Uzbek President reviews new social support measures
Baku, August 4, AZERTAC
President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed proposals aimed at expanding access to education and social services for children with special educational needs, improving support for homeless people and victims of human trafficking, and digitalising the country's transport benefit system, the Uzbekistan National News Agency (UZA) reported.
According to the presentation, the number of social services available in Uzbekistan has increased from 23 to 140 over the past three years. Around 4.6 million social services are now provided annually, including about 2 million delivered at the mahalla level.
More than 168,000 children with disabilities currently live in Uzbekistan. Of these, 133,800 already receive educational and social services, while a further 34,600 children are expected to be integrated into the education system through targeted support provided to each family with the involvement of social workers.
From 1 October 2026, a pilot system for the comprehensive assessment of children's needs will be introduced in the Khorezm and Navoi regions to help determine the most appropriate educational environment and support services.
Beginning with the 2026/2027 academic year, specialised schools are expected to adopt individual education plans for students.
Blind teachers and primary school pupils at specialised schools will receive personal assistants. Private schools that establish special education classes for children with disabilities will be eligible for per-student subsidies, while at least 50 projects promoting inclusive environments will receive grant funding each year.
From 2027, children with disabilities are expected to receive assistive devices through a voucher system, including Braille displays, speech synthesizers and text-reading devices. Starting with the 2027/2028 academic year, applicants with disabilities will also be provided with additional accommodations during entrance and certification examinations, including extra time, Braille materials, sign language interpreters and assistants.
The President was also presented with proposals to reform assistance for homeless people. The country's 11 existing rehabilitation institutions are expected to be transformed into temporary accommodation and social reintegration centres.
Each individual will receive a personalised reintegration plan covering document restoration, medical and social assistance, vocational training and employment. The proposals also envisage broader involvement of non-governmental organisations in providing temporary accommodation, hot meals and clothing.
Another set of proposals focuses on strengthening support for victims of human trafficking. From 1 September 2026, the Inson social service centres are expected to introduce an assessment system to identify victims' needs and refer them to appropriate support services.
The Republican Centre for the Rehabilitation and Adaptation of Women will be renamed the Republican Centre for the Rehabilitation of Women and Children. An additional 40 shelter places for women affected by trafficking and their minor children will be established in four regions.
The proposals also include introducing a separate criminal offence for child trafficking and restricting convicted traffickers from engaging in labour and overseas migration activities.
The presentation also covered the digitalisation of transport benefits. More than 48,400 citizens currently receive transport concessions. Under the proposals, 11 categories of beneficiaries will be entitled to free travel or a 50% discount on air, rail and intercity transport.
Paper travel vouchers will be abolished, with eligibility verified through ID cards or biometric passports using the Unified National Social Protection information system. From 1 January 2027, discounted tickets will also be available online through the Baraka social card mobile application.
Following the presentation, President Mirziyoyev approved the proposals and instructed the responsible authorities to prepare the necessary legislation, ensure the effective delivery of the new services and maintain strict oversight of their implementation.
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