April 1 2009 UN in Uzbekistan Published by the United Nations Office in Uzbekistan In this issue: Page 3 Unity of Equal – Unity of Different Promoting accessibility, employment and social support for people with disabilities Page 7 Woman. Born to be Happy National media campaign addresses gender equality issues Page 8 Together We Can Community contribution to tuberculosis prevention and care Page 11 High level World Bank UN Resident Coordinator Anita Nirody: officials visit Uzbekistan “The UN has Page 14 a long-standing partnership with Uzbekistan” UNFPA: In an interview to our newsletter, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Making a difference in the Representative Anita Nirody speaks about the UN’s role and its major achieve- lives of individuals and families ments in the country and highlights new priority areas of the UN’s development across the world cooperation with Uzbekistan. Read the full interview on pages 2-3. http://www.un.uz 2 UN Uzbekistan joined the United Nations in 1992 as a new sovereign and independent state. The United Nations OfÞ ce opened in Tashkent the following year. Today, there are eight UN programmes, funds and agencies operating in the country: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), United Nations OfÞ ce for Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), and the World Bank Group. The UN system in Uzbekistan works as one, collaborat- ing to support the national reform efforts. Interview with Anita Nirody, UN Resident Coordinator in Uzbekistan What are the key development Despite the above, a number of challenges remain. population are at a risk of earthquakes, floods The benefits of growth are not always reaching and droughts, with the poor being much more challenges in Uzbekistan? the poorest and most vulnerable segments of vulnerable. the population – mostly in the rural areas. The The country has implemented a number of re- All of these challenges therefore require criti- forms in the economic, social and environmental financial crisis is reducing the inflow of foreign currency due to decreasing prices for and revenues cal attention and will be an important step in areas. In this regard, Uzbekistan has seen many progressing towards the MDGs. achievements over the last few years. In broad from major export commodities, lower inflow of terms, the growth rate has been fairly high averag- foreign investments and loans and decrease in ing around 7.5% per year and the Government is remittances from migrant workers mainly from keen to sustain this rate of growth in the coming Russia and Kazakhstan thereby impacting the What do you see as the UN’s years. A wide range of economic reforms have social safety nets of the most vulnerable – the been implemented. majority of whom rely on remittances as a critical role in addressing these chal- source of income. In the area of basic social services, there has been lenges? More needs to be done to further empower good progress in terms of better provision of The United Nations approach in supporting women and promote gender equality - issues essential services in the areas of education, health Uzbekistan is articulated in our UNDAF (2010- such as lower representation of women in deci- and child protection. Considerable reforms were 2015). Our main emphasis will be in the three sion-making, economic empowerment of women made in the education sector, and government broad areas of economic well being, social in rural areas, family conflicts, as well as tradi- expenditure on education is high. The strategic services (education, health, nutrition, STI/HIV tional attitudes and stereotypes about the roles approach adopted by the Government of preven- drug use prevention, social protection of children of women and men remain a challenge. tive health care, promoting healthy lifestyles and and early childhood development), environment improving the quality of health care services has In the sphere of education, concerns with regards (integrating sustainable development principles been an important step in the right direction. to quality and access continue and in the health into country policies and plans) and governance Some progress in addressing gender equality sector, child and maternal mortality indicators (to enhance effectiveness, accountability and and the advancement of women has been made need to be futher reduced. While continued in- inclusivity). - the Convention on Elimination of all forms crease in the number of HIV-infected people in Our focus will be on the most vulnerable groups of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) is Uzbekistan is due to injecting drug use –a sharp and our approach will be anchored in human currently under implementation. Gender parity increase in the number of sexually transmitted rights norms. In all of the areas of our work, has been achieved in primary, basic and voca- diseases and more infections among women has we will strive for inclusiveness and broad-based tional education. There has been some success also been noted. While some progress has been partnerships with a range of actors including in improving access to HIV prevention, treat- made in the area of service delivery, further ca- civil society. It is important to mention that ment and care services. The country ratified a pacity development is required before universal the UN has a long-standing partnership and number of important conventions and protocols access can be achieved. to protect the rule of law and to harmonize legal track-record working in Uzbekistan. The UN’s practices with international standards – such as Any efforts to address the vast environmental mandate in supporting the implementation and the National Action Plan on Combating Torture. challenges (which are particularly acute in the monitoring of the MDGs at the country level is Uzbekistan acceded to the UN Convention Aral Sea basin) will require the need for strength- a substantial comparative advantage in assisting against Corruption and in 2008, the Parliament ening the overall framework of environment the Government to enhance living standards adopted a law on child rights. governance. In the water sector it will be essential and achieve higher levels of human develop- to address issues related to water use, manage- ment. As a credible and trusted partner of the The country’s Welfare Improvement Strategy ment, efficiency and the quality of drinking water. Government, we provide policy advice, technical (WIS) provides the framework for accelerating The need to address energy inefficiencies will be assistance and programmatic support, drawing on economic growth and enhancing the living stan- critical. A large part of Uzbekistan’s economy and global best practices. dards of the population. http://www.un.uz UN 3 Could you please cite the main A number of partnerships were undertaken with makers, business people, civil society and the civil society partners who have been involved general population. Through closely linked and accomplishments of the UN in in various activities dealing with protecting the interdependent components, this initiative assists Uzbekistan? rights of people with disabilities, women and the Government of Uzbekistan in improving the children, labour migrants and people living with quality and availability of statistics to monitor The UN has played a key role in the formulation of HIV. The UN Country Team has contributed to outcomes and impacts of policies (development the Welfare Improvement Strategy (WIS) – which building the capacities of sub-national govern- strategies), and to track progress towards achieve- was endorsed by the Government as a medium ment in developing regional integrated plans for ment of the MDGs and WIS targets. term development plan for the country in 2007 the implementation of the WIS and the National and is currently supporting its implementation. Programme of Action for Children. The UN has been assisting the Government in Do you see any new areas for enhancing its statistical capacity to nationalize the The above are just a few examples of what we cooperation between the UN MDGs. A number of statistical bulletins on health- have achieved. care, education and gender equality were published and Uzbekistan that are not as well as the Þ rst MDG report. Very importantly, In your view how does Uzbeki- explored but could be given pri- helping “localize” the MDGs constitutes an im- portant area of UN support. Increasing attention stan stand with regards to the ority in the future? has been paid to rural development, given the MDGs? Our (the RC and the UNCT) workplan for widening gap in living standards between urban this year highlights a few strategic areas where and rural areas and projects dealing with the rights Overall, I would say that the progress towards we need to deepen our efforts, sharpen our of women migrant workers and improving the MDG advancement has been mixed. General focus or engage in new initiatives. Let me give livelihoods of people with disabilities have helped trends show that progress has been made towards you a few examples where I believe we need raise awareness and promote better protection of achieving the MDGs in Uzbekistan in the broad to engage: Support to aid coordination is an vulnerable groups. areas of education and health. Progress has also important area where the UN can engage. The been made in addressing gender equality and ad- In the area of education, regulations on Basic recently established institution on aid coordi- vancement of women. Gender parity was achieved nation within the Ministry of Finance provides Education were revised and the UN provided in primary basic and secondary vocational education assistance in developing the National Programme a good opportunity for the UN to engage on earlier than the MDG target date of 2015.