Uzbekistan Country Gender Assessment: Update

CUrrENCy EQUIVALENTS

(as of december 2018)

Currency Unit for Uzbekistan: SUM SUM1 – $0.00012

$1 – SUM8,299.20


dehkan – farmer hokimiyat – municipality kengash – council
kizlarjon – girls
makhallya – local self-governing community-based organization
maslakhatchi – community advisor on women’s issues, spirituality, and enlightenment Oliy Majlis – National assembly, parliament of the Republic of Uzbekistan Suvokava – district water supply and delivery organization
tuman – district
viloyat – region



t
he primary purpose of this country gender assessment (CGa) update is to contribute to the Country partnership Strategy (2018–2022) of the asian development Bank (adB) by recommending strategies for enhancing gender mainstreaming in the adB portfolio.
the most recent CGa for Uzbekistan was published in 2014. this CGa update builds on the previous report. It includes the latest data on gender indicators, and an analysis of policies, laws, formal and customary institutions, and practices in Uzbekistan in sectors relevant to adB operations. the assessment analyzes gender design features in selected projects; draws lessons from good practices and implementation issues and challenges; and, from these, recommends potential initiatives and interventions, and makes practical suggestions for mainstreaming gender in selected sectors.

1. Methodology

the CGa update applied several approaches to gathering and analyzing data in 2014–2017:

• 
  reviewing recent reports and policy documents related to gender equality and women’s empowerment in national legislation, as well as international commitments, with
  

the following information: (i) national demographic, socioeconomic, and human development statistics; (ii) international and regional comparative statistics and indexes on gender equality and women’s empowerment; (iii) gender equality laws, policies, strategies, and programs; and (iv) research studies, surveys, best practices, case studies, and lessons learned in gender equality;

• 
  assessing the implementation of gender actions and effectiveness in achieving gender equality results, identifying issues and lessons learned, and providing recommendations for gender-mainstreamed adB projects in Uzbekistan in 2014–2017;¹
  
• 
  using information from social surveys conducted under adB auspices in 2013–2017, along with other national and international sources on water supply and sanitation, electricity power supply, road investment, agriculture, and small and medium-sized (SMe) development, to better understand the socioeconomic situation of the affected population, assess their views on the project and its possible effects, and identify
  

¹ Gender-mainstreamed projects are categorized either under Gender equity as a theme (GeN) or effective Gender Mainstreaming (eGM), but this review also includes some projects categorized under Some Gender elements (SGe). the categories are based on adB’s gender mainstreaming categories: (i) GeN, if the project directly supports gender equality/women’s empowerment; (ii) eGM, if gender is substantially integrated into the project even though it does not directly address gender equality/women’s empowerment; (iii) SGe, if the project provides provides some direct and substantial benefits to women even though it does not meet eGM criteria; and (iv) No Gender elements.
(See adB. 2012. Guidelines for Gender Mainstreaming Categories of ADB Projects. Manila. https://www.adb.org/documents/guidelines-gender-mainstreaming-categories-adb-projects).
2 Uzbekistan Country Gender Assessment Update

mechanisms to ensure more active participation of women and local communities; and

• 
  gathering sex-disaggregated data based on 16 questionnaires and 6 focus group guides, including (i) an august–October 2017 field survey in the Kashkadarya, andijan, Namangan, and tashkent regions and the city of tashkent that included 32 in-country interviews with state and non-state agencies, development partners, beneficiaries,
  

and other stakeholders; (ii) meetings with selected beneficiaries of adB projects (102 group discussion participants); and (iii) coordination with related stakeholders.

the Cabinet of Ministers expressed its support before the gathering of data for this CGa update. the State Committee on Statistics, the Women’s Committee of Uzbekistan, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Business Women’s association, participating commercial banks (including the National Bank of Uzbekistan, Hamkor Bank, Ipak Yuli Bank, Kishlok Kurulish Bank, and Ipoteka Bank), and adB gender specialists, provided data and materials on their mission and activities.

2.