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Centralisation of charity activity during the COVID-19 pandemic 
The first case of COVID-19 was registered in Uzbekistan on March 14
th
 and on the same day the 
Uzbek government announced the shutting down of schools, colleges and universities.
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Subsequently the Tashkent government introduced strict quarantine measures step-by-step: 
banning and introducing penalties for walking in public without PPE, closing all border checkpoints, 
prohibiting weddings and other public gatherings, cancelling all domestic flights and railways, 
suspending public transport, putting restrictions on using private vehicles, etc.
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 Despite these strict 
measures the initiative to support vulnerable groups (elderly, disabled and low-income families) 
came from volunteers and grassroots civil society activists that used social networks (Telegram and 
Facebook) to distribute help to those in need. 
 
However, on April 1
st
 Elmira Basitkhanova the former chairperson of the systemic NGO Women’s 
Committee of Uzbekistan who was appointed first deputy Minister for Mahalla and Family Affairs 
announced in public that in five days 200 complaints were received about the delivery of food to the 
elderly and low-income families by volunteer groups.
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 She backed up her argument to curb 
volunteer efforts asking whether donating to elderly people who are at higher risk of contracting the 
coronavirus is a violation of quarantine requirements, questioning how their safety is ensured and 
who controls the quality of delivered products. Therefore, on April 1
st
 the Sponsorship Coordination 
Centre was established under the Ministry for the Support for Mahalla and Family with a single short 
number 1197.
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 It was recommended to transfer all donations to a systemic public foundation with 
an NGO status, ‘O'zbekiston mehr-shafqat va salomatlik’ (Uzbekistan - mercy and health), which was 
established by the Government of Uzbekistan in November 28, 1988 at a conference in February 
1989 and re-registered by the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan on November 21
st
 
2014.
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 Thus, the Uzbek government centralised and monopolised charity allocation through a 
                                                           
396
 Yusupov and Isakov, Regulations of NGOs: Control of Partnership?  
397
 Olzhas Auyezov, Uzbekistan confirms first coronavirus case, closes schools, borders, Reuters, March 2020, 
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-uzbekistan/uzbekistan-confirms-first-coronavirus-case-closes-schools-borders-
idUSKBN21206W  
398
 Gazeta.uz, The month that has changed Uzbekistan, April 2020, https://www.gazeta.uz/ru/2020/04/15/chronicle/  
399
 Kun.uz, Elmira Basitkhanova appointed to a new position, February 2020, https://kun.uz/en/news/2020/02/20/elmira-basitkhanova-
appointed-to-a-new-position; Anora Ismailova, Elmira Basithanova said that in five days there were about 200 complaints about the 
delivery of food to elderly people and low-income families, Podrobno.uz, April 2020, https://podrobno.uz/cat/obchestvo/elmira-
basitkhanova-zayavila-chto-za-pyat-dney-postupilo-okolo-200-zhalob-na-rabotu-volonterov-dosta/  
400
 UZDaily, Sponsorship Coordination Centers to start operating in Uzbekistan, April 2020, http://www.uzdaily.com/en/post/55794  
401
 Mercy and Health Community Foundation, https://mehrshafqat.uz/  

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Spotlight on Uzbekistan 
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single government-organised public fund and the Sponsorship Coordination Centre while the 
activities of volunteer groups and civil society organisations were restricted.
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Moreover, on April 20
th
 President Mirziyoyev proposed the creation of another systemic NGO fund, 
‘Saxovat va ko’mak umumxalq harakati’ (nationwide movement ‘Generosity and Assistance’), 
suggesting that businessmen and entrepreneurs should transfer their donations to the fund to 
actively support vulnerable members of population in their local mahallas during the period which 
coincided with the holy month of Ramadan.
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 The businessmen who donated to the fund were 
promised by the president they would receive various benefits (e.g. taxes concessions, access to 
leasing, credits and other resources) depending on the level of assistance and support they provided. 
Rather than resorting to ‘helicopter money’ Mirziyoyev decided to provide social protection via his 
appeal to businesses and entrepreneurs.
404
  
 
Due to the lack of transparency and accountability of the state-organised funds there were several 
cases of violations and crime related to the appropriation of donated funds. For instance, a deputy 
mayor (Khokim) in the Akkurgan district who was the head of the district department for mahalla 
and family affairs misappropriated charitable funds from the ‘Mahalla’ fund and ‘Saxovat va ko’mak’ 
fund. The Prosecutor’s Office have opened a criminal case under Article 167 (theft by 
embezzlement) of the Criminal Code.
405
 In another investigative report it was found that the 
activities of the state-owned charity fund ‘Saxovat and ko’mak’ contradicts the laws of Uzbekistan, 
which prohibits the government to create such foundations.
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 Moreover, the journalist found that 
the fund purchased products at inflated prices, and its account was replenished through ‘voluntary’ 
random deductions from the salaries of employees of state organisations. 
 
Apart from the embezzlement of public funds, the top down approach to charity allocation has had 
negative impacts on the most vulnerable segments of Uzbek society. Firstly, the centralisation of aid 
allocation in the form of a single Centre and single emergency hotline considerably increased the 
transactions costs to review each application, which was quite difficult in the absence of any 
eligibility criteria and lack of a single database of children and adults in need of social protection. The 
one-size-fits-all approach with a fixed bundle of basic goods did not really work as the people had 
unique needs. As a result, many people who needed help were not able to reach the hotline on the 
phone and were left behind.  
 
Social partnership and trust of the government in volunteer groups and civil society organisations 
rather than the monopolisation of charity activities via government-organised public funds would 
have been a more effective and efficient response to the needs of the vulnerable amid strict COVID-
19 quarantine measures. Compared to systemic GONGOs, self-initiated NGOs and civil society 
groups already had an extended network of beneficiaries at the grassroots levels and a better 
understand of the needs of their members. Therefore, the transaction costs and time they use to 
distribute goods and services might be lesser. Importantly, if the Uzbek government had cooperated 
with such NGOs the staff and volunteers could have been supported and remunerated for their 
charity work thus being able to sustain their families as well through the crisis. The COVID-19 
pandemic should have been used an opportunity to develop the organisational capacity of self-
initiated NGOs to make them more resilient for future crises. 
 
                                                           
402
 Dilmurad Yusupov, How COVID-19 is affecting disabled people in Uzbekistan?, Dilmurad.me, April 2020, https://dilmurad.me/how-
covid-19-quarantine-is-affecting-disabled-people-in-uzbekistan/  
403
 Fergana News, “Generosity and Assistance”, April 2020, https://en.fergana.news/articles/117489/  
404
 Eurasianet, Uzbekistan: President nixes helicopter money idea, appeals to business community, April 2020, 
https://eurasianet.org/uzbekistan-president-nixes-helicopter-money-idea-appeals-to-business-community  
405
 Kun.uz, Deputy khokim misappropriated charitable funds in Akkurgan district, May 2020, https://kun.uz/en/news/2020/05/18/deputy-
khokim-misappropriated-charitable-funds-in-akkurgan-district  
406
 Mirzo Subkhanov, Uzbekistan: charity with violations, CABAR.asia, May 2020, https://cabar.asia/en/uzbekistan-charity-with-violations/  

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