The forum on regional expansion of women's rights and opportunities took place

Gulnora Rakhimova, Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan, took part in the first day of the Asian Women's Forum held in the old city of Samarkand on May 13-14, 2024. The forum, titled "Regional Approach to Economic, Social, and Political Expansion of Women's Rights and Opportunities," gathered influential leaders and experts from across Asia to discuss and promote gender equality and the expansion of women’s rights.

The event, supported by the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and high-ranking international figures, including the Executive Director of UN Women, Sima Sami Bahous, focused on expanding women's roles in the socio-political and economic spheres of the continent.

In her address, Deputy Minister Rahimova highlighted the significant progress Uzbekistan has made in advancing women's rights and their participation in various sectors. She detailed legislative measures and initiatives such as the "Iron Notebook," "Women's Notebook," and "Youth Notebook," which have systematically addressed social vulnerabilities and provided targeted support to women in need. Moreover, she emphasized the economic impact of these reforms, noting the significant increase in women’s participation in entrepreneurship and public administration.

She also mentioned measures including the provision of interest-free educational loans for women and significant allocations from the state budget to support women entrepreneurs and professionals. These initiatives are a crucial part of Uzbekistan’s strategy to ensure gender equality and enhance the socio-economic status of women in the country.

Furthermore, active efforts undertaken by the Ministry to implement gender budgeting were mentioned. This approach is aimed at integrating gender analysis into financial planning and budget formulation processes, ensuring support for gender equality in all government initiatives and programs. This contributes to strengthening social justice and enhancing the efficiency of public expenditures, and it also represents an important step towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals in the area of gender equality.

Participants expressed hope that the forum would catalyze further international cooperation and facilitate the implementation of best practices and strategies for promoting women’s rights and opportunities. The forum served as a platform for dialogue to address the challenges faced by women in Asia and to strengthen their participation in governance and social life.

The Asian Women’s Forum concluded with the adoption of the Samarkand Declaration, aimed at increasing the socio-economic, legal-political, and cultural-humanitarian activity of women in Asia. This conference sets the direction for ongoing collaboration and joint efforts to achieve gender equality in the region.

Infromation Service

Ministry of Economy and Finance