The meeting "Five years to implement the 2030 Agenda: Prospects for Central Asia on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action" was organized with the support of UN Women and the Government of Kazakhstan.

The event was attended by high-level representatives of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, including ministers, deputies, experts on gender equality, representatives of international organizations, civil society and the private sector.

The Uzbek delegation, headed by Orzigul Kozikhonova, Chairman of the Committee on Youth, Women, Culture and Sports of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, included representatives of government agencies and the expert community.

The delegation members presented key initiatives and reforms being implemented in Uzbekistan to empower women. They also shared best practices in the field of gender policy, emphasizing that Uzbekistan's experience in promoting gender equality and combating gender-based violence is an example of best practice.

Welcoming the participants of the high-level meeting, Belen Sanz Lucke, UN Women's Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, outlined the relevance of the event and stressed: "We cannot wait another 30 years to achieve full equality. Political will, investment, and the participation of civil society are key factors that will help accelerate change."

As Orzigul Kozikhonova emphasized, "Active work continues in Uzbekistan to ensure equal opportunities for women. We are confident that the joint efforts of the Central Asian countries will help accelerate the achievement of gender equality and achieve our goals."

Dilnoza Muratova, Deputy Director of the National Center for Human Rights of the Republic of Uzbekistan, noted: "Gender equality is not only a matter of equity, but also the key to sustainable development. We strive to create conditions in which every woman can realize her potential."

According to Gulnora Rakhimova, Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan: "To achieve sustainable gender equality, it is important not only to promote legislative initiatives, but also to ensure their financing. In Uzbekistan, we strive to develop women's economic opportunities, including supporting entrepreneurship and access to financial resources."

On the sidelines of the high-level event, the delegation of Uzbekistan met with the Regional Director of the UN Women for Europe and Central Asia, Belen Sanz Lucke, who praised Uzbekistan's gender policy and expressed gratitude to the Government of Uzbekistan for its contribution to supporting the development of the UN Women country office in Uzbekistan. She welcomed the positive dynamics and expressed confidence that Uzbekistan will continue to promote gender equality issues.

The event has become an important platform for discussing the current state and prospects of gender equality, empowerment of women and girls in the region, especially in the context of the remaining five years until the completion of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The press service of the National Center

Republic of Uzbekistan

on human rights.