Uzbekistan Life & Culture - The Times Of Central Asia

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Poverty

Central Asia Cuts Hunger Fivefold in Two Decades, FAO Reports

The number of people facing hunger in Central Asia has fallen sharply over the past two decades, according to a new report from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The share of the population suffering from undernourishment dropped from 13.1% in 2005 to just 2.8% in 2024, equivalent to a decline from 7.8 million people to 2.3 million. Much of this progress was achieved before 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic temporarily disrupted that trend: between 2020 and 2021, undernourishment rose to 2.5 million. However, with the introduction of stronger food security policies and an economic rebound, the region has since regained positive momentum. The FAO report notes that a healthy diet in Central Asia now costs an average of $3.78 per person per day. While this is below the global average of $4.46, it remains unaffordable for many low-income households, particularly in rural Tajikistan. In 2024, FAO estimates that approximately 14% of the region’s population, roughly 11.5 million people, still could not afford a balanced diet. Child health indicators have also improved. The prevalence of stunting among children under five has halved since 2012, falling from 14.8% to 7.4%. Rates of acute malnutrition have also declined, and childhood obesity rates have decreased slightly. Nonetheless, persistent challenges remain: anemia affects about one-third of women of reproductive age, and adult obesity is on the rise, increasing from 18.8% to 25.1% over the past decade. In 2024, Tajikistan remained the most food-insecure country in the former Soviet Union. According to the Global Hunger Index published by the International Food Policy Research Institute, 8.7% of its population faces food shortages, placing the country 65th out of 127 worldwide. In a sign of regional engagement, Uzbekistan officially joined the Global Alliance to Combat Hunger and Poverty in December 2024, reinforcing its commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals and to global cooperation on food security.

Sports

Uzbekistan Joins Asian Cricket Council as Sport Gains Momentum

Uzbekistan has taken another major step in its cricket journey, as the Cricket Federation of Uzbekistan (CFU) was officially welcomed into the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) during its conference in Dhaka, Bangladesh on July 30. In 2022 Uzbekistan became an Associate Member of the sport’s governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC). Cricket has grown swiftly in Uzbekistan, with more than 4,000 players now participating in schools, universities, and community clubs across the country. The CFU has introduced cricket to 253 sports schools, using ICC training materials translated into Uzbek to engage young players. Facilities have been set up in Tashkent, Chirchiq, and Samarkand, laying the groundwork for Uzbekistan’s first national cricket team. “Becoming part of the Asian Cricket Council is a historic step for Uzbekistan,” CFU Chairman Aziz Mihliev said. “It connects us with the wider Asian cricket community and strengthens our ability to grow the sport locally. With the support of the ICC and ACC, we are committed to developing grassroots cricket, training local coaches, and providing more opportunities for young Uzbeks to experience this global sport.” This membership places Uzbekistan among Asia’s recognised cricket nations, including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal. Last year, the Times of Central Asia reported that Uzbekistan’s cricket team was preparing to play its first international matches, possibly against Mongolia.

Uzbek Literature

From Tashkent to Tennessee: Uzbek Stories Bridge Worlds in Nashville Debut

Uzbekistan's literary luminaries will make their first appearance at the Southern Festival of Books in Nashville, Tennessee. Now in its 37th year, this iconic event is one of the biggest and most celebrated literary festivals in the U.S., and this year, attendees will get a taste of Uzbek storytelling. Avid readers will dive into the vibrant and poetic world of Uzbek literature, where Southern hospitality meets Central Asian artistry. “Nashville is a publishing powerhouse — we love our books here,” Mark Reese, the organizer behind the showcase, told The Times of Central Asia. “I’m proud that my city has come together to support this exciting cultural exchange and open the door to new literary voices.” Reese partnered with Akbar Toshtemurov, founder of Booktopia in Tashkent, to bring the vision to life. “Booktopia is a natural ally in the effort to spread awareness of Uzbek literature abroad through professional translation,” Reese said. “Akbar Toshtemurov has sponsored the translation of over fifty English-language titles into Uzbek and brings deep expertise to the table.” [caption id="attachment_34419" align="aligncenter" width="1152"] Mark Reese - image courtesy of the subject[/caption] Among the featured writers is Abdulla Qodiriy, one of Uzbekistan’s most revered authors. His novel Oʻtkan Kunlar (Bygone Days) — a cornerstone of Uzbekistan’s literary heritage — will be central to the presentation. “Qodiriy will certainly be a focal point,” Reese said, “but I expect other authors, both past and contemporary, to have a seat at my table.” Reese has spent over 30 years bridging cultures. He has created education programs across Central Asia and the U.S., spearheaded eLearning, curriculum reform, and translation projects. As the founding director of the Center for Regional Studies at the U.S. Naval Academy, he crafted top-tier academic content, cementing his legacy in cultural diplomacy. His efforts to promote the Uzbek language and culture, including his English translation of Oʻtkan Kunlar, earned him Uzbekistan’s Presidential Order of Doʻstlik. “My career in Uzbekistan started with the Peace Corps in 1994,” Reese told TCA. “I served in Kokand as one of the first volunteers in the city as an English teacher. “What has always fascinated me and that I’ve admired are the layers of culture that inform each other - Uzbekistan’s rich ecumenical heritage — it has everything from petroglyphs, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam. Being able to witness the birth of a republic is an extremely rare experience as well. I’ve been a student of Uzbekistan ever since.” TCA: How did you come across Uzbek literature, and what universal themes might appeal to a U.S. audience? “Kokand is known as the center of literary Uzbek, which is mainly attributed to Umar Khon and Nodira. So, I learned the Kokand dialect of Uzbek. The University of Washington’s graduate program in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, as well as Tashkent’s Sharqshunoslik University, underpinned my academic knowledge.” TCA: What inspired you to feature Abdulla Qodiriy’s work at the festival? “Uzbekistan suffers from a structured soft power presence abroad. Thirty-plus years of independence, and their narrative still...

Education

OCA Magazine Shines Spotlight on Education in Eurasia

The latest edition of OCA Magazine (UK) focuses on the challenges and opportunities facing education in Central Asia, the CIS, and neighbouring regions. The special issue, OCA Magazine: Education, explores digital transformation, women’s access to higher education, and the drive to modernise universities in a fast-changing global environment. The special edition includes success stories from Kazakhstan’s Al-Farabi Kazakh National University and Saken Seifullin Kazakh Agrotechnical Research University, where AI, digital campuses, and international double-degree programmes are reshaping learning. The issue also features insights from British tourism expert, Sophie Ibbotson, who predicts that by 2033, tourism in Uzbekistan could generate over 290,000 direct jobs, making hospitality and creative education a national priority. The Methodica School and Tashkent International School, pioneers of innovative and multicultural learning, are also in the spotlight, as well as Tajikistan’s cultural renaissance, where music education and the work of composer Tolibkhon Shakhidi exemplify the fusion of tradition and modernisation. The edition, supported by Hertfordshire Press and the Eurasian Creative Guild (London), is distributed to universities, diplomatic missions, and cultural institutions worldwide. A digital version is available at ocamagazine.com.

Society

Uzbek-Born Author Dina Rubina’s Tashkent Event Suspended Amid Outrage Over Gaza Comments

Ticket sales for an upcoming literary event in Tashkent by Israel-based writer Dina Rubina have been suspended following widespread controversy over her remarks about the Gaza conflict. Rubina, born in Tashkent in 1953, was formerly a member of the Uzbekistan Writers’ Union. She moved to Moscow in 1984 and currently resides in Israel, continuing to write in Russian. Rubina was scheduled to perform at Turkiston Palace in Tashkent on October 10, with tickets sold through box offices and online via iTicket.uz, according to Anons. However, online sales have since been discontinued, and promotional materials on Afisha.uz have been taken down. The backlash emerged after excerpts from Rubina’s recent interview with Russian television channel Dozhd were widely circulated and criticized. In the interview, aired on July 20, Rubina discussed the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, and the ensuing violence. Journalist Mikhail Kozyrev, who conducted the interview, later revealed on his Facebook page that some of Rubina’s more inflammatory statements had been edited out. According to Kozyrev, Rubina had said: “Israel has the right to defend itself. It has the right to dissolve them all in hydrochloric acid, clean Gaza and turn it into a parking lot. There is no civilian population there! One teacher kept an Israeli soldier’s head in a refrigerator, another stored body parts for sale, they are expensive, in a basement. Don’t talk to me about ‘peaceful civilians’.” Kozyrev explained that the phrases were removed from the broadcast due to their extreme nature, but he later published the full transcript online. This prompted backlash, with some accusing the channel of censorship. Russian musician Andrei Makarevich criticized Dozhd’s editorial choices, arguing that they “cut out the most important parts.” Kozyrev responded that the remarks were omitted because “such statements should not be made about anyone.” As the controversy intensified, Rubina posted a statement on July 29 accusing Kozyrev of misrepresenting her words: “Apparently, the interview seemed too mild to the interviewer, so he hastily filled his Facebook page with dirty distortions of my various words and phrases. This is not just falsification; it’s deliberate manipulation of meaning.” Kozyrev later issued an apology, acknowledging that publishing the unedited transcript was a mistake: “Generalizing about entire nations is destructive. There are no bad nations, only bad people. Even war cannot justify statements like ‘they all must be destroyed’.” In response, Russian journalist Ilya Azar called for a more humane approach from supporters of Israel. “I saw photos of starving children in Gaza and then read Rubina’s comments,” he wrote on social media. “How can an educated adult, especially Jewish, aware of their history, say or even think this? Yes, the October 7 attack was horrific, but it has already been answered, terrifyingly. People must stop this genocide.” Kazakh journalist and activist Aigerim Bukeyeva compared Rubina’s remarks to Russian war propaganda: “To the fans of Dina Rubina, who is apparently planning another tour in Kazakhstan, are you eager to see the ‘talented writer’ because of her work or because...

Human Trafficking

Most Uzbeks Recognize Human Trafficking Risks, Survey Shows

July 30 marks World Day against Trafficking in Persons, a United Nations-designated observance established in 2013 to raise awareness about one of the most severe human rights violations globally. In conjunction with this date, Uzbekistan’s Ijtimoiy Fikr Center for Public Opinion Research has released the findings of a nationwide survey assessing public awareness of human trafficking and its associated risks. According to the 2025 data, 61.3% of respondents reported being well informed about human trafficking. An additional 29.5% of respondents said they were familiar with the issue but lacked detailed knowledge. Experts caution that such informational gaps can foster misinformation if not addressed through credible sources. Encouragingly, the share of respondents unaware of trafficking risks has declined, reflecting the impact of ongoing awareness initiatives. Television remains the primary source of information for 76.8% of respondents, followed by social media at 54.1%. While digital platforms are increasingly influential, the report underscored the importance of improving media literacy to curb the spread of disinformation. Traditional print media also remains relevant, particularly among older demographics, with 24% citing newspapers or magazines as their main source. When asked how they would respond to a trafficking incident, 78.3% of respondents said they would report it to the police. Other authorities named included the Prosecutor’s Office (47.1%) and the Ombudsman (37.2%), while more than 27% said they would contact an anti-trafficking hotline. Respondents identified the most common forms of trafficking as labor exploitation (68.9%), sexual exploitation (42.1%), illegal organ trade (24.3%), forced begging (23.2%), and child trafficking for adoption (21.3%). Unemployment, economic hardship, and the promise of quick financial gain were cited as the main drivers behind trafficking. Job offers abroad, often made through acquaintances or online platforms, remain the most prevalent method of recruitment. Reassuringly, 91.9% of respondents said they knew of cases where victims had been rescued and successfully reintegrated. Experts view this as a sign that current rescue and rehabilitation programs are making an impact. While 73.1% believe the situation has improved over the past five years, Ijtimoiy Fikr emphasized that human trafficking remains a significant threat in Uzbekistan. The report calls for enhanced legal protections, expanded public education, and deeper international collaboration to maintain momentum. The Center concluded that raising awareness, preventing exploitation, and supporting survivors must remain the core pillars of the national anti-trafficking strategy.