Representatives of state bodies, mahalla committees and NGOs from Tashkent region participated at the work of two-day seminar on internal migration issues on 6-7 July, which was organized at the support of UNDP Country Office in Uzbekistan.

The seminar entitled "Social protection of women, participating in migration processes in Uzbekistan" addressed such issues as women migration, interaction of various organizations in solving illegal women migration, awareness raising of women migrants’ rights, protection mechanisms of migrants’ rights and others.

Women’s Committee of Uzbekistan organized the event at assistance of UNDP’s project "Promotion of the rights of women migrant workers". The project directed to improve the protection of human rights of the women involved in labour migration in Uzbekistan and to increase the quality of services provided by relevant government and nongovernmental bodies to women migrant workers and the victims of human trafficking.

Representatives of Women’s Committee, departments of justice, internal affairs, labour and social welfare, Mahalla (Neighborhood) foundation and other organizations, located in Tashkent region, participated at the event. This is the first event in series of seminars, which will be organized in various regions of Uzbekistan.

Gulnara Marufova, Deputy Chairperson of Women’s Committee of Uzbekistan, said: labour migration is natural process, but it is important to pay attention to social and legal protection of women, participation in migration processes and observance of their labour rights. Marufova expressed hope that participants of the seminar will find common ground to solve problems, connected with migration processes.

Farida Akbarova, deputy governor of Tashkent region and chairperson of Women’s Committee of Tashkent region, said: "People have their rights. We should think how to protect people and raise awareness on their rights, including migrants."

Ms Akbarova said: "Two-day seminar should help us to determine how to protect migrants. Uzbek parliament works on migration laws, but we should do something before these laws adopted." She said the participants should determine for themselves directions on protection of migrant’s right.