Following the adoption by referendum of the new edition of the Constitution on 30 April 2023, from 2024 Uzbekistan intends to implement proportional representation for 50% of the seats in the Legislative Chamber (Lower Chamber) of the Oliy Majlis (Parliament). This presents a key opportunity for persons with disabilities to strive for 75 deputy positions and become active part of the political life in the country.
This is why, from 26 to 30 August, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan (PCUz) - jointly with UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and UN Development Programme within the UN Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities - organised the second phase of a series of capacity-building training courses for representatives of disability-focused NGOs who aspire to participate in Uzbekistan's next parliamentary elections. The objective of this second phase was to complement negotiation techniques, focus of last July's training, with public speaking skills.
A total of 31 representatives (12 women, 19 men) from across different regions of Uzbekistan, including the Republic of Karakalpakstan, attended the event. Participants enhanced their understanding of the state structure of Uzbekistan, the priorities and electorate of political parties, the responsibilities of deputies at various levels, and learnt from bloggers about successes and difficulties in using the media to address social issues. They also met with members of both Chambers of the Parliament, four political parties and the recently created National Agency for Social Protection under the President of Uzbekistan.
Nadia Yakhlaf-Lallemand, the Head of Human Dimension at the PCUz, noted that these trainings reflect the "commitment to creating an inclusive society where the voices of every individual are heard and valued," and added that "the participation of persons with disabilities in politics promotes equality and social justice. This inclusive approach is fully in line with the OSCE commitments, which Uzbekistan has agreed to implement."
