The Regional Community of Practice – participatory forums for UNDP staff, where experiences are shared and ideas are exchanged with the purpose of interactive learning and developing capacities in a particular field. The forums are held each year in various parts of the world.

The Regional Community of Practice (CoPs) is jointly organized by UNDP Country Office in Uzbekistan and UNDP Bratislava Regional Centre for Europe and CIS countries.

The main aim of the CoPs is to discuss common emerging issues, challenges, best practices, latest trends and achievements in the area of human development and disability issues. This event would be a great opportunity for Uzbekistan to showcase achievements of joint UNDP/Government of Uzbekistan projects, as well as to demonstrate tourism potential and cultural wealth of the country.

The session of the Regional Community of Practice titled “Rights of the Persons with Disabilities – New Trends and Challenges in Development” was attended by the UNDP experts from Austria, Belarus, Croatia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Serbia, Slovenia, United States, Tajikistan, Turkey and Uzbekistan.

During two days, the forum participants discussed actual issues related to supporting people with disabilities, overcoming stigma, prejudices and negative stereotypes against people with the disabilities,ensuring equal rights and accessible environment for their activities.

The conference participants also considered issues on ratification and monitoring of implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, creating accessible infrastructure for people with disabilities, as well as providing them with social services and creating social enterprises.

At the forum, the UNDP representatives determined short- and mid-term plans on supporting people with disabilities, which can be implemented at the support of the UNDP and other donors in 2012-2014.

On 24 September, the UNDP specialists visited social enterprise ‘Yorkinlik Ko'rki’ (‘Brightness’) of the Yunusabad branch (Tashkent city) of the Uzbek Union of People with Disabilities, where people with disabilities gain various skills. In 2010, the enterprise led by Feruza Vasikova won the contest for the best idea of social enterprise and received grant of the joint project of the UNDP Uzbekistan and the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population of the Republic of Uzbekistan “ACCESS: Promoting Accessibility, Civic Consciousness, Employment, and Social Support for Persons with Disabilities”. The enterprise bought modern sewing equipment and the social enterprise ‘Yorkinlik Ko'rki’ became the center, which currently unites over 850 people with disabilities. The UNDP experts were impressed with energy of the director of the enterprise Feruza Vasikova and aspiration of workers of the enterprise to be active members of the society.

On 26 September, the participants of the Regional Community of Practice paid visit to Samarkand specialized professional college for people with disabilities, under which social enterprise ‘TopMen Shoes’ operates. Director of the college Manzura Mahmudova briefed the guest on activities of the college and cooperation with social enterprise ‘TopMen Shoes’, which is also the winner of the grant from ACCESS project.

Received grants allowed director of the enterprise Ibrohim Juraev to purchase seven types of equipment to organize full circle of production of quality and competitive footwear, which highly demanded in Uzbekistan. Currently, the enterprise has 12 young workers, including seven people with disabilities. Ten more persons are working on temporary contracts. Annually, the enterprise accepts 30 interns, who are trained by its employees. During the visit, the guests familiarized with production process and products of ‘TopMen Shoes’, discussed with specialists of the enterprise, who simultaneously work as teachers at the college.

Monjurul Kabir, Policy Adviser on Human Rights, Justice and Legal Empowerment at the UNDP Bratislava Regional Center, said that the UNDP representatives were impressed with the visit to social enterprises in Tashkent and Samarkand.

Mr. Kabir underlined that during the visit the UNDP specialists did not only received chance to share their experience, but also had opportunity to learn from cooperation of the UNDP and the Government of Uzbekistan, which will be shared among other countries of the world.