Kickoff of Uzbekistan's National Women Leaders Caucus 2023: Another Step Toward Gender Equality and Empowerment

October 19, 2023
Photo: UNDP Uzbekistan

On 17 October 2023, the first meeting of the members of the "National Women Leaders Caucus” of Uzbekistan in 2023 was held at the Senate.

The meeting was organized as part of a joint project of the Senate and the UN Development Programme "Achieving Equality by Supporting the Implementation of the National Gender Strategy of Uzbekistan".

It convened members of the Senate Committee on Women and Gender Equality Affairs, the United Nations Development Programme, members of the National Women Leaders Caucus, as well as representatives of ministries and agencies.

Photo: UNDP Uzbekistan

As mentioned, "National Women Leaders Caucus" of Uzbekistan serves to increase the rights and opportunities of women, to further expand the ranks of women leaders, to develop their leadership skills, to prepare young girls for leadership, and to eliminate gender equality problems.

Photo: UNDP Uzbekistan

At the event, the speakers presented information about the platform and its effective use, as well as plans for its further improvement.

In particular, Malika Kadirkhanova, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Women and Gender Equality Affairs, emphasized that the main tasks of the Caucus members are to identify the main problems of women in each region in areas such as entrepreneurship, science, information technology, sports and culture, mass media.

Also, the senator specifically emphasized the critical importance of the platform in supporting women leaders with limited capacity, in helping to end gender stereotypes and inappropriate social norms that cause gender-based violence and inequality, and in developing programs for government agencies aimed at radically improving the status of women in each region.

Photo: UNDP Uzbekistan

At the event, Anas Fayyad Qarman, Deputy Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme in Uzbekistan, said the UNDP is ready to provide practical assistance in increasing the potential of women leaders, in particular, in strengthening gender principles in political parties, increasing the political activness of women, as well as improving the public speaking culture of leading women and the skills of communicating with the population.

Photo: UNDP Uzbekistan

During the event, thoughts and opinions were exchanged on the issues of supporting women to come up with new approaches, ideas and initiatives, ensuring their active participation in the reforms, updates, and political processes implemented in our country, place and role of the "National Women Leaders Caucus" of Uzbekistan in these processes.