On January 26, Finance Minister Timur Ishmetov met with the head of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Uzbekistan Munir Mammadzade, dedicated to strengthening the domestic social protection system.

Strong social protection is an integral part of the national model of socio-economic development. As indicated in the Action Strategy for 2017-2021, the priority is to improve the system, including ensuring mandatory social guarantees, strengthening state support for vulnerable groups of the population, improving social services and PPP in providing relevant services to citizens. The development of a national social protection strategy is one of the priority points of the State Program for the implementation of the Action Strategy.

The agenda included discussion of the new country program and potential interaction within its framework, cooperation on the social protection program and the integration of the national financial program. Also during the meeting, the sides paid special attention to the Unified Register and social policy.

It was noted that the main directions of the Joint Program of the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan, UNICEF, ILO and UNDP are the development of a national strategy for social protection of the population in Uzbekistan, the creation of a mechanism for effective interagency interaction in providing such protection and the introduction of innovative approaches in working with persons with disabilities.

The successful implementation of the program will contribute to the formation of a strategic vision for the development of the sector, reorientation of the system to withdraw socially vulnerable individuals and families from a difficult life situation and reduce their dependence on state aid. It will also help to comply with the principles of social justice and openness by defining clear criteria for granting benefits, expanding their coverage of low-income families, increasing the effectiveness of social assistance through its assignment in accordance with the needs of a particular person or family, developing and implementing clear rules for determining the degree of disability based on international standards.

At the end of the meeting, the sides noted continuation of cooperation in the field of financing social protection programs, especially for children and special needs community. It is also important to support joint work on further improving the profile national system, developing a medium and long-term strategy for the development of the sphere, and improving this system.

Source: Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan