From February 2 to 19, 2021, the United Nations Development Programme in Uzbekistan held a series of community mobilization seminars to identify the urgent problems and study the needs for the development of social infrastructure in rural areas.

The target districts in the Khorezm region were 8 rural communities of Urgench district (Makhalla-village council of communities (VCC)"Yukori Ovul", "Merganovul", "Zhaikhun", "Uyshin") and Bagat district ("Uzumzor", "Bogiston", "Uzgarish", "Hunarmand").

In the Republic of Karakalpakstan, meetings were held in 15 mahallas of Amudarya district ("Tosh yop", "Farovon", "Olmazor", "Bosuv"), Turtkul district ("Otayurt", "Kaltaminor", "Pakhtachi", "Ullubog"), Beruniy district ("Shimom", "Shobboz", "Sarkop") and Takhiatash district ("Naimankul", "Tosh Ovul", "Nurli kelazhak", "Dustlik").

In the Bukhara region, the seminars were attended by residents of the Mahalla "Yangiturmush", "Istiqbol", "Rabotak", "Sakhovat", "Turkon", "Kushkhodim", “Galosiyo” and "Sohibkor" of the Bukhara district.

And also a series of community mobilization meetings in Navoi region were attended by the activists of the mahallas "Zarmetan", "Azizobod", "Varozun", "Arabhona", "Rabot" of Kiziltepa district and "Vark", "Kalovot", "Dehkon", "Gulobod", "Katta machit", "Talkok" of Karman district as well.

The work with the communities revealed that most of the problems of the mahallas were linked to the deterioration of the infrastructure. Participants from various districts and regions voiced the need to repair internal roads, install new transformers, organize pedestrian paths, centralized supply of natural gas, drinking water, and build children's playgrounds. There was a shortage of kindergartens, the state of emergency and insufficient educational places in schools, the lack of Internet lines, etc. As a result of the meetings, community development plans were developed, and initiative groups were created in each village.

It should be noted that for rural communities, there is a State Investment program for the development of rural areas for the future years, which is reflected in the projects of architectural and organizational planning of the territories of the gathering of citizens of kishlaks/auls (APOT). For reference, APOT is a new document format that includes the development of rural infrastructure.

Each mahalla should have its own separate APOT. It is expected that the results of the work with representatives of the communities and the established initiative groups will allow to finalize and supplement this document for the implementation of projects to improve rural infrastructure and ensure their sustainability in the coming years.

In general, 393 people from 4 regions of the Republic of Uzbekistan took part in the seminars, 28% of them were women. The main contingent of participants consisted of employees of VCC, polyclinics, schools, preschool institutions and other active residents of villages.

The seminars were held within the framework of an Agreement between the Ministry of Economic Development and Poverty Reduction of the Republic of Uzbekistan, together with the United Nations Development Programme and the Islamic Development Bank, aimed at the development of rural areas in Karakalpakstan, Khorezm, Bukhara and Navoi regions of Uzbekistan.