Three Stories, One Mission: Supporting a More Inclusive Uzbekistan

Each of them lives with a different disability, and each has faced challenges along the way. Through volunteering, they advocate for disability inclusion. At the same time, they empower each other, proving that working together can make a real difference.

Firuza: Access, respect, and equal opportunity

I am a young woman living with a visual disability since birth. Over the years I have learned to navigate the world through sound, empathy, and determination.

Currently, I work as a UN Volunteer, helping UN Uzbekistan to produce communication materials that ensure people with disabilities are represented and heard. 

I also run an Instagram, and share the barriers I face and how many public spaces in Tashkent are still inaccessible for people with disabilities.

In 2025, I proudly finished second in the 5 km inclusive race at the Samarkand Marathon. For me, the race wasn’t about winning, it was about visibility, showing that inclusion is something we put into action, not just talk about.

I’m not interested in being “an example.” I’m focused on being a professional who contributes — someone who uses communication to open doors for others. Inclusion isn’t about inspiration, it’s about access, respect, and equal opportunity.

Shaida: Making our society more inclusive and tolerant

My name is Shaida. I gradually lost my vision over the years. In 2015, my vision deteriorated sharply, making it difficult to navigate the city, though I continued believing in the best. 

In 2023, we moved to Tbilisi, where I started using a white cane and worked with a mobility specialist. I gained confidence moving independently. 

After returning to Tashkent in 2024, I joined “Sharoyit Plus,” NGO and took part in inclusive forums, and began training as an athlete with a professional coach. 

Working as a UN Volunteer allows me to share my experience, inspire others, and promote inclusion. My goal is to visit schools and universities across Uzbekistan, motivating young people with disabilities to never give up.

Recently, I joined other UN Volunteers to run trainings at universities in Tashkent, where we talked about what inclusion truly is and how each person can help make our society more inclusive and tolerant.

Shakhodat: Creating Opportunities

I am a young woman with albinism. When I was a child, some people advised my parents to send me to a boarding school so I could have an easier path to university. Instead, they chose our village’s public school so I could grow up alongside other children, make friends, and feel less set apart. 

School was not easy. I often sat in the very front and still struggled to see the board. I faced discrimination and sometimes bullying. Many teachers simply didn’t know how to support a student with albinism, which led to misunderstandings. Even so, I finished 11 years of school and went on to university.

Watching my siblings, who also have albinism, I realized how much I wanted their experience to be different from mine — free from discrimination, treated equally by teachers and classmates, and given access to assistive tools that make learning easier. My goal became clear: to help create the opportunities I didn’t have.

After graduating from university, I joined the “Ish Plus” project with “Sharoit Plus” NGO, helping over 300 people with disabilities find jobs. 

Today, I serve as a UN Volunteer, I support the UN team in Uzbekistan by making their communication more inclusive and highlighting the challenges people with disabilities face.

Background

Since Uzbekistan ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2021, the UN Country Team has supported the country’s efforts to improve disability inclusion. Through a joint programme, the UN expanded inclusive social services, trained nurses, teachers, and service providers, and supported reforms to disability assessment, data systems, and budgeting. The UN also raised awareness among public service workers and helped empower youth and Organizations of Persons with Disabilities through advocacy and legal-literacy initiatives.