In recent years, taking into account international standards and advanced foreign experience, ensuring the protection of the rights of convicts, respect for their honor and dignity, education of morality and conscientious work for further social adaptation in society upon release, a fundamental improvement of the penal enforcement legislation in the Republic of Uzbekistan has been carried out with the introduction of effective legal mechanisms.

Currently, there are a number of international conventions and provisions aimed at protecting the rights of convicts, which are regulated by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. (1966), "Convention against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment" (1984), "Declaration on the protection of all persons from torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment" (1975), "Standard minimum rules for the treatment of convicts (Nelson Mandela rules)" (2015), "UN rules for the protection of minor children deprived of liberty " (1990), "Basic principles of the treatment of convicts" (1990).

Based on the norms of these international documents developed and adopted by the international community on standards for the treatment of convicts, systematic work is underway in the country to humanize execution and reduce negative consequences during their execution, as well as strengthen the legislative, organizational and legal framework for the protection of human rights, the implementation of international human rights standards into national legislation and other important norms human life activities that have been accepted for implementation by the Republic of Uzbekistan as a subject of the above-mentioned and other international treaties.

It is important to note that "Standard minimum rules for the treatment of prisoners" of UN 1955 are generally recognized minimum standards for the detention of prisoners and have great importance and influence on the improvement of legislation, criminal law policy and the practice of penitentiary institutions around the world.

The revised text of these standard minimum rules of December 17, 2015 at the 70th session of the UN General Assembly № A/RES/70/175 was unanimously adopted in the form of a resolution. These Rules became known as the "Nelson Mandela rules" as a sign of respect for his memory after the death of the famous statesman, the President of South Africa, who outlined these rules based on the experience of spending a long part of his life in prison.

It is also necessary to pay attention to the fact that, following the visit to Uzbekistan of the Special Rapporteur of the UN Human Rights Council, the topic "Promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the fight against terrorism" recommendations were made to bring the legislation of the Republic of Uzbekistan into line with the minimum standard rules for the treatment of prisoners (Nelson Mandela rules), in order to improve the conditions of detention of convicts in penal institutions, to ensure the rights to freedom of religion, which formed the basis of the “Road maps”, developed in accordance with the National Action Plan of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

In order to ensure the fulfillment of these tasks, the conditions of detention of convicts in penal institutions of the Republic of Uzbekistan are considered on the basis of the requirements of the standard minimum rules for the treatment of prisoners (Mandela rules), which are gradually being implemented in accordance with these rules.

On the basis of international standards of the rights and duties of convicts, taking into account the best practices of foreign countries, the system of execution of punishments is being radically improved, the problems that have accumulated over the years are being solved.

In the new version of the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan the right to life is an inalienable right of every person and is protected by law. The most serious crime is an attempt on a person's life. The death penalty is prohibited in the Republic of Uzbekistan. Essence is that no one can be intentionally deprived of life. This norm is in line with the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, as well as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The human right to life is recognized as a natural and inviolable right arising from the moment of his birth, and belongs to a person regardless of the existence of statehood and laws.

In recent years, as part of the work to bring national legislation into line with international standards, for the first time the right to be elected was granted to convicts, except for persons who committed serious and especially serious crimes (Part 6 of Article 128 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan). The number of convicts held in institutions of general, strict, special, prison and educational regime has doubled, for correspondence, receiving visits, parcels, transfers and parcels, conducting telephone conversations.

In addition, those sentenced to imprisonment are guaranteed psychological assistance and non-application of disciplinary measures for violations committed at the time of mental disorder, and the right to a pension is established for those serving sentences in penal colonies.

Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan June 30, 2020 introduced a new norm into the Penal Enforcement Code defining the procedure for the application of incentive measures for persons serving sentences, expanded measures aimed at ensuring the personal safety of convicts while serving their sentences.

At the request of the convicts, long-term visits can be replaced by short-term visits or remote video calls or telephone conversations, and short-term visits are replaced by remote video calls or telephone conversations. Persons serving sentences from low-income families are employed in high-paying jobs.

In the process of ongoing reforms, special attention was paid to creating decent conditions for convicts, for this purpose, the pre-trial detention facility -64/1, which had a negative character and was popularly nicknamed "Tashturma", was closed in Tashkent. Instead, a new pre-trial detention facility №1 has been built and is functioning in  Zangiata district of the Tashkent region, fully meeting international standards. Similarly, the institution "Jaslyk" in Karakalpakstan was abolished, and the convicts held in it were transferred to other colonies of the republic.

In recent years, there has been a tendency in our country to use alternative, non-custodial measures, which has reduced the number of convicts sent to penal institutions. This situation has made it possible over the past four years to reduce three penal colonies of the general regime, one each in Navoi, Kashkadarya and Tashkent regions.

In the Republic, the legislative, executive, and departmental authorities constantly monitor compliance with the rule of law and ensure the rights and legitimate interests of persons serving sentences in places of deprivation of liberty.

Thus, with the introduction of the post of Commissioner of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Human Rights (Ombudsman) He was granted the right to freely visit penal institutions. The Ombudsman and the Prosecutor have separate mailboxes designed for applications and complaints from these persons. The Prosecutor's Office and the Ombudsman regularly examine the observance of laws in penal institutions. The management of the Department for the Execution of Punishment constantly carries out field visits to places of deprivation of liberty in order to study the complaints and statements of convicts and make an appropriate decision and its immediate execution.

It should be added that, according to the recommendations of the UN charter bodies and treaty committees, the national preventive mechanism is being improved on the basis of the "Ombudsman Plus" model. The Ombudsman, and the Children's Ombudsman, the National Center for Human Rights and the Business Ombudsman have also been given the authority to monitor penal institutions.

As a result of the ongoing reforms, completely new priorities of the State penal enforcement policy have been developed and put into practice, providing for the following main aspects.

In particular, the Penal Enforcement Code has been supplemented with a new Article 102 "Procedure for the application of incentive measures", which abolished restrictions on visits of juvenile convicts with their parents or persons replacing them; convicted pregnant women with children are granted additional rights to long visits with minor children lasting up to five days - four times a year as well as long - term visits with the possibility of living outside the territory of the institution, the application of incentive measures to convicts - at least twice a year; if there is a threat to the safety of a person sentenced to imprisonment, it is established that he can apply, verbally or in writing, to any employee of the institution for the execution of punishment in order to ensure the declared safety, while the requirement is defined – upon receipt of such a statement about the need for immediate action, measures should be taken immediately to ensure his safety. An important requirement is also to prevent the unjustified use of rudeness, physical force and special means by employees and military personnel during the search of convicts; timely and appropriate conduct of long and short-term visits, telephone conversations, remote video communication, short-term remote video communication or telephone conversation.

It should be noted that such measures of encouragement for convicts are also enshrined in the penal codes of Spain, Turkiye, Japan and some other countries.

In accordance with the norms of the Penal Enforcement Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan, penitentiary institutions provide measures to protect the health of convicts, ensure their education, free use of libraries and other authorized sources of information (radio, television, movies and video films, etc.).

The "Import model" of prison management in Norway with a developed penal enforcement system is of interest. To implement this model, work is underway to establish a system of providing services (education, library use, health care) in places of detention.

It is also necessary to mention the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated December 7, 2021, which, in order to humanize minors in the Penal Enforcement Code, provides for a norm defining the placement of persons in educational colonies not from the age of 13, but from 14. This has become one of the important steps towards reliable protection of the rights and legitimate interests of minors in the process of criminal and judicial proceedings in our country.

In order to further deepen the large-scale reforms being implemented in the system of Ministry of Internal Affairs, decree of March 26 and Resolution of April 2, 2021, the Main Directorate for the Execution of Punishment was transformed into the Department for the Execution of Punishment under the Ministry of Internal Affairs, it defines the legal basis for the department's activities to ensure the order of serving punishment by digitalizing the penal enforcement system, which will eliminate errors related to the human factor.

In addition, the law of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated February 15, 2023 "On State pension provision for citizens" provides that any work performed by persons sentenced to imprisonment while serving their sentence in penal institutions may be envisaged that the convicted person will be included in the work record in case of tax payment. This procedure is now defined in Article 96 of the Penal Enforcement Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan in a new edition, which has been renamed as "Payment of social tax and pension provision for convicts." Its first part defines "The expenses of institutions for the execution of punishment for the payment of labor sentenced to imprisonment that are subject to social tax", along with this, convicts have the right to transfer funds and use other services provided to convicts.

An important legislative decision is the prohibition of the use of a punishment measure with the use of a "straitjacket". This provision is based on Article 26 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan, which states: "No one may be subjected to torture, violence, or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment" directly acts to prevent the use of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment in penal institutions.

As a result of the ongoing reforms in the system of state penal enforcement policy, it is stipulated that common living quarters for persons with disabilities of groups I and II sentenced to imprisonment should be equipped with special means and devices; it is allowed to watch films, television and radio broadcasts, except for the time allotted for night rest; criteria for treatment are defined convicts.

In addition, it is important to eliminate corruption factors in assessing the behavior of convicts by including the length of service in the institution in the total length of service for their further retirement and, most importantly, by establishing strict criteria that determine the way to correct convicts.

The above allows us to conclude that the reforms carried out in this area are yielding positive results. In particular, recently the offenses of convicts in places of deprivation of liberty and after their release have been reduced; to a greater extent, the conditions of serving a sentence in the form of imprisonment comply with international standards, the incentive mechanisms applied to convicts serving sentences and those who have embarked on the path of correction are being improved, they ensure the protection of the rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of convicts, allowing them not to violate their interests; Public groups and citizens' self-government bodies are actively involved in the educational process of correcting convicts; offenses by law enforcement agencies have significantly decreased.

Mirzayusup Rustambayev,

Head of the University of Public Safety of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Doctor of Law, Professor

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has been informed of the work being done in the spiritual and educational sphere.

The main priority of transformations in multi-ethnic Uzbekistan is the comprehensive protection of the rights and freedoms of all its citizens. And one of the inalienable rights is freedom of religion. Therefore, all conditions are being created in our country so that believers can perform rituals and observe religious traditions.

It is worth emphasizing that the policy of New Uzbekistan in this area is receiving great recognition not only among our people, but also among the international community.

Thus, if in the early years of Uzbekistan's independence the number of compatriots honored with the holy pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina could be counted on fingers, these days more than 15 thousand Uzbeks are performing the sacred rites.

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev's greeting to our people on the occasion of Kurban Hayit, his conversation with Chairman of the Muslim Mufti Sheikh Nuriddin Khaliknazar on the pilgrimage of our compatriots have become one of the brightest pages of this year's Hajj season.

In a short period of time, Uzbekistan has created a comprehensive system of training qualified personnel in the religious and educational sphere. In order to study and popularize the rich scientific heritage of our scholars, research centers have been launched. Examples of this are the International Islamic Academy of Uzbekistan, the Mir Arab Higher Madrasa, the School of Hadith Studies, and the international research centers of Imam Bukhari, Imam Termizi, and Imam Moturidi. Large-scale renovation and improvement of Imam Bukhari memorial complex is underway.

During today's meeting it was emphasized the necessity of wider study and propaganda of works of these great thinkers among the population, especially among the youth. Since it is in them that the true meaning of Islam, enlightening ideas of the Muslim religion are laid down. And it is especially actual now, in our troubled time, when all over the world various forces try to distort the essence of religion and to lead young people off the true path.

It was noted a great role in this work and those who now make pilgrimage in sacred Mecca. The pilgrims have recently made an appeal, where they expressed their readiness to contribute to the spiritual education of the younger generation in their districts, in their mahallas.

Also at the meeting, the head of state stressed that an important role in these processes should be played by the Center of Islamic Civilization, the activities of which will serve to widely acquaint our people and foreign guests with the invaluable heritage of ancestors, to promote the ideas of enlightened Islam. At present, scientists-historians and theologians are working on filling the activities of the center with new content.

Information about further plans of the center's activity was heard.

You can read more details in the file below!

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev visited the Inno innovative training and production technopark in Almazar district of the capital.

This technopark was established three years ago. Innovative ideas and inventions for the development of industrial sectors are developed here. In order to train young people in modern professions, cooperation with higher educational institutions has been established. Every year seminars and workshops are held with the participation of about 15 thousand students and pupils.

There are more and more such innovation centers in our country. Industry, energy and information technologies are developing, new complexes are being launched. They require engineers and technicians with up-to-date knowledge and qualifications.

The activity of higher engineering schools established at Tashkent State Technical University, Bukhara Institute of Engineering and Technology, Tashkent State Transport University, Fergana Polytechnic Institute, Tashkent Architecture and Construction University and Tashkent University of Information Technologies has been presented to the President.

The decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated February 2, 2024 sets a number of tasks in this direction. In particular, according to the decree, the organizational and managerial activities of higher education institutions that train personnel in engineering and technology are being improved. The existing training programs are being studied and fundamentally changed in accordance with modern technologies and the requirements of employers.

The head of our state was informed about it.

At the first stage, higher engineering schools will be opened at 10 institutions of higher education. The supervisory board of the schools will include not only scientists, but also representatives of partner enterprises.

Two-year master's degree programs will be implemented in these schools, candidates will be selected on the basis of manufacturers' orders. In the first year, students will design new products on the orders of enterprises, conduct scientific research and study in in-depth modular programs. In the second year, they will test at enterprises technological processes related to the creation of prototypes of new products.

The President paid attention to the practical applicability and effectiveness of scientific research in higher educational institutions. It was noted that the attention paid to the education system should be really embodied in scientific achievements.

The head of state also familiarized himself with the inventions and advanced developments of researchers. In particular, energy-efficient devices, a cooling system protecting transformers from overheating under load, chemical reagents important for the oil and gas industry, modern approaches in construction, including road construction, engineering projects for hydraulic structures and modern solutions in the field of information technologies were presented.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed the law "On Recognition of Rights to Unauthorized Land Plots and Buildings and Structures Constructed on Them".

Many citizens of our country have been waiting for the resolution of this issue, which concerns the lives of millions of families. According to preliminary data, there are currently more than 3 million 600 thousand land plots, the legal documents for which are not formalized or incomplete.

In this regard, the head of state at a video conference call on land registration and cadastre held on November 21, 2023, noted the need for a legal solution to this issue. Accordingly, a draft law was developed with the participation of specialists in the sphere and deputies. The positive experience of Italy, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic and other countries was taken into account. The draft was finalized and considered in the chambers of the Oliy Majlis.

The law consists of 6 chapters and 35 articles, which recognize rights to the following land plots and property:

1) land plots unauthorizedly seized by citizens before May 1, 2018 through the construction of individual housing, and buildings and structures built on them;

2) land plots occupied by citizens and organizations before May 1, 2018 in excess of the area specified in the document, as well as buildings and structures built on them;

3) land plots, the recognition of rights to which within the framework of the "one-time action" has not been completed, as well as buildings and structures constructed on them;

4) land plots allocated by decision of the regional (city) khokim until June 8, 2021, but not approved by the regional khokim or the Kengash of People's Deputies;

5) residential premises on the territory of horticultural and vine-growing associations and the land plot occupied by them;

6) land plots of entrepreneurs located in small industrial zones before March 9, 2020;

7) land plots occupied by buildings and houses privatized by state warrant;

8) land plots occupied by buildings and houses for which the ownership right has been recognized by the decision of the hokim.

The law also clearly defines the main conditions for recognizing rights. For example, the land plot should not be allocated to other persons or put up for auction; there should be no dispute over the land plot; there should be no contradiction with the general plan.

Recognition of rights is carried out step by step by region. Approval of information and documents concerning unauthorized land plots and buildings and structures built on them is carried out through the automated information system of the Cadastre Agency. The relevant information is also entered into this system by 15 authorized organizations.

Completeness and legality of the collected documents are checked by the regional justice department. The results will be announced on the website of the Cadastre Agency and in makhalla corners. Citizens who have received a positive conclusion will be sent an SMS-message, on the basis of which a one-time payment will be made. After that, the rights will be recognized quarterly by the decision of the regional Kengash of People's Deputies.

The bodies of prosecutor's office, internal affairs, agro-inspection, ecology, cadastre establish state control over the implementation of the law. The law also pays special attention to public control. Thus, public groups will be created in each mahalla by decision of district councils of people's deputies. These groups will include a deputy of the district council elected from the district where the mahalla is located, the chairman of the mahalla and active citizens.

A one-time payment is charged for the recognition of rights to land plots under residential houses, privatized or buildings and structures recognized on the right of ownership. The amount of the payment is 5 basic calculation units in the city of Tashkent, 3 BRV in the city of Nukus and regional centers, 2 BRV in cities and 1 BRV in other settlements. Persons included in the Unified Register of Social Protection and persons with disabilities are given a discount.

The one-time payment is directed to cover the costs of the cadastre and justice bodies and the Uzbekcosmos Agency. The remaining funds will be directed to the activities of the initiative budget, i.e. to the mahallas.

The law will come into force in 3 months, before that explanatory and preparatory work will be carried out on the ground. The law will be in force until January 1, 2028.

It should be noted that in the Republic of Karakalpakstan work in this direction has already begun. The Decree of the President of Uzbekistan of July 28, 2023 allowed to recognize the rights to undocumented residential houses and land plots located in the region by the decision of Jokargy Kenes of the Republic of Karakalpakstan.

After that, working groups were established in all districts and cities to examine 43,432 houses built in the Republic of Karakalpakstan without title documents. The location, condition and time of construction of the houses were verified on the basis of an analysis of land records and space images.

Following a comprehensive discussion, ownership of 27,590 residential houses and the right to lease the land on which they are located were recognized.

The results of this noble policy have had a positive impact on the lives of more than 100,000 citizens living in 27,590 houses. They now have the right to legally register their housing, sell it to another person, and put family members on permanent registration. Also, owners will now be able to receive preferential loans for repairs or additional construction, and in case of seizure of housing for public needs to demand compensation in accordance with the law.

The law "On Recognition of Rights to Unauthorized Land Plots and Buildings and Structures Constructed on Them" will expand the scope of this noble work throughout the country. If we assume that each of more than 3 million 600 thousand land plots concerns on average 3-4 citizens or entrepreneurs, this law will solve the problems of more than 10 million people and create a legal basis for their future life.

Today, as global climate changes are observed, the population is growing, and industrial sectors are rapidly developing, the value of water resources is increasing not only in the Central Asian region but also worldwide.

According to the data, over the past 30 years, the air temperature in our region has increased by one and a half degrees, as a result of which about a third of the centuries-old glaciers in the highlands have melted, and the volume of water in rivers and streams has decreased slightly.

If current climate trends continue, in the next twenty years, the flow of the two large rivers, Amu Darya and Syr Darya, may decrease by 15%. This would result in a 25 percent reduction in per capita water availability and agricultural crop yields.

These are not just numbers, but indicators related to the fate and well-being of the people living in the region.

According to scientists, by 2040 in some areas of Central Asia, the need for water resources will triple. Over time, economic damage could reach 11% of the region's gross domestic product. The United Nations (UN) warns that countries in the region are currently losing up to US$2 billion a year due to water scarcity and inefficient use. Therefore, if appropriate measures are not taken now, it is inevitable that the countries in our region will face dire consequences of water shortages.

Under the leadership of the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, special attention is being paid to the comprehensive development of the water management sector in our republic, the rational use of existing water resources, including the widespread introduction of digital and water-saving irrigation technologies, and remarkable results are being achieved in this regard.

In his speech at the 78th session of the UN General Assembly on September 19, 2023, the leader of Uzbekistan emphasized the issue of water resource shortages in Central Asia, supported the establishment of the position of the UN Secretary General's Special Representative on Water Resources, and proposed creating a platform for water-saving technologies in Central Asia. In the process of using the "United Nations-Water Resources" mechanism, he emphasized his support for attracting and implementing the most advanced technologies.

This means that Uzbekistan will take the initiative in creating a platform for water-saving technologies in Central Asia, while also seeking to involve the international community in the process.

For more than 30 years since its establishment, the International Fund for Saving the Aral has become the most important platform for regional cooperation in the fields of water management and ecology. In the face of new risks and threats arising because of global climate change, the role and importance of the fund are increasing.

On September 15, 2023, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev put forward the initiative to develop and implement new, agreed-upon decisions for the long-term perspective within the framework of this structure at the meeting of the Council of Heads of the Founding States of the International Fund for Saving the Aral held in Dushanbe. Reflecting the spirit of today, he emphasized the need to further improve the fund's legal framework and modernize its institutional mechanisms.

It should be noted that in the country’s domestic policy over the past seven years, at the initiative of the President, large-scale reforms in the water sector have been implemented. To manage state policy in the field of water management, a separate Ministry of Water Resources was created and the Concept for the development of the industry for the period until 2030 was approved.

As a logical continuation of these reforms and to solve systemic problems at the middle and upper levels of the water management system, on May 7, 2024, the President of Uzbekistan signed the decree "On Setting Priorities for the Introduction and Development of a Modern Management System in Water Resources." According to this document, the activity of the Ministry of Water Resources was divided into three parts, setting up a vertical management system. At the upper level is the management of the state water policy, the regulator; the middle level is engaged in the operation and construction of water management facilities and the introduction of business processes into the sector; and the lower-level handles supplying water directly to consumers.

In the middle stage, an agency for the exploitation of water resource facilities is being set up that operates as an independent legal entity. The agency includes the Ministry of Water Resources of the Republic of Karakalpakhstan and regional irrigation systems basin departments, main canals, water reservoirs, and pumping station utilization departments, as well as land-improvement expeditions.

The department for the implementation of water management projects participates as a customer in projects funded by the budget and foreign investments. The decree envisages a 22% increase in the salary of middle- and high-level employees working in the ministry system, starting on July 1, 2024, and a 60% increase starting in 2025. It should be mentioned that starting in January 2024, the salary of lower-level employees has been doubled, and several incentive mechanisms are being used.

As a result of the accurate calculation of available water resources, special attention is paid to the introduction of water-saving technologies, resulting in abundant and high-quality harvests from agricultural crops. Nevertheless, the prevention of water scarcity remains one of the most important directions for Uzbekistan.

Uzbekistan is a country with a large water infrastructure in the Central Asian region; the total irrigated cropland exceeds 4.3 million hectares.

As one of the five priority directions of the "Uzbekistan-2030" strategy, which defines the goals of sustainable development of the country, the task of saving water resources and environmental protection is emphasized, placing great responsibility on water management employees.

To reduce water losses in irrigation networks, the year 2024 was announced as a "breakthrough year for concreting canals" in the water industry at the initiative of the President. For this purpose, 5,000 kilometers of irrigation networks, of which 1,500 kilometers are main and inter-farm and 3,500 kilometers are internal, have been concreted this year. To date, 525 kilometers of canals have been reconstructed, of which 355 kilometers have been concreted. The length of canals concreted by clusters and farms has exceeded 13,500 kilometers.

In recent years, the areas covered by water-saving technologies in the country have reached 1.3 million hectares. Of this, drip irrigation accounts for 478,000 hectares, sprinkler irrigation for 55,000 hectares, and discrete method irrigation for 29,000 hectares. Over 700,000 hectares have been leveled using laser leveling equipment.

Work on the introduction of water-saving technologies, which started in previous years, is being continued consistently. This year alone, it is planned to introduce cost-effective technologies on 500,000 hectares of land and to fully cover all irrigated farming areas in the country with such technologies by 2030.

All possibilities and resources are being used for this. Today, the number of local enterprises producing equipment and components for water-saving technologies in Uzbekistan has reached 55, with plans to increase this number in the future.

In recent years, 11,446 "Smart Water" devices, online water level monitoring meters in 1,704 pumping units, and online monitoring of seepage water levels have been installed in 6,746 reclamation monitoring wells. To manage water resources from one point without human intervention, the management processes of 65 large water management facilities were automated.

It is planned to save 8 billion cubic meters of water in 2024 through the concreting of channels, the introduction of water-saving technologies, the digitization of the industry, the implementation of "smart" devices, and effective water management.

It should be noted that 60 percent of the irrigated cropland in the country is supplied with water through pumps. There are more than 1,600 pumping stations in the Ministry's system, and due to their modernization, installation of modern energy-saving devices, and the introduction of public-private partnerships, electricity consumption has been reduced by 1.5 billion kWh in the last seven years.

In the coming years, the total cost of the water industry will be $6.0 trillion. Agreements for 463 public-private partnership projects worth significant amounts in soums were signed. In 2023, all water management facilities in five districts and 300 pumping stations across the republic will be transferred to the private sector.

This transfer increases work efficiency, saves up to 30% on electricity at pumping stations, and reduces salary deductions by 13%.

The "Irrigators' School" was launched in cooperation with the Ministry of Water Resources, the "Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization Engineers," the National Research University, and "Agrobank." Highly qualified specialists from abroad are organizing one-week-long free training courses for designers, contractors, managers of farms, and cluster enterprises from all districts of the republic.

In short, life itself proves that the only solution to mitigate the water shortage in our region is to save water and use it wisely.

Press service of the Ministry of Water Resources
of the Republic of Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan — is a country of irreversible, rapid reforms. One of the priorities of the development strategy of the New Uzbekistan is the policy of achieving gender equality in the country.

Under the "Uzbekistan-2030" development strategy, large-scale measures are being implemented to increase women's political, social and economic activity, protect mothers and children, promote gender equality and safeguard women's rights and interests.

Thanks to the political will of the leadership of Uzbekistan, the Gender Strategy of Uzbekistan until 2030 was developed, the laws “On guarantees of equal rights and opportunities for women and men”, “On protection from oppression and violence” were adopted, as well as legislative norms on mandatory gender expertise of all regulations and introduction of gender audit. Thus, a mechanism has been introduced to study the state of the gender approach in all government organizations and to develop measures to ensure equal rights and opportunities for women and men by the Federation of Trade Unions as public control. Liability for domestic violence has been strengthened. Over the past 5 years, more than 40 Presidential decrees and Resolutions have been adopted aimed at ensuring gender equality. Meanwhile, legislation for women is being improved and opportunities are expanding. In 2023, the Electoral Code of Uzbekistan established provisions that the number of women when nominated from political parties to representative bodies of power should be at least 40% of the total number of nominated candidates for deputies and in the proportional election system, nominate at least two women out of each five candidates for parliament. Since 2019, a Gender Commission on increasing the role of women in society, gender equality and family has been created in the Senate. The Committee for Women and Family Affairs was newly created, more than 9 thousand positions were established, up to mahallas, specifically dealing with issues of women and family throughout the country and at all levels, rehabilitation centers began to operate to provide assistance to women victims of violence.

Systemic measures taken at the initiative of the head of state, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, in order to reduce poverty, establish “women’s notebooks”, reduce unemployment among women and support women’s entrepreneurship, preferential loans for women have yielded tangible results throughout the country. A number of restrictions on women’s occupation and choice of professions were lifted. Advisory councils on gender issues were created in all ministries and departments. As a result, the number of women in parliament reached 33%, in business their number doubled and reached 25%, in political parties 44%, in higher education 40%. In 2023 alone, more than 13,3 billion soums of loans were allocated for the implementation of over 279 thousand women’s business projects, and about 300 billion soums of subsidies were provided to almost 57 thousand women. Based on the “Women's Notebooks” system, the problems of 994 thousand women were solved, the state allocated 1 trillion 234 million soums for these purposes.

As a result of studying the situation of women in mahallas, targeted assistance was provided to more than 690 thousand families in need of social protection.

In 2024, it is planned to provide 8 thousand women and girls included in the “Youth Notebook” with subsidies to start their own business and purchase equipment, and 10 thousand with preferential loans. It is planned to launch a “Business Marathon” project for 50 thousand young women with the participation of qualified specialists to provide practical assistance in setting up a business.

In the field of education, great attention is also paid to gender equality. The country has taken a number of effective measures to protect women and girls; a gender approach is being introduced into curricula and teaching methods, as well as in STEM education, especially in rural areas. Currently, more than half of the 1 million 300 thousand students, i.e. 653 thousand, are girls. In the master's program, the share of girls is 60% of master's students. The state encourages and fully pays for the contracts of women and girls studying for a master's degree from the state budget. In 2023-24 1,914 girls from needy families were accepted to study at universities using additional government grants. 181,500 girls received preferential educational loans. At the expense of local budgets, the contract amount of more than 2 thousand students from families in need of social protection, orphans or students deprived of parental care was covered for 14 billion soums.

Improving the opportunities and conditions for the education of women and girls in the country gave impetus to an increase in interest in mastering modern knowledge and professions, for example, within the framework of the educational project “One Million Programmers”, 47% were girls. Creating favorable conditions for women in education gives real results in unlocking their potential. Over the past seven years, more than 5 thousand women have been awarded the academic titles of Doctors of Philosophy and Doctors of Science. More than 14 thousand women are conducting their research at universities in Uzbekistan.

Achieving gender equality — is a global task on the agenda of universal international organizations such as the UN and other regional structures. Uzbekistan is actively developing international cooperation in this area. As a party to the 1979 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the 1995 Beijing Declaration of the Platform for Action, the country regularly submits national reports to the Committee and develops national action plans.

In recent years, great importance has been attached to cooperation in the field of gender equality with the countries of Central Asia. The Forums of Women Leaders of Central Asia and the Asian Women's Forum in 2024 were successfully held, where representatives of more than 40 countries and international organizations participated.

Lola Saidova, Doctor of Law, Professor,

Chief Researcher of the ISRS under the

President of the Republic of Uzbekistan

The most important sign of civil society is manifested in the fact that citizens exercise complete control over the activities of state structures. According to article 36 of the new version of the Constitution of Uzbekistan, our citizens have the right to participate directly and through their representatives in the management of the affairs of society and the state. Such participation is carried out through self-government, referendums and the democratic formation of state bodies, as well as public control over the activities of state bodies. The procedure for exercising public control over the activities of state bodies is established by law.

In order to organize and regulate relations in the field of public control over the activities of state bodies and institutions, the law “On Public Control” was adopted on April 12, 2018. According to this law, public control is carried out in such forms as appeals and requests to state bodies, public discussions, public hearings, public monitoring, and the study is carried out by citizens' self-government bodies in such forms as hearing reports and information from officials of state bodies.

Consistent work is underway in our country to implement public control and improve the regulatory framework governing this area. By presidential decree dated May 4, 2018, the badge "For contribution to the development of civil society" was established; the decree of the President of Uzbekistan dated July 4, 2018 "On measures to organize the activities of public councils under state bodies" was of great importance for accelerating work in this area. This resolution establishes the procedure for organizing the main tasks, functions, powers and activities of the public council under state bodies, which basically provides that the public council is created by the decision of the head of the state body, carries out its work on a voluntary basis and it is assumed that it will conduct its work on a public basis, as well as be considered as a permanent advisory body whose decisions will be advisory in nature.

As Shavkat Mirziyoyev noted, “There is no more effective tool for achieving the supremacy of the Constitution and the law than public control.” Public control is an important institution of democracy and people's power; it serves to ensure the protection of the rights and legitimate interests of citizens by monitoring the activities of state bodies.

In recent years, special attention has been paid in our republic to ensuring the participation of citizens in the management of society and public affairs, the creation of effective mechanisms for public control over the activities of the executive branch, and further strengthening the functions of public control. In particular, at the initiative of the President of Uzbekistan, a public chamber was established in 2020 in order to further strengthen public control and establish close cooperation between the state and society. It was noted that the public chamber should regularly study the opinion of the population, set specific tasks for government agencies to find solutions. The importance of implementing such influential forms of control as "public hearings", "public monitoring", "public expertise", and "public initiative" was demonstrated.

According to the decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On measures to expand financing of projects formed on the basis of public opinion", adopted on October 25, 2022, an additional 335 billion soums were allocated for the implementation of 364 projects, each of which received more than 2 thousand votes in July-September 2022.

In recent years of modern development in our republic, the system of public administration has been improved, effective mechanisms of dialogue with the people have been introduced, and the effectiveness of the role and activities of the Mahalla Institute in the management of society has increased. Virtual and public reception rooms of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan were created in order to ensure human interests, knowledge and solution of problems and needs of people. These structures have become a mechanism for in-depth analysis of problems on the ground and a criterion for increasing the responsibility of state bodies and officials to society and evaluating their activities.

To date, such systems as "online reception" and "virtual visit" have been introduced, allowing for quick and economical identification of problems on the ground in order to optimize their expenses related to the maintenance of the public administration apparatus, eliminate corruption factors and establish effective public control over budget spending.

As an example, it is worth mentioning that in recent years a new system of dialogue with the people has been created – the activities of the presidential virtual and people's reception rooms. Of the 9,465,000 applications received by the virtual reception of the President, about 9,379,000 have been considered, the rest are also being resolved in accordance with the procedure established by law. The results of the public discussion can also be found on the "portal for discussions of draft regulatory legal acts" (regulation.gov.uz), which is clearly seen in the example. To date, 25384 draft regulatory legal acts have been posted on this portal for public discussion, of which 25183 have already been completed.

In recent years, the study of public opinion has become publicly available. The Open Budget portal was launched to exercise public control over targeted budget expenditures. Citizens can send messages about violations of budget legislation through the Portal, suggestions for improving the budget process, while receiving information such as the state budget, budget execution through this portal. In particular, an initiative budget has been launched through the Open Budget information portal, which is held 2 times a year. Thanks to this portal, citizens are focused on solving problems through joint voting. In the first season (February) 2024, 35,575 initiatives were supported, for which 3,390.5 billion soums were allocated.

Establishing the accountability of public authorities to parliament and local councils, as well as the introduction of the Electronic Government system, led to a further strengthening of public control. As a result, today in our country there is a single interactive portal of public services (my.gov.uz), an open data portal (data.egov.uz), a portal for discussing draft regulatory documents (regulation.gov.uz), and a complex of information systems “License" (license.gov.uz), information system for automating the activities of Single Window centers (birdarcha.uz).

Since 2023, in order to improve the system for identifying and solving social problems among the population in our republic, the practice of monthly hearing information from the heads of relevant government bodies and organizations in the mahalla council has been established, and new forms of public control have been introduced - “mahalla control” groups and “survey” institutions mahalla chairmen." Also, on behalf of the President, the “digital mahalla” system and the “people’s control” platform were improved.

The “My Opinion” web portal, which is under the jurisdiction of the Public Chamber, was created in order to expand the opportunities of citizens in our country to participate in the management of the affairs of society and the state, to ensure the openness of the activities of representative bodies of state power, to ensure the viability and effectiveness of the public administration system. Through this portal, a citizen can send proposals on legislation on important issues of state and public importance in the form of an electronic collective appeal. The My Opinion web portal, which is under the jurisdiction of the Public Chamber, was created in order to expand the opportunities of citizens in our country to participate in the management of the affairs of society and the state, to ensure the openness of the activities of representative bodies of state power, to ensure the viability and effectiveness of the public administration system. Through this portal, a citizen can send proposals on legislation on important issues of state and public importance in the form of an electronic collective appeal "Meningfikrim.uz "(My opinion). To date, more than 6670 collective appeals and about 30,000 comments have been received through the portal.

In recent years, political parties, which are considered to be one of the main actors of civil society in our country, have been given not only ample opportunities for free participation in elections, but also control over the executive branch. Political parties also have the right to exercise public control based on the interests of the public and their electorate. During election processes, local observers at polling stations consist of representatives of political parties and citizens' self-government bodies.

The role of the media in developing openness and transparency in our society, establishing public control over the activities of government bodies and their officials, studying and resolving legal appeals from citizens is also incomparable. In particular, the number of media registered in 2016–2023 increased by 41%, that is, in 2016 their number was 1614, and by 2023 it reached 2140. The number of mobile Internet users also exceeded 33 million.

As can be seen from the above, the main purpose of public control is to ensure respect for the rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of citizens, to ensure legality in the activities of state bodies and officials, and to protect the interests of society.

The Uzbekistan 2030 strategy, developed based on the results of public discussions in order to create a fair and modern state serving the people, identified such priority tasks as: creating the necessary conditions for public participation in the activities of local councils, broad involvement of civil society institutions and the gradual digitalization of their activities, establishing the practice of assessing the activities of heads of state bodies and their deputies based on public opinion, and intensified continuation of work to form an unparalleled attitude towards corruption in society.

As a result of public control, the activities of state bodies in the country are objectively studied, their shortcomings are identified, various violations of legislation are prevented, public participation in the implementation of laws and their preparation is ensured, broader conditions are created for the prompt solution of various problems in society and the will of the population, and special attention should be paid to the fact that public control implies not only control over the quality of the work performed, but also the use of opportunities, as well as participation in their development.

In conclusion, I would like to note that in our republic, constitutional status has been given a state public control. In the new Uzbekistan, the participation of citizens in the management of the affairs of society and the state, including the development and improvement of public control over the activities of state bodies, provides ample opportunities for the full-fledged formation and strengthening of civil society in our country.  If the public control in the country is strong, the state is more humane, free and fair.

N.S.Rasulova, candidate of historical sciences Associate professor of the University  of Public safety of the Republic of Uzbekistan

In today's New Uzbekistan, a lot of attention is paid to the development of reading culture and book publishing. As the head of our state says, “There will be no break in education,” in every meeting with representatives of the intellectuals, culture, literature and art, in every historical speech that sounded like an appeal to our people, he paid             special attention to the issue of studying and gaining knowledge about the fundamentals world civilization, the achievements of modern world science. He never gets tired of emphasizing the words "knowledge, knowledge, knowledge" over and over again.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev: "Each country in the world, each nation is powerful primarily with its intellectual potential and high spirituality. It is not for nothing that he said that the source of such mighty power is the great discovery of human thinking - books and readers.

Decree of the President of Uzbekistan dated January 12, 2017 "On the establishment of a commission on the development of the system of printing and distribution of book products, the promotion of book reading and reading culture", The decision of September 13, 2017 "On the program of comprehensive measures to develop the system of publication and distribution of book products, increase and promote book reading and reading culture" together with the decision “On additional measures for the further development of the publishing and printing industry”, It is well known that great work has been done on the decisions "On further improvement of information-library services to the residents of the Republic of Uzbekistan".

On December 14, 2020, the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On approval of the national program for the development and support of reading culture in 2020-2025" was adopted.

The processes of implementation of this National Program are showing positive results.

The fourth initiative put forward by our President - to raise the spirituality of young people, to widely promote reading among them - serious practical work is being carried out in our country. Young people, especially teenagers and children, are widely participating in reading contests. 

Members of the Writers' Union of Uzbekistan actively participate in events dedicated to book reading and development of reading.The Children's and Adolescent Creative Council operates under the association, master classes are regularly held by well-known poets and writers in all schools, higher and secondary educational institutions of our country.

By the Administration of the Republic of Uzbekistan in April-May of this year in order to attract students and pupils of all higher educational institutions and general education schools in our country to reading books, to raise the level of artistic literacy and educate them in the spirit of patriotism and concern for the future of our country as part of the “Sharing Enlightenment” project, 156 famous artists held meetings with writers and educational events in 202 higher educational institutions and 606 secondary schools, under their auspices. At these events, 150 works of art were recommended for reading, films and performances were shown.

During 2020-2023, the Writers' Union of Uzbekistan published 403 books in the fields of prose, poetry, playwriting, children's literature, literary studies, and artistic translation. Over the past years, our poets, writers and translators prepared 100-volume "Masterpieces of Russian Literature" and 100-volume "Masterpieces of Turkish Literature" for publication. This great project was supported by the Head of State, published and distributed to the regions.

At this point, it should be noted that the 16-volume set of books entitled "Masterpieces of Karakalpak Literature" was prepared for publication and submitted to the press by the Writers' Union of Uzbekistan.

Within the framework of the "Book campaign" project, in the first quarter of 2023, 4,679 books were sent to higher education institutions, general education schools, 14,800 books to the provinces, 50 books to the penal colony, 950 to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Spirituality, Information and Library Centers, 500 to the State Security Service, 7,267 to event participants, book authors, 461 to newspapers and creative houses, 300 to Uzbekistan-Kyrgyz Friendship Society, 350 to neighborhoods, 134 to the Office of Muslims, More than 30 thousand 791 books were distributed indiscriminately to Uzbekistan "Veteran" Association of combatants-veterans and disabled people, 500 books to Halq Bank, and 600 books to children's camp. To date, more than 1 million books have been distributed in four years.

At the moment, the 100-volume set of books "Masterpieces of World Children's Literature" is being prepared for publication by the Writers' Union of Uzbekistan.

In 2020-2023, the first books of 87 young authors were published in tens of thousands of copies each in the "My first book" project by the Writers' Union of Uzbekistan, and presentation events were held. The books were freely distributed to higher education institutions, general education schools, and military units.

All these are aimed primarily at the development of reading among young people, children and adolescents. Publication of books and promotion of book reading will be continued consistently.

Dear compatriots!

Sincerely, from the bottom of my heart, I congratulate you, all our people on the holiday of Kurban Hayit, which has come in our country, which is being transformed and illuminated with the light of peace, kindness and harmony every day.

In these blessed moments we all deeply feel the spirit and joy of the great holiday and give immense gratitude to the Almighty for the fact that we meet such bright days together with our people.

Today, Kurban Hayit, firmly established in people's lives as a symbol of mercy, generosity and humanism, is gaining more and more significance, consonant with the content of large-scale reforms in the New Uzbekistan, in which respect for human honor and dignity comes to the fore in all spheres.

It should be especially noted that our sacred religion and this bright holiday, which embodies its humanistic essence, serves as a source of strength and inspiration for us in all good deeds aimed at strengthening the atmosphere of peace and tranquility, friendship and cohesion in mahallas and families, caring for the older generation, youth and women, low-income families, and making sure that no one is left behind.

Dear friends!

In these bright days, when our hearts are filled with joy, we talk about the great work carried out in recent years to revive the original spiritual values, to improve the sacred places, to create favorable conditions for the Muslims of the country to freely perform religious rites, including hajj and umrah.

In a short period of time, international scientific centers of Imam Bukhari, Imam Termezi and Imam Maturidi have been organized. The memorial complexes of Abu Iso Termezi, Abu Muin Nasafi, Sulton Uwais Karani and Suzuk Ota have been radically transformed. Work on the construction and equipping of the Imam Bukhari memorial complex and the Centre for Islamic Civilization is continuing apace. Majestic mosques are being built in many towns and villages.

Over the past seven years, more than 60 thousand Muslims of the country have made the Hajj. These days 15 thousand more of our compatriots are making pilgrimage to two sacred cities - Mecca and Medina, having realized their most cherished dream.

In such blessed moments, when good thoughts come true, we wish them with all our heart to fully perform the rites of Hajj and safely return to their homeland.

On the eve of the celebration of Hayyit, during our telephone conversation with the Chairman of the Muslims' Board, the Honorable Mufti Sheikh Nuriddin Kholiknazar, who is staying in the holy Mecca, he emphasized the created conditions necessary for our compatriots to perform the rites of Hajj. We hope that, having returned home, our pilgrims will become an example in further strengthening the atmosphere of kindness and mutual assistance in the society, in the struggle of enlightenment against ignorance, strengthening the education of youth and establishing harmony in families.

Dear compatriots!

Today we sincerely congratulate our compatriots abroad on this holiday, wish them health, happiness and success.

We convey warm congratulations to believing Muslims in the states of near and far abroad and sincere wishes of peace and progress to their peoples and countries.

May the ongoing wars and conflicts in different regions cease! May peace reign on the Earth forever!

Dear friends!

Today, together with our multinational people, we are building a new Uzbekistan. The new Uzbekistan is a new life, a new development, a happy future.

If we unite more firmly and continue the initiated reforms with even greater determination, we will undoubtedly achieve this great goal.

We will surely raise our children to be a generation of true patriots, highly educated, possessing modern knowledge and professions.

I wish you happiness and success on this path.

May the Almighty protect our nation!

I once again congratulate you on the holy holiday of Kurban Hayit, wish you health, peace and prosperity to your families.



Shavkat Mirziyoyev,

President of the Republic of Uzbekistan

Numerous scholars and studies have confirmed the connection between the quality of education and the well-being of society. The Nobel Prize winning Gary Becker was one of the first to inquire into the impact of education on economic growth and social development. His research has shown that investing in education can improve productivity and thus economic growth.

According to experts from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the high level of education, GDP and economic development serve to augment the average life expectancy and improve public health. One should note that stepping up the duration of education by 1 year can increase GDP by 3-6 percent.

Education is considered a crucial issue for Uzbekistan, 60% of the population of whose is young people under the age of 30, with a population increase of 700 thousand a year.

Up until recently, obtaining higher education was the dream of millions of Uzbek youth. In 2016, enrollment in higher education was only 9 percent of all the school graduates, and the number of higher education institutions was 69 (with 9 private). Due to a lack of student loans to finance higher education and support systems for vulnerable segments of the population, many were unable to study failing to pay tuition fees.

There were also problems for youth in getting onboard the higher education. Those willing to obtain one were able to apply only to one institution a year. And if they did not score enough in the admission exams, they had to wait until the next year to reapply to that or another university.

In addition, such factors as taking faculty and students to forced seasonal agricultural work used to have a grave negative impact on the quality of education. So did the insufficient material incentives for the teaching staff due to the extremely low wages.

After the election of Shavkat Mirziyoyev as President of the country in 2016, the system of admission to higher education institutions started to be revised, with overall systemic transformation underway, especially when it came to the quality of education.

First, the organizational and legal framework of the industry has been revised. In particular, the 2030 Concept for Higher Education Development in the Republic of Uzbekistan was approved in 2019 by the corresponding presidential decree.

In 2020, the Oliy Majlis (Supreme Assembly, the national parliament) passed the Education law in a new edition. In accordance with it, the system opened up to market mechanisms, priority was afforded to raising the scale and quality of education to a new level, to studying advanced foreign practices and establishing broad international connections.

Apart from that, adopted in 2023, the new edition of the Constitution introduced a number of new norms on the protection of the honor and dignity of teachers, government concern for their social and material well-being. The upgraded Basic Law also granted the higher education institutions the right to academic self-government, freedom in scientific research and teaching methodologies and approaches.

Second, to be sure, education advancement requires allocation of large sums from the state budget to this area. According to research, a 1% increase in education spending will increase GDP by 0.35%. It is for this reason that the amount of funds allocated from the public budget for the maintenance and development of educational institutions in Uzbekistan has been steadily growing.

In 2023, spending on education accounted for 44 percent of total social expenditures, reaching 61.2 trillion soums.

The rapid growth in the number of public and private universities, as well as branches of foreign ones, and the introduction of market mechanisms in this area have created the basis for expanding the market in educational services. Today there are 210 universities in the country, almost half of them are private (67) and foreign universities (29).

Crucially, the youth are now free to choose. A healthy competitive environment has begun to emerge among the institutions offering higher education. Branches of prestigious foreign universities like Westminster (UK), Webster (US), Management Development Institute of Singapore, Polytechnic University of Turin (Italy) have an important role to play in the implementation of advanced standards in higher education by inviting state-of-the-art certified faculty, making a good use of the latest teaching technologies, innovations and international best practices.

As a result of the enhancement of the higher education market in Uzbekistan, it became possible to boost the coverage in the system from 9 percent of school graduates enrolled in 2016 to 42 percent in 2023. And the launch of correspondence and evening studies at universities has contributed to a sharp increase in the proportion of students over 24 years of age. The total number of university students now exceeds 1.3 million.

Starting from 2019, applicants have been given the opportunity to simultaneously submit documents to several universities and choose an educational institution based on the results of entrance exams and their preferences. This year, building on a relevant presidential decree, exams for admission to universities will take place under the principle “test first, then choose”.

Uzbekistan has created a unique system that provides opportunities to obtain higher education for people in need of social protection and people with disabilities. In particular, the distribution of admission quotas was approved on the basis of an additional two percent state scholarship for persons with disabilities and one percent for graduates of Mehribonlik (Mercy homes, orphanages), children’s villages and family homes in the context of higher educational institutions and forms of education.

It will not be an exaggeration to say that changing society by attracting girls to higher education is a unique path for Uzbekistan. Here one can recall a popular wisdom that if you educate a girl, you educate the whole nation. In order to ensure gender equality, as well as the consistent implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, starting from the 2022-2023 academic year, new educational loans are allocated on preferential terms (interest-free) for training girls and women. As a result, in 2023, interest-free educational loans in the amount of 1,548.6 billion soums were allocated to about 137.4 thousand students.

A procedure has also been established for reimbursement of tuition fees for girls studying for graduate degree at universities. During this time, 20,260 women took a good advantage of this opportunity.

Special emphasis is placed on the issues of training youth from Uzbekistan in prestigious foreign universities. In particular, the amount of funds allocated from the state budget to the El-Yurt Umidi (Hope of the Nation) Foundation for the training of talented youth abroad has been growing. If 200 billion soums were allocated to this fund in 2022, in 2024 the amount reached 500 billion soums. Thanks to the foundation, more than 1,000 young people have received education in respected higher education institutions abroad and today work in various fields. According to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, students from Uzbekistan ranked fifth in the world in the number of students studying abroad in 2021. The number exceeded 110 thousand. This is also clear evidence of how young people in this country are thirsty for knowledge.

The Uzbekistan-2030 Strategy urges to bringing the level of youth enrollment in higher education to no less than 50 percent, including in at least 10 higher educational institutions in the top 1,000 ranking of the most prestigious universities, and making the way for the country into the top 50 nations by 2030 in the Global Innovation Index.

As a result of reforms over the past period, two universities of Uzbekistan for the first time entered the top 1,000 higher education institutions in the world, compiled by the British company Quacquarelli Symonds (QS). The National Research University “Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization Engineers” (TIIAME) was named 547^th in the rating, while the Mirzo Ulugbek National University of Uzbekistan secured the 781-790th positions.

The National Research University TIIAME was among the 300 best higher education institutions in the world and among the top three universities in Central Asia in terms of “Academic reputation”, and the National University of Uzbekistan was in the top 200 in terms of “Share of foreign teachers” and took second place among universities in the region.

In addition, 53 higher educational institutions of Uzbekistan were noted in the “THE Impact Rankings” published by the Times Higher Education agency for 2024. Seven of them ended up in the top 1,000. In the ranking, the Tashkent State University of Uzbek Language and Literature came 10th in the world in terms of gender equality.

In short, well aware of the truism that investing into education means investing into your future.

Nodir Tilavoldiev,
Member of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis
Republic of Uzbekistan

The text of the article is in Uzbek!