Though it might sound a common accomplishment, in real life working women experience unique barriers to reconcile their carriers and family life. Laziza’s story illustrates hurdles women face to access their rights to paid maternity leave: although employed with a formal labour contract she was not able to effectively access all rights. t thanks to her hard work/, she was able to overcome them and achieve her goals. Today she is one of the best HR specialists and an important employee of her company. However, obstacles in realisation of the right to maternity protection are often insurmountable for many.  This is despite the fact that Uzbekistan ratified ILO Convention on Maternity Protection, 1952 (No 103), which enshrines the right of women employed in industrial undertakings, non-industrial, agricultural occupations and women wage earners at home, to maternity leave, medical and cash benefits. These benefits should be tailored to maintain the health of mother and child, as well as their living standards. Job search Close to graduation from her master’s studies, Laziza started applying to various vacancies and taking job interviews. Since she was newly married, many organizations refused to hire her, expecting that she would have to take maternity leave soon after. In one organisation, she went through all recruitment stages, and in the end, she was asked to sign a declaration, committing herself not to take a leave from work for five years due to pregnancy and maternity. She had to refuse. “I could not make such a long-term commitment at that time, and this was the only reason for the rejection of that offer,” remembers Laziza.  First job and first child After her studies, she started teaching a foreign language in a public school. She enjoyed teaching and working with children.  A year into her job, she realised that soon she would become a mother. Joy and excitement filled her in anticipation of the firstborn. The whole family was rejoiced after accepting this news. However, unpleasant news awaited her at school. The school administration directly told Laziza that she could take (maternity) leave, but she would not receive any maternity benefits. So, her leave was officially registered, according to which she had a right to maternity cash benefit, but as she was informed earlier, she did not receive it. Having decided to defend her rights, Laziza entered into an unpleasant conflict with the school administration. In the end of the day, the employer agreed to hand over the money that they received as maternity benefit from the public budget but decided to conceal from Laziza to use it for themselves. “After the maternity leave, I could not return to this school, although I loved my job. The attitude of the administration has deteriorated so much that it was uncomfortable for me to work in that environment,” says Laziza. “Maternity benefit is a significant help for a young family that is getting ready for childbirth and for covering expenses in the first months after the birth.” “Common practice in the private sector” After her second son's birth, Laziza decided to return to the labour market and started working in a private company as an office manager. During the recruitment process, the management warned her that in that company, as elsewhere in the private sector, there is no practice of paying maternity benefits. This did not discourage her from joining the company as she liked the work and the team. After working for a couple of years at that company, Laziza was about to become a mother for the third time. This time there she was prepared in advance that the company would not pay her maternity benefit. The company terminated the employment contract with Laziza but promised that the contract with her would be renewed as soon as she decided to return to work. “According to the current legislation, private companies must pay maternity benefits from their own budget, and I understood that it is an additional financial burden for employers. Therefore, I did not demand payments from my company. Since I was already an experienced mother, I was ready to return to work after 6 months after my daughter’s birth. The team warmly welcomed my return,” recalls Laziza. During her third maternal leave, Laziza received social benefit for childcare (intended for families living with low incomes), financed from the state budget and delivered by local self-government bodies/mahalla. This benefit intended for families living with low incomes helped cover the cost of daily necessities despite their small size. Laziza's story is not unique. Many women in Uzbekistan face similar problems in their professional life. According to Laziza herself, many of her friends from the university were unable to start their careers because of discrimination based on possible pregnancy. Others had to quit their jobs when they became mothers. Few have managed to find a way to combine both career and motherhood. Lack of access to  rights in case of maternity contributes to gender inequality at work, and income insecurity that is vital in for maternal and child health. Maternity protection in the workplace gives women a chance to fulfil their professional potential and contribute to their families and society as a whole. Commentary from the Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Uzbekistan: The lawyer of the Federation of Trade Union confirms that Laziza’s story is very topical and understands how difficult combining personal and professional life for women could be. According to Article 233 of the Labour Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan from 1995, all women formally employed in public and private sectors are entitled to maternity leave of seventy calendar days before childbirth and fifty-six calendar days after it with payment of state social insurance benefits. Any practices from employers about non-granting the official leave and non-payment of benefits are illegal. However, it should be noted that current procedures of maternity benefit provision violate the Labour Code. According to the charter on the provision of state social benefits dated 08.05.2002, in for-profit/private entities maternity benefits are paid from the own funds of enterprises. Commentary from the National Gender Commission on Gender Equality under the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan: The National Commission on Gender Equality has scrutinised the national legislation to check for the conformity of women's labour and entrepreneurial rights with social security standards.  To prevent discrimination and unfair treatment like Laziza faced, the Commission is proposing amendments to Article 24 of the Law “On equal rights and opportunities for women and men”. ‘We think the state must guarantee rights to maternity and paternity leaves, and maternity benefits must be paid from the state budget. – stated the member of the Gender Equality Commission. Improving the national legislation in line with international standards The UN Joint Programme on Strengthening Social Protection in Uzbekistan supports the Government and social partners to increase their understanding of international social security standards for workers with family responsibilities, and their application into national legislation, policy and practice. Maternity protection and paternity leaves are integral parts of these standards. The first step towards realisation of the right to maternity protection in Uzbekistan would be to ensure effective access to women to health, maternity leave and cash benefits in line with provisions of Maternity Protection Convention, 1952 (No. 103). The National Gender Commission and the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance are already undertaking the next step – review of national legislation in line with up-to-date maternity protection standards, that is Maternity Protection Convention, 2000 (No.183). Up to date maternity protection standards provide for maternity benefits ensuring that women can maintain themselves and their child in health and at the suitable levels of living standards.  These standards prohibit discrimination based on maternity: employers are not allowed to terminate the employment contract during pregnancy or maternity leave. Importantly, the scope of coverage with rights includes women in formal employment (both private and public sector) and women in non-standard forms of employment; while benefits are financed from worker’s and employer’s contributions as well as from general budget.

There are 10 years left to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs. That’s the ambitious to-do list for prosperity and peace that the countries of the world agreed upon at the United Nations in 2015.   In Uzbekistan, the United Nations and the government decided to take the pulse of the country and its priorities. This exercise would enlist thousands of people across the country, collecting their stories and perspectives on what should be next for the UN in their country.  The UN in Uzbekistan held 49 dialogues with people nationwide, bringing together more than 5,500 people, including those most vulnerable to poverty, poor health, and other such indignities. Another 35,000 people have taken the #UN75 survey.   Several of them spoke about COVID-19 and the need for relief from the pandemic, which has lasted since at least 15 March, when the first cases were recorded.   Nilufar: “Take care of the future”  Nilufar is a single mother, a university student, an employee of the regional Ministry of Health—and she volunteers by collecting and distributing food in her community.   “At times I would ask myself, ‘why I am doing this, putting my life and health at risk?’ However, whenever I delivered aid to the elderly, people with disabilities or needy people, I would get my answer. I’m educated, I speak several languages. Friends said to me, why don’t you leave, for your own safety? I replied, “if people like me leave, who’s going to take care of the future? The notion of leaving no one behind matches perfectly with my belief in a better future. We need to be more collaborative, more passionate and to help each other.”  Rajab: “It’s a long road”   Rajab is a 19-year-old student in Western Uzbekistan. At age 13, he lost his leg in a car accident.    “After the car accident, I went through a deep depression, but with support of my family and relatives I decided not give up on my dreams and studied hard to enter university. Before COVID-19, I’d meet my friends every day, we’d talk for hours. Life was different. Now, during the lockdown, it’s hard to be in isolation, not seeing friends, not being able to talk to them offline. On top of that, during the lockdown,  both my parents lost their jobs, which threatened our ability to pay for things. The future should bring new opportunities, with accessible and affordable healthcare, affordable access to digital technologies, respect for human rights and decent employment for youth. It’s a long road, but you have to keep walking. See you at #UN100! It’s hard to imagine, but I will be 44 in 2045. Let’s cross our fingers that we all be will be better off.”       Muborak: “What will be their future?”  COVID-19 took a lot of people by surprise, including 48-year-old Muborak, a banker from Tashkent.   “At the beginning of July, I contracted coronavirus and was hospitalized.  In my hospital ward, there were two elderly women with me. Despite my anxiety, uncertainty, and depression, hope was the only way to stay positive. We always tried to help each other, sharing happy memories and plans for future. I am sure that it was showing kindness to each other that helped us all to make it through; kindness healed us and brought us a glimmer of hope. Looking at my children, I often catch myself thinking, what will be their future? Will they be able to find a decent job? Will the rule of law be observed and what will the environmental situation in Uzbekistan be?”  Ruslan: “Recovery will take some time”  Ruslan is a 43-year-old businessman in Tashkent. 2020 was marked by the birth of his second son, and an end to all his plans for the year—including opening a new auto parts store. Ruslan is active in a virtual community of businesspeople, helping to buy food and medicine for seniors in Uzbekistan.  “My business was on the verge of collapse, it was psychologically difficult to stay at home and not be able to communicate in person, especially not to see my parents. We will defeat the invisible enemy (of the coronavirus), and we need to show kindness and support each other, especially the elderly.  My most recent photo with my parents dates back to 2011 and I blame myself for not spending much time with them. The pandemic has brought me closer to my parents, it’s made all of us stronger. It’s too early to relax though. Recovery will take some time. The international community should strengthen solidarity between nations and people and make a priority of universal access to healthcare.”    Produced by UN Uzbekistan. Story by Anvar Meliboev, National Public Information Officer, UN in Uzbekistan, with editorial support from Paul VanDeCarr, Development Coordination Office.  

“I’m originally from a small desert town called Uchkuduk,” says Malika, age 14. “And like a lot of other girls, I took dancing and singing classes and never thought about technology,” she says. That’s a common refrain. In many places around the world, the so-called “STEM” subjects—science, technology, engineering, and math—are dominated by boys. But schools in Uzbekistan are trying to get girls more involved, too. Things changed for Malika when her family moved to Tashkent, the capital city. “I missed my friends back home so much,” she says. But she also found exciting new opportunities and started taking courses in graphic design, movie making, and other technologies. One weekend, Malika saw an announcement calling on girls to take part in something called the “Technovation Challenge Uzbekistan.” The challenge is part of a global nonprofit called Technovation that helps girls solve real-world problems through technology, and is supported in Uzbekistan by multiple United Nations agencies and other organizations. Malika and several other girls formed a team in 2019 and talked about what issues they might address. “Back in my hometown,” Malika told her teammates, “a lot of kids’ fathers or other relatives had to leave Uzbekistan to find work.” Other girls had similar stories. They were noticing on a local scale what is a national trend: hard economic times are driving more and more Uzbekistanis to migrate to Russia, Europe, East Asia and beyond in search of work. “This was personal for us,” Malika says. “We wanted to help migrants have safer journeys.” Malika’s team met with staff from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to brainstorm about how to use technology to help. The team created a mobile app called “Plov Time,” which gives information on migrant labor laws in different countries, how to apply for a migration card, and how to deal with emergencies such as when they are detained. “This project was a double-win,” says Sanjarbek Toshbaev, country manager of the IOM in Uzbekistan.   “Migrants win because they get a really useful app in Plov Time. And girls also win, because they get involved in technology and other STEM topics. Both of those are good for the country.” Made with Love and a Smile It’s a sunny Saturday afternoon in Tashkent, and two teenage sisters, Nastarin and Sevinch, are playing hide-and-seek with their 8-year-old brother, Akhmadjon, at a local museum. “My brother was born with Down syndrome,” Sevinch explains. “There are limited opportunities for early childhood education for kids with Down Syndrome. So we did some research. We found that many organizations use the ‘Ages and Stages’ questionnaire to screen for Down Syndrome and help young people progress.” For the Technovation Challenge in 2018, the sisters and two other teammates developed the “Sun Child” app, which uses the questionnaire to help parents evaluate the skills of a child born with Down Syndrome. “When doctors told me that my son Rustam was born with Down Syndrome, I was shocked and I didn’t know how to cope,” says Aziza Karimova, family care coordinator of Umnichka, an education NGO. “I wish I had had a tool like Sun Child. I think this app can really help all parents and children to start their development pathways.” Inspired by the Technovation Challenge, Nastarin continued exploring further opportunities in the tech sector. She and some friends received a tech award in South Korea in 2019, when they presented an app that helps include children with disabilities in regular classrooms. Her sister Sevinch is now a student at Inha University in Tashkent, which specializes in technology and business. “This programme provides an important catalyst to get more girls into STEM,” says Helena Fraser, UN Resident Coordinator in Uzbekistan. “They learn skills that will last them a lifetime. All it takes is some support and encouragement. And by providing that support, we tackle inequalities and innovate for change.” Progress for families means progress for Uzbekistan Since its launch in 2017, the Technovation Challenge has backed more than 500 young programmers across Uzbekistan—all of them girls—and focused on such issues as education, health, and poverty. Girls were provided with mentors and publicity support from several UN agencies, including IOM, UNICEF, the UN Development Programme (UNDP), and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA). Projects like the Technovation Challenge have spurred a growing interest in STEM subjects among girls and women. For example, the Challenge’s academic partner, Inha University in Tashkent, has seen a dramatic increase in the number of women students—from 8% in 2016 to 35% in 2018, and still climbing. Such progress in line with Uzbekistan’s national goal to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. “The Technovation Challenge helped me to become more confident, improve my public speaking skills, and work in a team,” says Malika. “Now my dream is to create something cool that will help as many people as possible.” Malika looks at her watch. She has to rush off to her coding class at Inha University. “I am a girl,” she says, confidently. “Who says I can’t make it?” Produced by UN Uzbekistan. Story by Anvar Meliboev, UN Information Officer, UN Uzbekistan, with editorial support by Paul VanDeCarr, Development Coordination Office.  

My dad left for Russia to work in 2011, and since then, I have not seen him again. After my dad left, my mom found it difficult to raise me and my two brothers all by herself. We lived in our grandparents’ house, but they were seriously ill and later died. I needed leg surgery because of a burn I got when I was little, and my brother had been infected with TB. We had no money. We had nothing to eat, and my mom had to separate us. My 9-year-old brother was taken away to a boarding school for tuberculosis patients, and I was sent to the Mehribonlik orphanage. I was 10 years old when I first arrived at the orphanage. I was treated well there. I made friends and after a month I got used to the new place and the new environment. However, I missed my mom and brothers a lot. We were well fed over there, I even had my own bed. I made friends and attended classes. However, Mom rarely visited me because she was working far away. She got 40,000 sums a day for washing dishes in a canteen, but dad did not send us any money at all. Mom cried a lot; she missed us a lot, since we had always lived together. During those two years, my elder brother Azam lived with my aunt. At the age of 16, he started to earn money during the summer holidays, but this was not enough to help our mother. We were growing and our clothes were getting small. We needed a home to live together again. Now things have changed. Today is my twelfth birthday. I'm an adult now. Mom took me and my brother back from boarding school. We were given some land and now we are building a three-room house. We only have to finish building the roof, floor, and ceiling. My mom, my brothers and I are temporarily living at my uncle’s house. The government helped me to have my leg surgery in Germany and now I am feeling better. Mom works, and Azam works part-time loading goods at our aunt's store after school. He has begun to communicate with dad once a month, but it is still not enough. During the quarantine, we are studying at home by watching lessons on TV, and my aunt is helping us with our homework. UNICEF brought us pens, notebooks, educational books, and games to cheer us up during this difficult time. Our local community committee sometimes collects money, food and clothing for us. My mom has become more confident and happier since we started to live together again. My younger brother and I dream of finishing school and entering college. I want to become a doctor, and my brother wants to be in the military. My elder brother Azam wants to become an entrepreneur and help our family and mom dreams of creating a comfortable new home as soon as possible. However, my brothers and I have an even more important dream which we are not able to achieve. We want our parents to be together again and never leave us. However, the love and harmony we have in our family is a strength that neither boarding school nor poverty can destroy. We have gone through many difficulties and are now reunited to continue our life's journey together. After the labour migration of parents, family ties can break. Children can suffer from a lack of love and care from relatives, from loneliness, or they might have to start working at an early age to support their families. Fortunately, thanks to the cooperation and combined efforts of the community, the local city hall, and social workers, Timur's family was reunited. Now he is on his way to making his dreams come true. The story of Timur illustrates work carried out within the framework of the interregional project “Protecting children affected by migration in Southeast, South and Central Asia”, funded by the European Union and UNICEF.