News

September 22, 2021
Opening the signing ceremony, Olga Kulaeva, Director of the ILO Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, noted that this is the second decent work program in Uzbekistan. The first such program was signed in 2014 and extended in 2017. The initial priority was to eliminate the worst forms of child labor and forced labour. Today, when Uzbekistan’s progress in this direction is recognized and recorded, the new program already covers a wide range of development issues.
The new program aims to improve the legal framework governing labor relations; expand employment opportunities and decent work for youth, women and vulnerable groups created by inclusive and equitable economic growth; expand access of the most vulnerable groups of the population to quality and inclusive education and social protection; strengthen social dialogue and institutional capacity of the social partners.
Chairwoman of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan Tanzila Narbayeva, who stood at the origins of cooperation between Uzbekistan and the ILO, welcomed the signing of the new Decent Work Program. She noted that today the country is implementing large-scale reforms aimed at developing a democratic state in order to realize the rights of people, including the right to decent work. Tanzila Narbayeva highlighted the role played by social dialogue mechanisms. She also referred to the 2021 International Labor Conference Global Call to Action, which calls for action to ensure a people-centred recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Heinz Koller, ILO Assistant Director-General and Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, the programs signed with the ILO “have enabled Uzbekistan to make rapid and significant progress towards achieving decent work goals”. “Our cooperation is developing steadily,” he said.
Minister of Labor and Labor Relations of Uzbekistan Nozim Khusanov dwelled on the latest achievements of the country in the social and labor sphere. Among them are the revised Law on Employment of the Population, the adoption of the National Employment Strategy and the National Strategy for Social Protection for the period up to 2030. In addition, a revision of the employment incentive system began, which included the reform of the territorial Employment Assistance Centers, the creation of the State Labor Inspectorate and the national qualifications assessment system. The Minister thanked the ILO for the technical assistance provided in these areas.
Chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions of Uzbekistan Kudratulla Rafikov actively supported the new program. In his opinion, the program will contribute to the implementation of fundamental changes and the construction of a new Uzbekistan.
The Chairman of the Confederation of Employers of Uzbekistan, Ilkhom Khaydarov, emphasized the role played by the Decent Work Program for Employers: following the principles of decent work, employers in Uzbekistan are expanding their opportunities to enter world markets.
Mr. Yu, acting Resident Coordinator of the UN in the Republic of Uzbekistan, called the new program “a milestone in the history of cooperation between the UN and Uzbekistan.” The Decent Work Agenda is closely linked to national development priorities and the national reform agenda, as reflected in the new UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2021-2025.
The signing ceremony of the Decent Work Agenda was held online.