The world is not on track to achieve gender equality by 2030. At the current rate of progress, it is estimated that it will take up to 286 years to close the gaps in legal protection and remove discriminatory laws, 140 years for women to be represented equally in positions of power and leadership in the workplace, and 47 years to achieve equal representation in national parliaments. Cascading global crises have highlighted and exacerbated existing gender inequalities, such as unequal access to health care, education and economic opportunities.

On the basis of data collected in 2022 in 119 countries, 55 per cent of the countries lacked laws that prohibit direct and indirect discrimination against women; half of the countries continued to lack quotas for women in the national parliament; 60 per cent of the countries failed to have laws defining rape based on the principle of consent; 45 per cent of countries did not mandate equal remuneration for work of equal value; over one third of countries failed to provide maternity leave in accordance with International Labour Organization (ILO) standards; almost one quarter of countries did not grant women equal rights to men to enter into marriage and initiate divorce; and close to three quarters of countries failed to stipulate 18 years as the minimum age of marriage for women and men, with no exceptions.

The Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan clearly articulates the principles of non-discrimination and equal rights for women and men. International assessments of gender equality in Uzbekistan indicate that the country still maintains a gender imbalance in education and in the areas of women's access to economic and political opportunities.

In Uzbekistan, over the past 15 years, the level of participation of women in public administration has increased. Thus, the share of seats held by women in the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis during 2006-2020. increased from 18% to 32%, and in Kengashes of people's deputies of regions, cities and districts increased from 14% to 25%. The decisive role was played by the Resolution of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan No. 87-I of May 6, 1995 "On the accession of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, adopted in New York on December 18, 1979", No. 493-I of 30 August 1997 "On Ratification of the Convention on Equal Remuneration for Men and Women for Work of Equal Value" and No. 501-I of August 30, 1997 "On Accession to the Convention on the Political Rights of Women", Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan No. 760-I of April 14, 1999 of the year "On additional benefits for women", Resolution of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan No. PD-4235 dated March 7, 2019 "On measures to further strengthen guarantees of labor rights and support for women's entrepreneurship" and a number of other similar legislative acts.

Despite these measures, the role of women in government decision-making is low. Women predominate in the lower echelons of power – in positions that do not involve decision-making. As you move up, the presence of women decreases. Thus, Proportion of women working in ministries and government committees in ministerial (equivalent) positions in Uzbekistan at the end of 2020 amounted to only 3.03 percent. In the field of education, gender inequality is clearly visible at the level of higher education, where coverage in higher education of the population aged 25 and over ​the proportion of women is 40 percent. The proportion of women with a Ph.D. degree is 37 percent, and the proportion of women with the academic title of Associate Professor is 31.5 percent, Doctor of Science – 24.3 percent, and female professors – 22.7 percent.

National Tasks

Target 5.1. Eliminate all forms of discrimination against all women worldwide.

Target 5.2. Eliminate all forms of violence against all women, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation.

Target 5.3. Prevent early and forced marriages.

Target 5.4. Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure and social protection policies and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household and the family as nationally appropriate.

Target 5.5. Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life.

Target 5.6. Ensuring universal access to health services to provide comprehensive medical and sanitary care in the field of reproductive health care.

Target 5.а. Expand programs aimed at supporting women in the realization of their rights and interests in the socio-economic sphere.

Target 5.b. Double the active use of high-impact technologies, in particular information and communication technologies, to empower women.

Target 5.с. Fully integrate the principles of gender equality in the process of adopting government programs at different government levels.

National indicators

6) MICS survey results

12) Without small businesses and microfirms

13) This indicator is based on household survey questionnaires

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