UN proposes Uzbekistan to create Ministry of Social Protection

UN experts suggest creating a ministry of social protection in Uzbekistan, as stated at a meeting on social protection on September 17 chaired by Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Aziz Abduhakimov and United Nations Resident Coordinator in Uzbekistan Helena Fraser, Trend reports citing Uzbek media.
Abdukhakimov noted that one of the biggest problems in the field of social protection of the country's population is the fragmentation of social services. To resolve it, a single state body is needed to regulate the activities of all organizations and non-governmental non-profit organizations involved in the social protection of the population.
In Uzbekistan, social protection functions are currently distributed among several ministries and departments. Despite the fact that the country invests about 8-9 percent of GDP in social protection and is committed to the Sustainable Development Goals in the field of social protection, in recent years the gap in the social protection system has been widening.
"The lack of integration at the political and institutional levels is the main cause of inefficiency, which determines the impossibility of providing effective social protection to any vulnerable group. In practice, people in need cannot receive the services or support to which they are entitled, and do not even know where to seek help," Head of the UNICEF Office in Uzbekistan Sascha Graumann said.
"The creation of a single body would allow using an integrated approach in providing social protection to vulnerable people, children and families," he added.
In partnership with the Government, the UN office in Uzbekistan has developed a joint program to improve the social protection system in the country. The main components of the program are institutional reform and pilot programs for people with disabilities.
It implies that by 2022, a single department or coordination mechanism of social protection will be created in the country with an appropriate administrative system and sufficient resources to provide effective social protection to the population.