Uzbekistan Country Gender Assessment: Update

hokimiyat
.
a
adB. 2014–2017
. Uzbekistan: Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC). Corridor 2 Road 
Investment.
Gap progress reports. Uzbekistan Resident Mission.
b
adB field survey in 2017 in preparation for this CGa update.
• 
among key outputs, set the following targets for the Gap: (i) a baseline study of 
women’s use of highways; (ii) effects of inefficiencies in transport infrastructure 
on male and female MSMe owners, especially those engaged in trade; (iii) gender 
sensitization of implementing and executing agencies, based on the results of the 
baseline study; (iv) quotas for women’s participation in pre-project and project 
interventions; (v) public information campaigns to enhance women’s voices and 
identify their specific travel needs along roadsides; and (vi) HIV/aIdS awareness; and
• 
extend the coverage of women-friendly financial products in the most remote rural 
areas, and encourage further collaboration between pCBs and the WC.

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Uzbekistan Country Gender Assessment Update
G. Health
1. Context
Improvements in health have a multiple effect on reducing poverty, improving learning 
and productivity, and, consequently, fostering economic growth. Health is a fundamental 
human capital, and inequities in affordable quality health services undermine inclusive 
growth. analyzing the root causes of these inequities allows the identification and shaping of 
appropriate policies and programs for national and international development programs.
Since 2014, Uzbekistan has made significant progress in several key globally recognized 
indicators. Maternal and infant mortality rates, as well as the number of children born with 
malformations, have decreased, and Uzbekistan has achieved the United Nations Millennium 
development Goal in this area.
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Maternal and infant mortality rates decreased (20.7 vs. 17.4 
per thousand and 24.2 vs. 10.7 per thousand, respectively) in the last 20 years. Moreover, 
in 2014–2017 the number of pregnant women with anemia decreased (45.1% vs. 38.2%, 
respectively.
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despite significant progress, considerable inefficiencies remain in the health system and require 
prioritization.
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Fragmentation of health care from the social protection system is an issue 
because health care is associated mainly with disease treatment and medication, whereas 
social welfare is not viewed holistically. about 6% of all state expenditures go to needy families 
through the 
makhallya
(social assistance) system. the health information system does not 
integrate parameters related to social welfare (e.g., income, employment, marital status, family 
structure, and occupation). the primary health care checklist for home visitation does not 
include social factors like domestic violence or access to clean water.
Major barriers to accessing affordable quality health care, especially in rural areas, include 
long distances to secondary and tertiary health care; travel and accommodation, including 
emergency cases; out-of-pocket expenditures; and insufficient quality of health-care services,
 
which are
 
increasingly recognized as a problem. the United Nations Human development 
Report identified out-of-pocket expenditure as constituting 43.9% of Uzbekistan’s total health 
budget.
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Resource-poor people can afford such expenses only by sacrificing other priorities.
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the government identified as most acute those issues related to reproductive health: 
insufficient coverage of women (82%–87%) and children by the patronage nurses’ service; 
insufficient coverage (only 52% of fertile women) of extra-genital disease diagnostics for 
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UN Human Rights Office of High Commissioner. 2014.