Uzbekistan Country Gender Assessment: Update

Key Gender Issues

the 2016 Human development Report shows that almost 100% of the population has at least secondary education, with equal proportions for males (99.9%) and females (99.9%).²¹³ However, issue remain regarding school attendance and completion for girls and boys living in rural areas.

the Convention on elimination of all Forms of discrimination against Women (CedaW) Committee recommendation “to guarantee that the cotton harvest season does not compromise the rights of both girls and boys to education” has been met.²¹⁴ this was noted by the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to education. as a result of public monitoring, no case of child labor (both boys and girls) has been registered since 2012.²¹⁵

²⁰⁹ decree of the president #2909 (20 april 2017). On Measures for Further Development of the System of Higher Education; decree of the president #295 (5 May 2017). On Admission of the Republic of Uzbekistan in the 2017-2018 Academic Years. this resolution determines a quota for bachelor degree students in higher educational institutions for the 2017–2018 academic year.
²¹⁰ In some universities, 15–18 applications were submitted per seat in 2017. adB. 2017. data obtained during CGaU preparation.
²¹¹ decree of the president #3183 (9 august 2017). On Organization of Special Correspondence Departments on Pedagogical areas in Higher Educational Institutions. http://prezident.uz/ru/lists/view?id=876. the system of correspondence studies implies distance learning opportunities based on interim assignments within a set of educational disciplines, submitted between semesters. at the end of each semester, there are daytime sessions (up to 2 weeks) for concise teacher- guided overview of main subjects, followed by exams that the students must take in person. Correspondence studies train students who combine school with work, sports or other activities, but also those who prefer it because of the lower cost.
²¹² as stated by I. Madjidov, the deputy minister of Higher and Special Secondary education of Uzbekistan, correspondence studies were broadly administered in Uzbekistan during the Soviet period and were suspended in 2004 due to the low quality of education. podrobno.uz Online edition. Uzbekistan plans to restore correspondence and evening education in universities. http://podrobno.uz/cat/obchestvo/uzbekistan-planiruet-vosstanovit-zaochnoe-i-vechernee-obuchenie-v- vuzakh/ 7 June 2017.
²¹³ United Nations development programme. 2016. Human Development Report 2016. http://hdr.undp.org/sites/all/themes/ hdr_theme/country-notes/UZB.pdf.
²¹⁴ UN Committee on the elimination of discrimination against Women. 2015. 16^th session.16 February–6 March. http:// tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/treatybodyexternal/download.aspx?symbolno=CedaW/C/UZB/CO/4&Lang=en
²¹⁵ Office of the United Nations Commissioner for Human Rights. 2013. Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review. Uzbekistan. 5 april. paras. 96–97. also: International Labour Organization. 2015. Third