Further Improvement of Public Service Delivery in Uzbekistan

Objective

The project aims to support the Government of Uzbekistan in further transforming and modernising the public administration at central, regional, and district levels to improve the quality of public services and local governance in rural areas. This will be achieved by enabling access to inclusive and user-centric public services, integrating advanced technologies and practices through digitalization, and applying decentralised and multi-channel service delivery. The project builds upon the progress made in reforming public service delivery in 2017-2024.

Challange

Despite progress, challenges remain in accessing quality public services, especially in remote areas. These include insufficient information, complicated procedures, low transparency, gaps in policies and legal frameworks, limited institutional capacity of service providers, and insufficient introduction of digital technologies.

Project outcomes

The project adopts a comprehensive approach focusing on strengthening the back office of the public service delivery system. It aims for the following two main outcomes:

• Improved Efficiency and Effectiveness of Public Service Delivery through creating a solid foundation and improving the operational capacity of the back-office institutions responsible for service delivery.

• Increased Accessibility and Quality of Public Services through Digital Transformation and Local Governance by leveraging technology and improving local governance structures to enhance service delivery.

These outcomes will be achieved through the following four key outputs:

1. Transformed institutional, legal, and regulatory frameworks underpinning the back office of the national public services delivery system. Activities include reviewing existing frameworks, standardizing service management practices, improving institutional and technical capacities, and conducting functional reviews.

• 5 back-office institutions ISO certified

• 11 institutional reviews

2. Enhanced capacity of the back-office institutions in public service delivery to ensure their effective operation at the national, regional and local levels. This involves assessing service demand and quality, introducing advanced HR and M&E practices, capacity development and training, improving access to information, and introducing internship and volunteer programs.

• 35 services digitized

• 7 inclusive PSCs

• 35 mahalla self-service zones

3. Digital and user-centric transformation of the back-office institutions is accelerated to improve availability and quality of public services. This includes digitalizing public services, introducing advanced digital data analysis tools, improving user experience in service centers and back offices, and promoting private sector involvement.

• 1,000 civil servants trained

• 5,000 rural residents supported by volunteers

4. Transformed local governance systems to ensure responsiveness, accountability and better operation of regional and local institutions functioning as back offices. Activities focus on improving legislation pertaining to local government bodies, capacity development and training for local authorities, facilitating interaction between public authorities and citizens, and developing gender-sensitive public service delivery models.

• 500 staff trained

• 14 CSOs & 14 WAGs engaged in decision-making