bank card, etc., to access 65 types of social services and assistance.

The President emphasized the need to end this bureaucracy and announced the introduction of a single social card that will replace all these documents.

With this card, citizens will be able to travel for free on buses and subways, receive compensation for electricity, gas, and education expenses, as well as receive benefits and social assistance.

This system will be tested in Tashkent and Yangiyul district by July 1, and will be rolled out nationwide by the end of the year.

The next agenda item focused on the situation of people with disabilities.

Since the beginning of the year, their numbers have increased by 10% in the Jizzakh, Kashkadarya, Navoi, Syrdarya, and Surkhandarya regions. In 20 districts, this figure has exceeded 12%.

The President asked which khokims had deeply studied the causes of this issue and noted the lack of positive responses.

It was also critically highlighted that in 33 districts, the coverage of rehabilitation services for people with disabilities is less than 1%.

Responsible authorities have been instructed to significantly change the situation in rehabilitation services next year.

To address this, rehabilitation services will be organized in every regional and district hospital.

The volume of occupational therapy, physiotherapy, and therapeutic gymnastics in 12 rehabilitation centers for people with disabilities will increase fivefold.

Rehabilitation departments will be opened at 7 medical universities, and teachers will undergo retraining based on Korean practices.

Experts from Korea and Japan will be invited to the Republican Rehabilitation Center to enhance the qualifications of local specialists.

It was emphasized that, depending on the type of illness, thousands of people could restore their health by doing simple exercises at home.

Mahalla social workers will be required to distribute exercise programs and healthy eating guidelines for people with disabilities.

The effectiveness of rehabilitation will be evaluated based on changes in mobility, communication, and self-care for people with disabilities. To encourage doctors, additional rewards will be provided.

The khokim of Kashkadarya region has been instructed to develop a pilot project for rehabilitation.

The list of prosthetic and rehabilitation devices for people with disabilities has been expanded from 18 to 30 items, and funding for this area has increased by 1.5 times. As a result, the needs of 100,000 people have been met since the beginning of the year.

An additional 7 types of prosthetic devices will be added to the list, and the Social Services Agency, in collaboration with regional khokims, has been tasked with providing prosthetic devices to 80,000 people in need by 2025.

Thanks to the conditions created, entrepreneurs have already employed 40,000 people with disabilities this year.

To further expand this work, starting January 1, the social tax rate for employees with disabilities will be set at 1%. Companies will be granted subsidies up to 50 million soums to cover costs for sign language interpreters, psychologists, and assistants for visually impaired employees.

Private employment agencies hiring people with disabilities will receive grants of up to 500 million soums. These agencies will be responsible for identifying job seekers, training them, adapting them to employers’ requirements, and providing support during their first six months of employment.

An analysis has shown that some people with disabilities lack self-confidence due to psychological pressure.

However, it was highlighted that many overcome these challenges and demonstrate true heroism.

President Mirziyoyev noted the achievements of Dilorm Yoldosheva from Denau, who made it to the list of the 100 most inspiring women in the world. Despite her disability, she opened a sewing business and provided jobs for 40 underprivileged women.

"Such determined and resilient individuals should be shown as examples for all, and we are proud of them," said the President.

In line with the President’s decree, Dilorm Yoldosheva was ceremoniously awarded the "Mardlik" Order.

The President also emphasized that at least five motivational documentaries and feature films about such individuals should be produced next year.

The coordination of this work has been assigned to Sh. Mirziyeva, the first deputy director of the National Social Protection Agency.

Globally, there are over 100 sports available for people with disabilities. However, in Uzbekistan, medical certificates for sports are currently issued only for 22 types.

It was announced that the list of sports for people with disabilities will be expanded according to international standards, and the selection of sports will be automated based on the type of disability.

As a result, the number of people with disabilities eligible to participate in sports will increase from 286,000 to 440,000.

Responsible authorities have been instructed to increase the coverage of adaptive sports by 1.6 times in the coming year, reaching 45,000 people. From January 1, salaries for adaptive sports coaches will be increased by 1.5 times.

Sports facilities at 130 sports schools, 90 specialized educational institutions, and 29 "Muruvvat" homes in the regions will be adapted for adaptive sports.

Additionally, 300 new workout areas will be built, providing similar conditions for sports activities.

It was noted that the coverage of education for children with disabilities of preschool and school age is the lowest in the Kashkadarya, Samarkand, Surkhandarya, and Tashkent regions.

Across the country, 16,500 children with disabilities do not attend school, 17,500 do not attend preschool, and 11,000 are in special boarding schools far from their parents.

To address this, the Social Protection Agency, the Ministry of Preschool and School Education, and the khokims of the regions have been instructed to open an inclusive education group in each district’s preschool by February 1.

By September 1, inclusive classes will be established in 954 schools, providing access to education for 1,800 children with disabilities.

The Social Protection Agency has been tasked with introducing a system to compensate 75% of travel expenses for children with limited mobility when attending school.

Furthermore, the necessity to transform 90 special schools for children with mental and physical disabilities into multifunctional educational institutions was emphasized. This transformation will enable 2,000 children with disabilities to live with their parents and study in nearby schools.

Starting from the new school year, an exemplary school for children with disabilities will open in Tashkent.

Another initiative this year has been the creation of 73 daycare groups and "Care" groups for children with disabilities.

To encourage private sector participation in this area, additional opportunities are being provided. For example, entrepreneurs will receive a subsidy of 100,000 soums per day for each child, as well as concessional loans of up to 30 million soums for equipping facilities.

Thanks to these measures, a system of daycare services for 2,000 children with disabilities will be implemented in the Republic of Karakalpakstan, Andijan, Kashkadarya, Samarkand, Tashkent regions, and the city of Tashkent.

This system will be expanded to the remaining regions by October 1. Authorities have been tasked with attracting 15,000 children with disabilities to education next year.

This year, 300 children from orphanages and care homes were reintegrated into family settings. Currently, 500 children are still being raised and educated outside of family environments.

The responsible institutions have been instructed to place these 500 children in family-style children’s homes based on the experience of the National Guard and to create conditions for their education.

The list of schools specializing in the care and education of children without parental supervision will be revised. These schools will have a 5% quota for children in need of care. Admission to these schools will be based on referrals issued by the Social Protection Agency.

Overall, the responsibility for organizing quality education, upbringing, and reintegration of children with disabilities and orphaned children into family environments has been assigned to Sh. Mirziyeva, the first deputy director of the National Social Protection Agency.

Reports from the responsible authorities on these issues were heard during the meeting.