For Immediate Release
Press Release
May 24, 2022, Tashkent, Uzbekistan – Today, a United States delegation which included Department of State Assistant Secretary Donald Lu and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Asia Bureau Anjali Kaur met with aspiring women entrepreneurs at the “Toshkent Gullari” Floristic School. The goal of the visit to the school was to witness first-hand how U.S. government (through USAID) assistance is contributing to women’s economic empowerment in Uzbekistan.
This workshop is part of a larger, $1 million women’s empowerment program implemented by USAID’s Agribusiness Development activity (ADA). Entrepreneurship and vocational trainings are administered by the “SABR” National Center for Socio-Economic Development and 13 regional nongovernmental organizations, engaging nearly 1,000 rural women across the country.
USAID’s comprehensive workforce development activity in Uzbekistan for rural women and female youth integrates business skills and vocational training, the provision of equipment and supplies, access to credit, and linkages to the private sector, and also fosters mentorship, internships, and employment.
“When women acquire the skills they need to find stable, rewarding jobs, and when they have access to the financing that would empower them to establish their own businesses, then the way people think about gender changes and Uzbekistan’s economic growth becomes more inclusive, sustainable, and rapid,” said Deputy Assistant Administrator Kaur.
Assistant Secretary Lu, emphasized the United States and Uzbekistan’s shared commitment to empowering women, “I am proud to say that since 1993, the United States has worked with Uzbekistan to address gender inequality and that we continue to stand in partnership with Uzbekistan to chart a future that includes an inclusive and sustainable development path for all.”
Investing in women’s economic empowerment sets a direct path towards gender equality, poverty eradication, and inclusive economic growth. In Uzbekistan, supporting women in acquiring jobs or self-employment ensures that economic growth is inclusive and sustainable.
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USAID partners with the Government of Uzbekistan to diversify the country’s economy and increase regional trade, address serious health threats – including COVID-19 – and build the government’s capacity to respond to the population’s needs. For more information, please visit: https://www.usaid.gov/uzbekistan, and Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/USAIDUzbekistan/
