Uzbek Official Dismissed After Viral Lap-Sitting Video Sparks Gender Debate

A government official in Uzbekistan has been dismissed following the circulation of a video showing him with a female subordinate sitting on his lap during an online meeting. The footage, which went viral on social media, prompted a public backlash, with the Ministry of Employment and Labor issuing a statement describing the incident as a “violation of the ethics of a civil servant.” The dismissal of the head of the district department of employment and poverty reduction in Samarkand was confirmed by the ministry. The woman in the video, reportedly an assistant at the agency, has not been publicly named and is believed to have resigned voluntarily. The incident has sparked a broader discussion about workplace conduct, gender dynamics, and women’s rights in Uzbekistan, where traditional norms continue to influence professional and personal life. Gender and Power in the Uzbek Workplace In recent years, Uzbekistan has made significant progress regarding the participation of women in public life. Women currently hold about 32 seats in the 150-member Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis (national parliament). However, their visibility in executive positions and technical fields remains limited. In Uzbekistan, only 35.4 % of the population aged between 15–64 in the labor force are women, and they earn about 34 % less than men. The World Bank estimates that equal participation and wages could boost the country's GDP by 29 % and lift over 700,000 people out of poverty. The government has introduced various reforms aimed at improving gender equality, including protections against domestic violence, promoting women's entrepreneurship, and gender budgeting initiatives. However, critics argue that these measures are often symbolic or inconsistently enforced. Cultural Taboo and Social Media The lap-sitting video has sparked a wave of internet commentary from both men and women in Uzbekistan, where public discussions of gender roles are often muted. Some saw the video as a clear example of workplace harassment and power imbalance, while others downplayed its significance or blamed the woman involved. Observers argue that the case highlights deeper structural issues within Uzbek institutions, where entrenched gender hierarchies and informal power dynamics often go unchallenged. In many areas of public and private life, the country remains deeply patriarchal, and whilst public discourse around consent, professional boundaries, and gender equality is growing, it remains nascent. A Moment for Change? The government’s decisive response to the video may signal a growing awareness of public expectations and international scrutiny. For activists and reformers, the hope is that this moment can serve as more than a spectacle and lead to more conversations about power, professionalism, and the role of women in modern Uzbekistan. As one widely shared comment on Telegram put it: “It’s not about the lap. It’s about who gets to sit at the table.”

Kazakh Women Increasingly Turn to IT Careers, but Face Persistent Pay Gaps

In Kazakhstan, a growing number of women are entering the IT sector, yet their salaries continue to lag behind those of their male counterparts. Women in STEM: Statistics and Trends According to a study by Ranking.kz, the number of female students enrolled in IT disciplines has more than tripled between 2019 and 2024. At the start of the 2019/2020 academic year, only 4,500 women were studying IT at universities across the country. By 2024, that number had surged to 15,300. Interest in information security has been particularly strong, with female enrolment rising 5.8-fold over this period. Despite this growth, the proportion of women among all IT students has actually declined, from 31.7% in 2019 to 24% in 2024. This shift reflects a sharp increase in male enrolment, which has skewed the overall gender balance. Women in Kazakhstan are also showing increasing interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) more broadly. In the most recent academic year, they made up the majority in several scientific disciplines. In physical and chemical sciences, women represented 75% of all students, growing 6.2 times to reach 7,100. In mathematics and statistics, 61.7% of students were women. Labor Market Disparities On the employment front, progress has been less marked. From 2019 to 2024, the share of women working in the information and communications sector remained steady at around 42%. In absolute numbers, female employment in the sector rose from 68,000 to 79,100, a 16.3% increase over five years. Nearly half of these women (35,500) work in Kazakhstan’s two largest cities, Almaty and Astana, reflecting the concentration of IT firms and economic activity in these hubs. However, some regions show stronger female representation: in the Aktobe region, women account for 71.1% of information and communications sector employees; in the Kyzylorda region, the figure stands at 56.9%. The scientific research landscape has also evolved. The number of women in research and development (R&D) increased by 43.6% over the past five years, reaching 12,900. Of these, 2,600 are in engineering and 3,600 in the natural sciences. Gender parity has nearly been achieved in these fields: women constitute 45.4% of engineering researchers and 54.3% in the natural sciences. Gender Pay Gap Persists High wages remain a key draw to the IT sector. In 2024, the average monthly salary in IT stood at $1,395, nearly double the national average of $790. Yet, a significant gender pay gap persists: on average, men in ICT earn 45.4% more than women. For instance, in the field of computer programming, male professionals earn an average of $1,930, compared to $1,327 for women. Global Context and Local Barriers Kazakhstan is not unique in facing gender inequality in IT. Globally, as of 2024, 70% of men and 65% of women had internet access. The United Nations has called for equal opportunities in digital education and careers across genders. In Kazakhstan, the gender gap in internet access is minimal, 96.6% for men and 95.9% for women aged 16-74, but entrenched social stereotypes and cultural norms still hinder...