President Mirziyoyev Reviews Initiative to Enhance Social Assistance and Care System for Persons with Disabilities
Tashkent, The Gulf Observer: On January 28, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan reviewed a comprehensive presentation focused on enhancing the targeting of social assistance and introducing a new care system for persons with disabilities. This initiative follows a directive issued during a video conference on December 13 and incorporates global best practices and modern trends.
The proposed changes include a new procedure for distributing social assistance through the “Women’s Register” and “Youth Register” programs, which will now be directed to families listed in the “Register of Poor Families.” Funds will be allocated proportionally based on the population size, the number of persons with disabilities, and low-income families in each district and city. Additionally, recognition of a family as low-income will automatically qualify its members for social assistance without requiring additional applications or documentation.
A significant aspect of this initiative involves eliminating ineffective and redundant social assistance programs. A standardized list of 28 essential social assistance programs has been approved. The State Health Insurance Fund will also finance medical treatment and surgical expenses covered through these social registers.
To further address regional challenges, Infrastructure and Social Stability Funds will be established under district and city administrations without forming legal entities. These funds will focus on resolving social, economic, and infrastructure issues, promoting healthy lifestyles, supporting sports development, and advancing environmental and conservation projects.
The President also emphasized the need for special care and attention for children with disabilities. A proposal was made to introduce a daytime care service for children aged 3 to 18, based on a public-private partnership model. This service will be accessible through social contracts with parents and will cater to children with severe disabilities, enabling their mothers to engage in employment and education. By the end of this year, the service is expected to support approximately 2,000 children.
Additionally, the “Children’s Health” information system will be launched to track the medical diagnoses of children with disabilities, providing them with comprehensive medical, rehabilitation, educational, and social services. Care services will receive subsidies per child, and parental payments for daytime care services will be exempt from taxation, up to 3 million UZS per month.
The presentation also highlighted measures to support families in overcoming poverty, based on the “Seven Opportunities and Responsibilities” principle. The “Register of Poor Families” information system has been established to assess families’ socio-economic status, income, and assets. As a result of these efforts, 48,000 citizens have secured employment, over 10,000 individuals have completed vocational training, and 14,000 people have benefited from loans and subsidies. Additionally, 140,000 families have received medical attention, and 38,000 citizens have accessed social services. Furthermore, 32,000 children have been enrolled in kindergartens, and nearly 7,000 young people have been placed in preparatory courses for university entrance exams.
President Mirziyoyev approved the proposals and instructed officials to consider employability when managing the register of low-income families, ensure that non-working individuals are placed under state social protection, and facilitate their social integration.
