World Bank Document

development challenges facing Uzbekistan. A strong evidentiary foundation will be vital to 

achieve an enduring policy consensus between the government and its development partners, 

including the WBG.  

 

25. 

Addressing gender inclusion will also be key to meeting the country’s development 

objectives in a more challenging environment. While the legal framework for gender equality 

and women’s rights is relatively strong, practical implementation remains weak. Despite women’s 

formal legal equality with men, traditional patriarchal stereotypes and values remain, especially in 

rural areas where there has been significant rolling back of earlier gains. 

 

26. 

The SCD also emphasizes that broad-based improvements in economic governance 

will be essential both for effective action and results in the above ten priority areas and also 

for achieving the government’s strategic growth and job-creation objectives. The economic 

governance agenda is extensive, ranging from governance of the financial sector and banking 

system and improved access to information, greater transparency, and enhanced public 

accountability to strengthened rule of law and the guarantee of basic economic freedoms, including 

addressing the issue of forced and child labor.  

 

III. 

      WORLD BANK GROUP PARTNERSHIP STRATEGY  

 

A. 

Government Program and Medium-term Strategy 

 

27. 

The government’s strategic objectives are for Uzbekistan to achieve upper middle-

income status by 2030, implying income growth averaging 6 percent annually, and in