Uzbekistan will receive $100 million from the World Bank to improve its social services. The funds will also be used to set up 50 social service centers, train professionals to work with vulnerable people, and employ people with disabilities.
Under the ‘Inson’ project, various vulnerable groups will be able to receive more social services. There will be an additional $2 million grant to assess the impact of services on the wellbeing of vulnerable children.
“The project will assist in developing the legal and institutional framework for the ‘care economy’ sector in Uzbekistan. It will also help improve access to demanded social services that are still inaccessible to thousands of people, including elderly citizens, people with disabilities, victims of domestic violence, and socially vulnerable children,” said the World Bank’s country manager for Uzbekistan Marco Mantovanelli.
The 50 social service centers are expected to facilitate targeted outreach to those in need, including the creation of a legal framework to improve the quality standards of social services. It is planned to train 1,200 people with disabilities in crafts and vocational skills, half of them young people aged 15-24.
The project will also provide quality legal, medical, psychological, and other assistance to female victims of violence. They will be allowed to learn computer and financial literacy and a profession. It is envisaged to create an adaptive system of social protection for vulnerable people during emergencies and due to climate change.
For 100,000 poor citizens in rural areas, the program will provide seeds for climate-resistant crops, agricultural tools, and training in farming under changing climatic conditions.
