DNA

Tashkent –– Under the chairmanship of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, a video conference was held on 8 October on measures to increase the role of women and youth in society and ensure their employment.

Women and young people make up a significant part of the population, and solving problems of concern to these categories is an essential part of social work.

In recent years, a vertical system for the implementation of state policy on women and youth issues has been created in Uzbekistan up to the level of mahallas. To address youth issues, a separate post of deputy khokim with a staff of up to 3 specialists has been introduced in each district, in each region – a deputy khokim with a staff of 4 specialists, territorial departments of the Agency for Youth Affairs have been allocated 3 and 11 staff units, respectively.

To address women’s issues at the mahalla level, a separate position was introduced for deputy chairman of the mahalla, at the district level – for the deputy head of the department for mahalla and family affairs, to whom 2 specialists are assigned, up to 8 staff positions were allocated at the regional level.

In addition, the People’s Receptions of the President and trade unions are assigned to the solution of issues of youth and women.

However, the ability of these departments and the four local sectors to effectively organize work in this direction raises questions.

In this regard, the introduction of a new system of work with women and youth has been determined.

As you know, in order to provide social support to the population in our country, a list of families in need of material assistance and support, also known as the “iron notebook”, has been started. Similarly, in the context of each mahalla, district, city and region, a “youth notebook” and a “women’s notebook” will be formed. These lists will be kept separate from the “iron notebook”. They will include young people and women in need of social, legal and psychological support, as well as seeking to acquire new knowledge and professions. As a result, systematic, targeted work will be established with them.

The meeting discussed the system of work with youth and women on the example of the Khatyrchi region and the city of Yangier.

Responsible persons were instructed to develop a standard model of this system and test it in the Republic of Karakalpakstan, the city of Tashkent, one city and district of each region, in a total of 28 territorial units.

Sector leaders and representatives of responsible departments were instructed to study the situation in each mahalla, hold talks with every woman and young man, identify their interests and needs, and on this basis develop targeted measures.

– From now on, we need to establish a system of employment for the unemployed by visiting people’s homes. Where leaders go from door to door and resolve issues, the situation will change. The main goal is the transition from economic stability to efficiency, the President said.

It was noted that it is important to motivate young people and women to improve their knowledge and skills, acquire a profession, provide them with psychological, legal, medical and financial assistance.

For example, free counseling can be arranged through a family psychologist or the district justice department. Elderly single women can be treated by visiting nurses, mahalla and family departments.

Ensuring employment for unemployed youth and women should be the most important task of the deputy khokim for investments, district and city employment departments, the Center for the Support of Entrepreneurship, the reception offices of the Prime Minister and banks.

Organization of meetings with celebrities who have achieved great success in their work in order to motivate young people and women, the preparation and distribution of audio and video materials teaching foreign languages, professions and business will also give a good result.

The meeting pointed out the importance of widespread use of the social contract mechanism. At the same time, the state provides material and social support in order for a citizen to acquire a profession, find a job, or provide his own employment.

It was noted that when working with “notebooks” one should effectively use the capabilities of non-governmental non-profit organizations. The importance of expanding interaction with them in such areas of work as the social adaptation of persons who have served their sentences, psychological support for young people and women, teaching them foreign languages and professions.

For this work, the potential of the research institute “Mahalla Va Oila”, the Institute for the Study of Youth Problems and the training of promising personnel will be mobilized. In addition, non-governmental non-profit organizations will be provided loans at 4 percent per annum for the implementation of complex programs of business courses and microfinance services.

The issue of providing the indicated measures with stable sources of financial resources was also considered.

Special attention is paid to the issues of employment of youth and women.

Research has shown that 55 percent of low-income women have secondary education. Most unemployed young people do not have the skills that are in demand.

– Many social and economic problems will be solved if we systematically prepare young people and women for professions in demand in the labor market and help them find decent work. It is necessary to involve not only state educational institutions, but also more than a thousand non-state vocational training centers, – emphasized Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

It was noted that a completely new system will be introduced for this purpose, and US$100 million will be allocated from the Fund for Reconstruction and Development to develop vocational skills among youth and women through non-state vocational training centers. Of these, US$10 million will be allocated for vocational training for young people and women, US$90 million – for soft loans for those who completed advanced training courses and received a certificate. Under the social contract, young people and women wishing to take training courses at non-state vocational training centers will be able to receive subsidies of up to 1 million soums to cover training costs.

Another important issue is that the classifier of the main positions of employees and professions of workers does not meet the requirements of the modern labor market. Thus, to work in 2,484 or 70 percent of the positions of employees included in the classifier, higher education is required. In particular, such a requirement applies to such professions as database specialist and web designer. These professions can be acquired at IT centers in six months.

Many professions such as librarian, translator, bank agent and advertising specialist are also required to have a college degree. There are about 4 thousand vacancies in the labor market for these professions and positions.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor Relations has been instructed to reduce the number of positions and professions of the classifier requiring higher education.

It is indicated that deputy khokims for social issues are responsible for the “youth notebook”, and deputy khokims for mahalla and family issues are responsible for the “women’s notebook”.

At the video conference, the information of the Deputy Prime Ministers, Ministers and Khokims was heard.