THE LEGAL FOUNDATIONS FOR ENSURING GENDER EQUALITY IN UZBEKISTAN'S LEGISLATIVE SYSTEM AND THEIR PRACTICAL EFFECTIVENESS

SCIENTIFIC APPROACH TO THE MODERN EDUCATION SYSTEM Vol. 3 No. 6 (2025) 13 THE LEGAL FOUNDATIONS FOR ENSURING GENDER EQUALITY IN UZBEKISTAN’S LEGISLATIVE SYSTEM AND THEIR PRACTICAL EFFECTIVENESS Yunusova Kholidakhon PhD Candidate National Institute of Pedagogical Skills Named Abdulla Avloni ABSTRACT This study examines the legal foundations for ensuring gender equality within Uzbekistan’s legislative system and evaluates their practical effectiveness. The analysis employs a scholarly approach to explore the content and impact of normative legal acts, gender strategies, and institutional reforms adopted since 2019. The research also assesses the efficiency of gender monitoring and equal opportunity mechanisms implemented across state institutions. The findings indicate that Uzbekistan’s gender policy is increasingly aligning with international standards and that substantial positive changes are being observed in practice. The study concludes with scientific insights and recommendations aimed at further improving legislation designed to promote gender equality. Key words: gender equality, gender policy, legal framework, institutional reforms, gender monitoring, equal opportunities At the beginning of the 21st century, the issue of ensuring gender equality became one of the most important priorities for the international community, and it holds particular significance for the Republic of Uzbekistan as well. Since gaining independence, the country has taken major steps toward developing society on democratic foundations and implementing comprehensive reforms aimed at protecting human rights and promoting gender equality. The need to view gender policy in Uzbekistan and its integration into the governance system as a pedagogical issue is crucial for several reasons. First, achieving gender equality requires transforming social consciousness, eliminating SCIENTIFIC APPROACH TO THE MODERN EDUCATION SYSTEM Vol. 3 No. 6 (2025) 14 stereotypes, and fostering a new way of thinking. Second, the effective implementation of a gender approach in public administration necessitates the preparation of specialists equipped with relevant knowledge, skills, and competencies. In today’s context of globalization, where human capital is gaining increasing importance across all spheres of society, ensuring gender equality has become not only a matter of social justice but also an integral component of the state's sustainable development strategy. Uzbekistan is also taking significant steps in this direction. However, the process of fully integrating gender policy into the governance system remains complex, making it essential to address this issue from a pedagogical perspective. A pedagogical issue, in this sense, encompasses the set of educational and formative tasks related to developing knowledge, skills, and values, eliminating outdated stereotypes, and creating a new culture of governance. Gender policy constitutes a comprehensive set of governmental and public initiatives aimed at ensuring equal rights and opportunities for women and men across all spheres of society. It encompasses not only legal equality but also practical equality, meaning the elimination of gender disparities and the promotion of full participation of both women and men in political, economic, social, and cultural life. Uzbekistan’s gender policy primarily focuses on safeguarding maternal health and extends to broader domains such as the family institution, labour and employment rights, and the education system. In the country’s new stage of development, issues of gender equality are receiving heightened attention, and recent years have witnessed a series of reforms aimed at creating equal rights and opportunities for women and men, supporting women, and protecting them from pressure and violence. In this new development phase, promoting gender equality and implementing reforms directed toward achieving it have become among the most urgent national priorities. As highlighted in official reports, “In recent years, wide-ranging reforms SCIENTIFIC APPROACH TO THE MODERN EDUCATION SYSTEM Vol. 3 No. 6 (2025) 15 have been implemented to achieve equal rights and opportunities for women and men, ensure their equal participation in the governance of society and the state, enhance the socio-legal support for women, and protect them from pressure and violence.”[1] Uzbekistan’s experience is particularly noteworthy within the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Uzbekistan began participating in the Gender Equality Index in 2019. According to data from that year, the country ranked 62nd among 189 nations. Experts from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) report that in Uzbekistan, 29 out of every 100,000 women die due to gender inequality–related factors, while the birth rate among girls aged 15–19 stands at 23.8 per 1,000. Among Central Asian countries, Kazakhstan ranks 44th, Tajikistan 70th, and Kyrgyzstan 82nd, whereas Turkmenistan provides no available data for the index. In recent years, Uzbekistan has implemented transformative legal and institutional measures aimed at promoting gender equality. Most notably, on 2 September 2019, the Law “On Guarantees of Equal Rights and Opportunities for Women and Men” was adopted, with amendments introduced in 2022. This law serves as the fundamental legal framework regulating relations in the field of gender equality, establishing the obligation of state bodies and organizations to create equal opportunities for women and men. In particular, it mandates achieving gender balance in appointments and the formation of personnel reserves within the system of public administration and local government. Article 4 of this law outlines the key principles for ensuring guarantees of equal rights and opportunities for women and men, which include: - legality; - democratism; - the equality of rights between women and men; - prohibition of discrimination based on sex; - openness and transparency.[2] In addition, Article 3 of the Law sets out several key definitions, one of which SCIENTIFIC APPROACH TO THE MODERN EDUCATION SYSTEM Vol. 3 No. 6 (2025) 16 states: Gender – the social dimension of relations between women and men, manifested in all spheres of social life and activity, including politics, the economy, law, ideology, culture, education, and science. The 1979 CEDAW Convention requires State Parties that have ratified the treaty to submit a comprehensive national report every four years detailing all actions taken and the progress achieved on gender-related issues. Uzbekistan ratified the Convention in 1995. To date, the country has submitted six reports to the CEDAW Committee, the most recent of which was delivered in 2022. Gender statistics are currently maintained across all ministries and agencies in Uzbekistan. Each ministry uploads its gender data to its official website and regularly reports on progress related to gender equality initiatives. For example, the Ministry of Preschool and School Education actively publishes gender statistics on its platform: among the 10,130 school principals across the country, 3,416 are women; among 14,178 deputy principals for academic affairs, 6,665 are women; among 13,590 deputy principals for spiritual and educational affairs, 5,445 are women; and among 207 district (city) departments of public education, 39 are led by women. For the first time in Uzbekistan’s history, a Commission on Gender Equality was established in 2019. This Commission is chaired by the Chairperson of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis, Tanzila Narbayeva. This represents a significant institutional transformation, as it introduced systematic monitoring and coordination mechanisms for gender-related issues across all government bodies. Furthermore, on 28 May 2021, the Senate of the Oliy Majlis approved the Strategy for Achieving Gender Equality in Uzbekistan by 2030.[3] The strategy outlines concrete goals and tasks to be implemented in stages. Among them are targets to increase the proportion of women in leadership positions within state and economic management bodies as well as the corporate sector by 2025; enhance the economic activity of women in rural areas; and raise the rate at which girls continue their studies at SCIENTIFIC APPROACH TO THE MODERN EDUCATION SYSTEM Vol. 3 No. 6 (2025) 17 higher levels of education. To ensure effective implementation, annual “Roadmaps” are developed, detailing specific measures for each ministry and agency. These initiatives have begun to yield positive outcomes. In his address at the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly in 2020, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev stated with pride that gender equality had become a national priority, women's participation in public administration had significantly strengthened, and the number of women in the new parliament had doubled. Indeed, following the 2019 parliamentary elections, the proportion of women deputies in the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis increased from 16% to 32%. This is one of the highest figures among CIS countries and marks the first time in Central Asia that women occupied one-third of parliamentary seats. In 2020, Tanzila Narbayeva became the first woman to serve as Chairperson of the Senate of Uzbekistan – another historic milestone contributing to the enhanced role of women in public governance. Such profound developments clearly demonstrate that gender equality has become an urgent and well-recognized priority in Uzbekistan, with substantial attention devoted to advancing women’s status and representation in state governance. References 1. O‘zbekiston Respublikasi Oliy Majlisi Senatining 2021 yil 28 maydagi “2030 yilga qadar O‘zbekiston Respublikasida gender tenglikka erishish strategiyasini tasdiqlash haqida”gi SQ-297-IV-son Qarori/ lex.uz. 2. “Xotin-qizlar va erkaklar uchun teng huquq hamda imkoniyatlar kafolatlari to‘g‘risida” O‘RQ-562. 2019-yil 2-sentabr. 3. 2030 yilga qadar O‘zbekiston Respublikasida gender tenglikka erishish strategiyasi (O‘zbekiston Respublikasi Oliy Majlisi Senatining 2021-yil 28-maydagi SQ-297-IV-sonli Qarori) Internet sources SCIENTIFIC APPROACH TO THE MODERN EDUCATION SYSTEM Vol. 3 No. 6 (2025) 18 1. https://uz.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender_tengligi#O%CA%BBzbekistonda_gend er_tengligi 2. https://gov.uz/oz/uzedu 3. api.moiti.uz