Uzbekistan is taking bold steps to modernize its social protection system by ensuring that every woman, worker, and family has the support they need when it matters most.
In a country where nearly 94 percent of pregnant women currently lack access to maternity benefits, the Government of Uzbekistan is reimagining how social protection can serve as both a safety net and a springboard for equality. The reform of the maternity cash benefit system is a cornerstone of this transformation, designed to protect women during pregnancy and childbirth, and to build a more inclusive, sustainable, and gender-equal social insurance framework.
At the heart of this effort is the Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions, a United Nations initiative supporting countries to strengthen their social protection systems while advancing decent work and inclusive growth. In Uzbekistan, the Global Accelerator is helping to conceptualize a new social insurance law, a reform that could redefine how maternity, employment, and income security are managed across the country.
Through a joint initiative led by the International Labour Organization (ILO), UNICEF, UNFPA, and the World Bank, a comprehensive feasibility study has explored options for a maternity insurance scheme that would extend protection to women in both formal and informal employment. These findings are guiding national partners as they design mechanisms that ensure equitable access to benefits while maintaining financial sustainability.
The reform aims to address long-standing barriers faced by women in the labour market. Under the current employer liability mechanism, businesses shoulder the direct cost of maternity leave, a structure that can unintentionally discourage the hiring of women of reproductive age. By shifting toward a shared social insurance model, Uzbekistan can reduce gender bias, promote fair employment practices, and extend protection to women in vulnerable jobs from small enterprises to informal work.
“Successful reforms are built on constructive social dialogue,” said Ms. Sabine Machl, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Uzbekistan. “Bringing workers, employers, and civil society together ensures that no one is left behind as the country strengthens its social protection system.”
The Global Accelerator brings together multiple UN agencies and the World Bank to provide technical expertise to national institutions, including Ministry of Employment and Poverty Reduction, National Agency for Social Protection, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and the Extra-Budgetary Pension Fund. Representatives from the Federation of Trade Unions, the Confederation of Employers, and the Association of Employers of Uzbekistan. This collaboration helps align employment, finance, and social policies by turning fragmented efforts into a coherent national strategy for social protection.
Uzbekistan joined the Global Accelerator in 2023, committing to a long-term vision of universal social protection. One that empowers women, supports families, and builds resilience against poverty and economic shocks. The maternity cash benefit reform is only the beginning of a broader transformation aimed at ensuring that every citizen, regardless of job type or background, can count on support throughout life’s challenges.
By investing in maternity protection today, Uzbekistan is investing in the wellbeing of its future generations by building a fairer, more resilient society for all.
Uzbekistan has been a part of the Global Accelerator since 2023.
Note:
All joint programmes of the Joint SDG Fund are led by UN Resident Coordinators and implemented by the agencies, funds and programmes of the United Nations development system. With sincere appreciation for the contributions from the European Union and Governments of Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland for a transformative movement towards achieving the SDGs by 2030.
