With a population of around 37.2 million people, Uzbekistan is a country located in Central Asia which covers around 448,000 square kilometers. As one of Central Asia’s fastest-growing economies, the country is transforming how it educates, employs and empowers its citizens. Among its most ambitious goals is advancing gender equality and closing the gender wage gap in Uzbekistan.

On average, women in Uzbekistan earn about one-third less than their male counterparts, a disparity that occupational divides, cultural expectations and limited access to higher-paying sectors have largely shaped. These reasons largely demonstrate the complexities faced when trying to close the gender wage gap, even in a country determined to move forward.

Over the past few years, the government has taken significant steps to strengthen women’s participation in the workforce and promote fair pay. Legal changes, like the 2022 labor code, mark an important milestone in Uzbekistan’s journey towards a more inclusive economy, one that values skill over gender.

Education as a Foundation for Change

In classrooms, Uzbekistan’s gender story looks like a success; with literacy and school enrolment rates to be nearing almost level between the genders.  More young women are enrolling in universities and vocational programs than ever before, many entering fields that men once dominated. Government scholarships and training initiatives are encouraging women to pursue studies in science, technology and engineering, which are sectors critical to Uzbekistan’s growing economy. With programs like Technovation Girls Uzbekistan and the UniSat International Education Program for Girls, women from 8-24 are receiving encouragement to participate in things like skills workshops and social entrepreneurship, and they are promoting the breaking of gender stereotypes within STEM. Starting with a cohort of around 250 girls, the career ladder for young girls is increasingly expanding.

Yet, as more women graduate, ensuring this education translates into equal earnings remains a challenge. Women are heavily represented in the teaching and health care sectors, professions that are socially valued but financially undervalued. But, the shift is underway: women are increasingly going into more leadership roles in STEM.

Reform To Open Doors

Legal and policy reforms are driving the country’s shift to close the gap. In 2022, the country adopted a new labor code that explicitly prohibits wage discrimination and removes many outdated job restrictions. Alongside this, around 66.7% of Uzbek legal frameworks aim to focus on working towards achieving gender equality under the SDG indicator (including a focus on reducing violence towards women).

Uzbekistan’s National Gender Strategy aims to boost women’s economic participation and ensure their pay and promotion is based on merit. It is based in legal and institutional reform to instigate concrete actions. Uzbekistan created a national commission on gender equality in parliament with a separate ‘gender expertise’ requirement to ensure new policies are regulated to have a positive gender impact. Similarly, gender-responsive budgeting and quota restrictions aim to integrate gender-responsive budgeting into national and local planning while also setting targets for women to undergo successful employment. It is reported that the share of women in leadership roles has increased to 27% from just 7% in 2016, proof that Uzbekistan’s strategies to close the gender wage gap are working.

Partnerships with organizations like the World Bank or the UNDP aim to create pathways for women through entrepreneurship programs and public leadership. With more companies adopting these initiatives, conversations about closing the gap have entered mainstream public life. A partnership between the UNDP and the Hamroh company created the Women’s Entrepreneurship Support Programme. Additionally, financial support via preferential loans and bank-driven programs have supported more than 130,000 Uzbek women with their entrepreneurial initiatives, showing Uzbekistan’s commitment to improving gender equality and reducing the gender wage gap in the job sector in Uzbekistan.

Shifting Social Attitudes

While policy opens doors, social change is integral to keeping them open. With attitudes towards women’s work and leadership evolving across Uzbekistan; professionals are now challenging traditional gender roles. The government has also launched campaigns to spread the benefits of gender equality, not just for women but for the economy as a whole. According to the World Bank, closing the pay gap and increasing women’s labor participation could lift more than 700,000 people out of poverty and raise national income by nearly 30%. Not only would this change be good for women, but for Uzbekistan’s future.

While cultural expectations still influence women’s career paths, specifically in rural areas, women are continually balancing their professional ambitions with domestic duties. It is predicted that Uzbek women spend 22% of their time on household duties versus 9% in the case of men. If Uzbekistan continues to close its gender wage gap and lessen the domestic burden on women, earned income can increase while poverty reduces. As Uzbekistan continues to help relieve women of these pressures, women can continue to stay and thrive in the workplace.

Looking Forward

Uzbekistan’s journey towards closing the gap is still a work in progress, but the direction is clear. The foundations have been laid in education, reforms and societal growth, but Uzbekistan’s main challenge is now to turn equality on paper into practice. Bridging the gap will take time, but doing so could unleash the potential of half the country’s workforce, redefining what progress means for the nation.

– Megan Burrows

Megan is based in Birmingham, UK and focuses on Good News and Politics for The Borgen Project.

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