UNICEF contributes to enhancement of Single Registry for Social Protection in Uzbekistan

UNICEF handed over 300 items of office equipment worth 1.27 billion Uzbek Sum to the Extrabudgetary Pension Fund of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan. It will be used to enhance the work of the Single Registry for Social Protection (Single Registry), an information system that enabled to streamline the process of distributing social benefits and allowances through digitalization.

The 99 personal computers and 121 printers will be distributed further among district and city branches of the Extrabudgetary Pension Fund in all regions of Uzbekistan and thus support in ensuring equal access to the system, as well as smooth processing of applications across the country.

Deputy Minister of Finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan Akhadbek Khaidarov noted that cooperation with UNICEF is one of the key moments in the process of developing and improving the social protection system in Uzbekistan. The purpose of this program is to help strengthen the overall system of financing national development strategies, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as create favorable conditions for the introduction of new forms of public and private financing, while increasing the efficiency of the use of existing financial resources. International experience and existing potential UNICEF provides significant support to the Government of Uzbekistan in creating a comprehensive social protection system accessible to all residents of Uzbekistan, thus contributing to the increase in the inclusiveness of economic growth and the development of human capital, while accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Government of Uzbekistan, jointly with UNICEF, works to enhance the work of Single Registry Information System to administer wider range of social protection programmes, including the shock responsive social assistance programmes to tackle negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. This will help the population to overcome the challenges caused by the pandemic and prevent families and individuals from falling into poverty.

“We are happy to handover this IT equipment to the Ministry of Finance and continue our assistance in the rollout of the Single Registry, which is expected to result in the effective administration of the equitable cash assistance for families and children in need,” said Munir Mammadzade, UNICEF Representative in Uzbekistan. “Indeed, we believe our joint efforts within the Joint SDG Fund, including ongoing support on the Single Registry will result in enhancing accountability and transparency of the national social protection system and improving its coverage and efficiency,” he added. 

The Single Registry for Social Protection was initially piloted in the Sirdaryo region in 2019. then expanded to all regions of the country by the end of 2020. Currently, Single Registry covers social allowances for low-income families with children.

It is expected that in 2021, the system will be able to incorporate additional programmes on in-kind support and social services, such as free sets of winter clothes, learning materials, and extra-curricular activities for schoolchildren, subsidized places in pre-school institutions for children, health benefits, subsidies for housing purchase for vulnerable families and their children in Uzbekistan.