The three young women recently participated in Technovation Girls Uzbekistan, the largest tech programme for girls and young women in the country where participants apply their skills to develop solutions to real-world problems through technology. Hosted by Technovation Girls, a global tech education non-profit that empowers young women and girls to become tech entrepreneurs and leaders, and supported by UN agencies including IOM, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNDP, UNAIDS and other partner organizations in Uzbekistan, the programme has been empowering young women and girls in Uzbekistan since 2018. Malika, Madina and Sarvinoz shared their thoughts on girls in tech, the importance of (parental) encouragement, and their long-term plans. Malika, 17 Hello, I’m Malika! I am from Uchkuduk, a small town in Navoiy region in central Uzbekistan. I'm studying at a high school, in Tashkent, and preparing for my entrance exams to a tech university. I really enjoy maths, physics, chemistry, biology, and English. I used to think that I would dedicate my life to medicine and become a doctor. But after Technovation Girls, I realized that my future lies within technology and engineering. And this has been driving me for the past three years. My mom and dad are very encouraging; it is important for them that their kids discover their true calling. I am incredibly grateful to them for paying the tuition for my English courses and making sure I have the equipment I need for my tech projects, including a laptop and a cell phone. During Technovation I learned how to develop startups, how to code, and most– importantly – how to work in a team and set goals. My team and I created iMigrant, a mobile app that helps migrants find the legal information, advice, and other useful local services that they need. Although STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) is a much sought after area of study, women and girls are still unrepresented in the field. In the future, I’d like to open my own STEM centre for girls in Uzbekistan to encourage them go into the science and technology fields, and break the stereotypes that girls are not able to achieve success in engineering and IT. Madina, 19 Hi all, I'm Madina from Namangan, a city in the beautiful Fergana Valley in eastern Uzbekistan. I am currently studying computer science and economics at Brandeis University in the United States. Big wins start with small steps. My family were the only ones supporting my passion for computer science. So naturally I wasn’t expecting to fit within society’s stereotypical narratives about women in tech. But now I see that attitude toward women in tech is changing. At Technovation, other girls and I developed an app that is helping to connect local non-profits and volunteers interested in tackling issues related to community development. Participating in technology programmes taught me to be more focused and diligent. I [also] learned to create a mobile app from scratch and to develop a basic business plan. Most importantly, deep diving into the tech world has significantly changed the way I look at technological innovation. With time I realized that there are a lot of people who are willing to support you, you just need to find them. And now, when there are more and more girls entering the IT and STEM fields, it’s important they feel inspired and empowered. And personally, I believe that Uzbekistan, as a country, is ready to support young aspiring girls in STEM, especially IT. Sarvinoz, 18 Hi, I’m Sarvinoz. I was born into an ordinary family in Tashkent. Now I am a first-year computer science student at the Riga Business School in Latvia. I am very grateful to my parents. Seeing my fiery eyes, my parents supported my choices. They never doubted that I would succeed. I liked all subjects at school, but I especially enjoyed geography, mathematics, and literature. I enjoy Russian classics as well as modern Western authors. Currently I’m reading Stephen Covey’s book, "Speed of Trust.” In 2020, I competed in Technovation Girls Uzbekistan for the first time. My team and I worked on an eco-project and developed an app-game to teach users about environment preservation and sustainability. The basics of programming and business, among other skills I learned there, are now very useful to me at university. But the best part was the valuable and useful network I established. In 2021, I participated in Technovation once again, this time as a Student Ambassador. I don't dream, I set goals. And one of them is to return to my homeland as a strong professional, and, by contributing to the development of society, bring Uzbekistan to a new level.

Since 2020 the United Nations Joint Programme supports Uzbekistan to reform its social protection system in line with international security standards. Special emphasis is made on unemployment and child benefits as important source of income for families enable to earn or sustain adequate living standards.  Aziza used to trade in the market as an individual entrepreneur but had to stop her activity due to family circumstances. She lost her husband, the breadwinner in the family, and had to move to and live her parents with her 3 years old son in Tashkent. She did not have enough savings from her business to cover her expenses in the early days of maternity. The family faced a difficult financial situation. The mahalla committee helped Aziza to secure child benefit as she raises a 3-year old son alone. Initially Aziza was receiving 194 000 soums (around USD 18) per month but according to the presidential decree from 11 August 2021 the amount of a benefit for low-income families with one child has been increased to 250 000 soums (USD 23.5). Of course, the amount of money is still modest as compared to the minimum consumer expenditures – 440 000 soums (USD 41) but they are not intended to cover all expenditures of a family but rather to support additional family spending due to childcare. To help Aziza, her sister advised to approach assistant inspector of the Employment Promotion Centre (EPC) attached to the local mahalla and seek financial support. The assistant inspector helped Aziza to collect all the necessary documents and processed her application for unemployment protection. Each mahalla in Uzbekistan has such EPC assistant inspector who works at the community level directly with the population and monitors the employment situation. Unemployment and child benefits helped us cover basic family needs. I even managed to save a small amount of money to buy for my son a toy car that he dreamed of, says Aziza. According to the new version of the Law “On Employment”, unemployment benefit for an applicant without formal employment history amounts up to 75% of the minimum wage which is set at USD 65, while average wage amounts to USD 267. Aziza received the unemployment benefit for some time and then she got employed within her mahalla as a community worker. Dilorom Tulaganova is an assistant inspector of the Employment Promotion Centre who works with the residents of Abu Bakr Shoshiy mahalla in historical part of Tashkent that unites 5200 people from 440 households. According to Dilorom, most of the applicants are women. There are not that many male applicants because the nearby Chorsu bazaar (the central market of old Tashkent) provides enough employment opportunities for them. Besides formal employment, male residents are informally self-employed in trade, taxi, and catering services, as well as in small-scale home-based manufacturing, crafts etc. Dilorom’s work does not consist of applications processing only; she constantly goes around mahalla talking to people to identify those who need her assistance and also to detect cases when unemployment benefits are misused. We must distribute the budget for social protection very carefully so that it reaches those who need it most, says Dilorom. In 2020, 89,651 unemployed persons received unemployment benefits or only 0.7% to the total number of employed. Unemployment benefit is delivered when EPC cannot offer a suitable job for an applicant. Dilorom says that four out of every five people who ask for assistance to find a job get employed. Informal and self-employed workers are often the most vulnerable at the labour market and there is a need to extend the social protection coverage to this group. Obid worked at a shoemaking factory in Tashkent, but had to quit due to poor health. He could not find a suitable job through the EPC.  Mahalla helped him to set up a small shop and he is now a self-employed cobbler who does not make social insurance contributions. As a self-employed person, Obid is not entitled to unemployment protection and the amount of his pension will be lower once he retires. I could not find a suitable job for myself at the employment facilitation centre. I chose to be self-employed, Obid says. “Indeed, people like Obid are currently excluded from the social protection system. They cannot claim benefits because they earn livelihoods, but this income may not be sufficient to escape poverty and to make social insurance contributions to insure themselves against risks we all face during our lifetime, including the risk of unemployment,” says Jasmina Papa, Social Protection Specialist, ILO Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia. “Most recent assessments in Uzbekistan propose options for protection in case of job loss and how to bring some workers in informal economy under social insurance umbrella. The new social protection strategy that the UN Joint Programme on Strengthening Social Protection in Uzbekistan works on together with the Government is proposing methods to strengthen the link between social protection and active labour market measures enabling access to sustainable and decent jobs.”    The National Social Protection Strategy sets out to extend the coverage with social protection to workers in informal economy . Today, 56.6% of the total employment in Uzbekistan accounts to the informal sector. Protecting this large portion of the working population in case of job loss will also contribute to the realization of other strategic ambitions like the Sustainable Development Goals, the Poverty Reduction Strategy and the National Employment Promotion Strategy till 2030 and will contribute to transition from informal to formal economy. Options to expand the coverage with unemployment protection and how to bring some workers in informal economy under social insurance umbrella can be found in the most recent report.

The family were registered in the “iron notebook” – a list of vulnerable groups compiled by the local authorities to provide them with targeted assistance. This is how the family then became a beneficiary of the FAO/GEF CACILM-2 project (“Integrated management of natural resources in drought-prone and saline agricultural production landscapes of Central Asia and Turkey”), which has been implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Uzbekistan since 2018. Within the framework of this project, 34 greenhouses were donated to rural residents living in the Bukhara and Kashkadarya regions. This aid has become part of the national socio-economic response to the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. “We were all very happy when they came to our home to install a large, spacious greenhouse. They said it would serve as a new source of income for us all year round,” explains Khushvakt, adding, “I have not been involved in greenhouse farming myself, but I still noticed that the construction was made of a sufficiently high quality, with a reliable structure – made of durable material. They said that it retains heat well and is resistant to precipitation, moisture and temperature changes. After this, it was down to us as a family to get as much benefit as possible from the new greenhouse.” As hardworking people, Khushvakt and her husband proactively set to work. Following the recommendations provided by FAO experts during a special training course for all greenhouse beneficiaries and via a working group established in Telegram messenger, the first requirement was to plant greens – spinach, coriander, dill. And when the first crop was ready, it was immediately successfully sold on the market. The beneficiaries then planted the second batch – cucumbers, tomatoes, green onions. Over time, profits began to increase, and fresh vegetables, grown with their own hands, appeared on their tables. “The stable income from the greenhouse has allowed us to solve many problems. There is confidence in the future. My daughters need support to continue their education, and our eldest is now preparing to enter university. She dreams of becoming a doctor,” says Khushvakt. Another beneficiary from the same region, Feruza Ergasheva, talks enthusiastically about the work the project has done. “We got the first harvest in the middle of March. Selling the greens grown in the greenhouse raised about 5 million soums (which is approximately equal to USD 500). This is a significant help in the household. We hope to grow more greens and bell peppers in September. The main thing is that a stable source of income has appeared. Every inch of our land is priceless, and everyone should work for their own welfare,” reflects Feruza, who now feels that she can put the dark days behind her. In the past, the family had faced many difficulties. Feruza’s husband has a long-term illness, and Feruza left her job in the cotton mill to look after him. Of the three sons, the two eldest are abroad, and the youngest is still a student. In short, there is no one else around to look after the household. And then there were COVID-19 restrictions. It is no surprise that the news of the transfer of the greenhouse was received with great joy in the family. Today, having already mastered the greenhouse economy, after acquiring the necessary knowledge and skills, Feruza plans to generate even more profit from her greenhouse and supply fresh vegetables to the table all year round. As it turns out, the challenges did not hinder Feruza – they strengthened her resilience. Her eyes are filled with optimism, and her commitment to hard work leaves no room for doubt about the successful implementation of all her plans. In general, the development of the greenhouse industry and the expansion of the vegetable range have contributed to an increase in domestic production of vegetables. This meets the needs of the country’s growing population for high-quality products during the off season. And for many, due to COVID-19 restrictions and related measures, greenhouses have become the optimal community-based solution for generating income.

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.