Inclusive development and equal opportunities for all - priorities of Uzbekistan's social policy

The year 2023 is being held in Uzbekistan under the auspices of comprehensive support and care for a person. In this context, it is important to work to create appropriate conditions, a space where everyone will feel the attention of the state, have opportunities for self-realization.
Among the priorities are strengthening guarantees of the rights of persons with disabilities, inclusive development, the introduction of effective mechanisms to ensure equal rights and opportunities for all, as well as unhindered participation of persons with disabilities in all spheres of life and activities of society.
To this end, on February 27, the President signed a decree "On additional measures to improve the system of support for persons with disabilities." The document includes extensive measures to provide people with disabilities in need with modern prosthetic and orthopedic products and to modernize the equipment of institutions for their rehabilitation.
- With the implementation of the measures defined in the document, the quality of life of people with disabilities will improve, their motivation will strengthen, - said Alisher Inakov, head of the Department of Organization of Medical and Social Services of the Ministry of Employment and Poverty Reduction. - Today, the need for prosthetic and orthopedic products in the country is fully covered, but do not forget that technologies are changing, some have ceased to meet modern requirements, and components of prosthetic products often do not suit people. The adopted resolution is designed to resolve this issue. As a result, by 2026, the provision of people with disabilities with modern modular prosthetic and orthopedic products will be increased to 60 percent. The State creates the necessary conditions to ensure inclusiveness, and people with disabilities could live a full life. This is the next step of the state in building an inclusive society, creating a comfortable environment for everyone.
The involvement of people with disabilities in the life of society is the most important direction of social development. The attitude towards persons with disabilities remains a key indicator of the level of morality and spirituality of society. Therefore, transformations are being carried out in Uzbekistan in the field of medical and social support for people, serious attention is being paid at the highest level to strengthening the health care system. Priority tasks are the widespread introduction of modern mechanisms and methods of medical and social services for the elderly and persons with disabilities, aimed at further development and improvement of the system and improving the quality of life of those who most need attention and care.
The main provisions of the resolution:
• cancellation of the requirement for a medical report when providing persons with disabilities with prosthetic and orthopedic products and technical means of rehabilitation from September 1, 2023;
• conducting admission to the specialty of the magistracy "Special pedagogy, defectology" of state higher educational institutions entirely on the basis of a state grant;
• formation of a unified list of benefits for persons with disabilities and citizens caring for them;
• Approval of the Plan of Additional measures to improve the system of support for Persons with Disabilities.
The document also provides for the acceleration of digitalization processes in the provision of medical and social services. So, for example, a medical report for obtaining appropriate prosthetic and orthopedic products and technical means of rehabilitation has been submitted by medical and social expert commissions to the electronic information system "Medical and Social Expertise" since September of this year simultaneously with the conduct of medical and social expertise and the establishment of disability of citizens. Its presence is determined by mutual data exchange. On the basis of an application (including in electronic form) of a person with an established disability, as well as a medical report entered into an electronic information system, an electronic certificate for obtaining prosthetic and orthopedic products and technical means of rehabilitation is formed on the Social Service electronic platform. The electronic queue is transparent.
During the period from 2017 to 2022, the approach to the organization and implementation of social policy has significantly transformed in Uzbekistan. Thus, the coverage of free medical and social services has increased from 80 to 145 thousand people, over 18 thousand lonely elderly and persons with disabilities are covered by social home-based services. The total number of compatriots taken on full state support and living in the houses "Sakhovat" and "Muruvvat" increased by 14 percent. Provision of persons with disabilities with prosthetic and orthopedic products and technical means of rehabilitation has doubled.
Within the framework of improving the mechanisms of social policy in Uzbekistan, a solid regulatory framework has been formed, in particular, the Presidential Decree "On measures to radically improve the system of state support for persons with disabilities" dated December 1, 2017, the decree of the head of state "On measures to further improve the activities of the medical and social expertise service and the system for establishing disability for children" from November 27, 2021. There are also laws of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On the rights of persons with disabilities", "On education", "On public health protection", "On employment", "On guarantees of the rights of the child", "On state pension provision of citizens", "On labor protection", "On physical culture and sports". The rights of citizens with disabilities are also enshrined in the Labor Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
At the same time, generally recognized international norms and standards in the field of ensuring the rights of persons with disabilities are being implemented into national legislation. Among the practical results are the creation of the necessary conditions for people with disabilities to stay in a favorable environment, unhindered access to urban passenger transport, social and other infrastructure facilities, and much more. 
The ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has set our state responsible tasks. This includes a number of vital issues, namely: a gradual transition to a social model of disability; financial support for people with disabilities who want to engage in entrepreneurship; the widespread introduction of inclusive education in schools; the expansion of quotas for the admission of boys and girls with disabilities to higher education institutions; the creation of an unhindered environment for them. And all this is only part of the comprehensive work carried out by the state.