Uzbekistan has consistently supported democratic pathways of development, positioning itself in Central Asia as a country with steadily developing economic performance and a rapidly improving standard of living of its population.
Notably, supporting civil society institutions, ensuring their meaningful engagement in governance processes, and enhancing their institutional role have become among the key strategic priorities of the comprehensive reforms currently being implemented in the country.
Over recent years, transformative changes in Uzbekistan have permeated all spheres of state and social development. An open, people-centered system of governance—grounded in public opinion, inclusive dialogue, and the effective protection of citizens’ rights and legitimate interests—has been gradually institutionalized. Through a range of innovative mechanisms, structured and transparent social dialogue between the state and society has been firmly established.
The reform agenda has been guided by the principle “For the individual, for their dignity, well-being, and happiness” aiming to transform society into an active “initiator of reforms” to shape a “state that serves the people” to balance social relations and to enhance the role of citizens in public life.
In this regard, the Address delivered by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, to the Oliy Majlis and the people of Uzbekistan marks the beginning of a new phase in the country’s socio-political development. The Address clearly articulated the priority directions through which state policy will be implemented to ensure sustainable societal development.
Particular emphasis was placed on the continued advancement of civil society and the irreversibility of openness as a fundamental principle of state policy. The President firmly underscored that the policy of openness is not merely an expression of political will, but rather a critical factor underpinning the sustainability and resilience of ongoing reforms.
Importantly, the current Address serves not only as a review of achievements over the past year, but also as a comprehensive strategic framework defining clear objectives and tasks for the country’s next stage of development.
The Head of State placed special emphasis on the decisive role of civil society institutions in enhancing the effectiveness and accountability of reform implementation.
At present, Uzbekistan is home to 9,627 non-governmental non-profit organizations, 9,008 citizens’ self-governance bodies, 2,490 mass media outlets, and nearly 3,000 various public entities, including public councils, commissions, and civic groups. Collectively, these institutions employ more than 150,000 individuals.
These figures represent not only merely statistical data but also tangible evidence of thousands of social initiatives, public services, employment opportunities and the steady consolidation of an active civic culture within society.
Against this backdrop, the Address identified four priority areas for strengthening support for civil society institutions.
First, the development of a comprehensive five-year strategy for civil society advancement was proposed. This strategy is intended to ensure that the activities of non-governmental non-profit organizations, citizens’ self-governance bodies, and mass media outlets are guided by long-term, clearly defined objectives. It will enhance policy continuity and establish a robust legal and institutional foundation for the development of civil society institutions in line with international standards.
It is particularly important to note that the mahalla, as the most localized and community-oriented component of civil society, plays a crucial role in identifying social challenges at the grassroots level, engaging directly with citizens and exercising public oversight.
Furthermore, as a result of the reforms implemented under the leadership of the President, the national poverty rate declined from 8.9 percent at the beginning of the year to 5.8 percent. More than 8.5 million citizens were lifted out of poverty, while the unemployment rate decreased from 5.5 percent to 4.9 percent. In addition, 1,435 mahallas were officially designated as “poverty-free” a milestone highlighted as a significant social achievement.
From this perspective, the designation of 2026 as the “Year of Mahalla Development and Social Prosperity” carries both symbolic and practical significance. Accordingly, for 2026, further improvement of mahalla infrastructure and the integration of the vision of New Uzbekistan at the local level have been designated as the top priority.
Second, the Address emphasized the digitalization of the system for allocating state social orders to civil society institutions, alongside a doubling of financial support. In turn, this significantly reduces the human factor by ensuring that the stages of announcing calls for proposals, evaluating projects, allocating funds, and monitoring implementation are carried out through a unified electronic platform, thereby helping to prevent corruption risks and creating favorable conditions for further strengthening public oversight.
Moreover, the doubling of financial allocations contributes to expanding the scope of socially significant initiatives, strengthening the institutional capacity of civil society institutions, and enabling the timely and effective implementation of projects aimed at addressing pressing social challenges.
Third, the simplification of procedures for establishing charitable organizations, coupled with further improvements in accountability and transparency mechanisms, was outlined. This creates favorable conditions for supporting the social initiatives of citizens and business entities, reducing excessive administrative and bureaucratic barriers, and enabling the establishment of socially significantly local level funds and charitable initiatives within relatively short timeframes.
The introduction of effective accountability mechanisms enables the systematic monitoring of the targeted and prudent use of charitable funds, thereby strengthening public and donor trust in charitable activities and contributing
to the further consolidation of the principles of transparency and accountability
in this sphere.
Fourth, civil society institutions are envisioned as a key force in exercising public oversight over the activities of state bodies, guided by the interests of citizens.
This primarily serves to strengthen openness and accountability in public administration, enhance the responsibility of executive authorities in the exercise of their powers, and consolidate the practice of systematically taking into account public opinion and interests in decision-making processes.
The active participation of civil society institutions in these processes creates an important institutional basis for developing constructive dialogue between public authorities and society, increasing social trust, and ensuring the social effectiveness of decisions being adopted.
Overall, these reforms are directed toward reshaping state–society relations in Uzbekistan on a fundamentally new basis. The initiatives articulated in the Address represent the practical realization of the principles “For Human Dignity” and “Society as the Initiator of Reforms.”
In conclusion, citizens in Uzbekistan are no longer merely observers of reform processes; they are increasingly becoming active participants. This transformation contributes to heightened socio-political engagement, improved transparency and efficiency in public administration, and the country’s transition to a new stage of sustainable development.