President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has held a meeting today to discuss the practical implementation of five initiatives containing comprehensive measures aimed at creating additional conditions for fostering and educating the young people, and furthering the employment of women.

As we reported previously, priorities on this front were defined at a videoconference meeting on March 19. In accordance with them, a draft program of measures has been devised for each initiative.

Proposals included in these programs and mechanisms for their implementation have been discussed today at the meeting.

In particular, on the first initiative, the draft action plan envisages extensive engagement of young people into cultural and artistic institutions. Under the document, regional “roadmaps” are to be approved to attract 2 million young people from 14 to 30 during the years 2019-2020 to culture and arts. Meanwhile, it is planned to organize additional classes in children’s schools of music and art, instrumental, vocal and visual arts clubs, amateur theater groups and juvenile ensembles in cultural centers. Targeted list is also formed of cultural centers to be built, reconstructed or overhauled as well as equipped.

The head of state noted that the draft program lacks mechanisms for implementing measures; he underscored that the practical tasks of celebrities assigned to each town and district as creative advisers are not specifically defined. Shavkat Mirziyoyev pointed out the need for organizing the systemic execution of regional “roadmaps”, encouraging children drawn into hobby clubs and classes, including through various competitions.

The President instructed to allot appropriate funds for streamlining specified construction, reconstruction and repair works, and provide cultural centers, schools of music and art with musical instruments.

Contemplated for the second initiative, the sketch action plan to attract young people to physical culture and sports and increase the capacities of sporting facilities provides for the construction of small gyms in the next two years using lightweight structures and sandwich panels.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev stressed it is essential to more extensively attract the population, young people in particular, to the existing sports facilities and those being built, and organize more mass sports events.

Regarding the third initiative, a draft program of measures has been developed for the effective use of computer technologies and the internet among the population and youth. It provides for the establishment, in 2019-2020, of free training centers for digital technologies and for the provision of about 19 thousand social facilities with high-speed internet access.
Guidance was given during the meeting to boost computer literacy of the population, assist children interested in information technologies in realizing their potential, creating software products in particular.

The draft action plan to enhance the spirituality of young people and promote widely the reading culture among them is designed to further the goals of the fourth initiative. Thus, it is planned to deliver 1 million copies of books of fiction, historical, scientific and educational literature, as well as special vehicles – bibliobuses – to each region. The document envisages reconstruction and overhaul of information library centers, establishment of public libraries on the initiative of entrepreneurs.

On the fifth initiative, as it was informed at the meeting, a draft program has been worked out on organizing the production of garment and knitwear in the regions of the country and on increasing the indicators regarding women’s employment. It is planned to create garment and knitwear enterprises in each district in 2019–2020 and provide women with work.

Proposals were voiced at the meeting on setting up those enterprises on the basis of accurate calculations, with an eye to potential markets and specific buyers of goods.

On the issues discussed, responsible officials presented requested information and received instructions for the perfection of action plans.