The World Bank has approved a concessional loan of $100 million for Uzbekistan, aimed at implementing the project "Innovative Social Protection System for the Integration of Vulnerable Population Groups" (Inson, translated from Uzbek as "person"). The goal of the project is to enhance access to and quality of social services for individuals from vulnerable population groups.
In addition to the loan, a $2 million grant has been allocated for the project from the multilateral donor trust fund at the World Bank, "Partnership for Early Learning." These funds will be utilized for conducting an impact assessment of social services at the mahalla level on the well-being of socially vulnerable children and for enhancing their quality.
Marco Mantovanelli, the head of the World Bank's office in Uzbekistan, emphasized that the project will help develop the legal and institutional foundations of the 'care economy' sector in Uzbekistan, aiming to improve access to essential social services for various vulnerable groups.
The project will be executed by the National Agency for Social Protection under the President, in partnership with governmental bodies, non-governmental organizations, and international partners working on social and economic development in Uzbekistan.
Expected outcomes of the project include establishing social service centers at the mahalla level nationwide, improving access to quality social and rehabilitation services for over 50,000 citizens from vulnerable groups, enhancing the legal framework for home-based and center-based social services, fostering a market for social services by private providers, providing individualized social assistance, enhancing employment opportunities for persons with disabilities, and offering comprehensive support to women at rehabilitation and adaptation centers for victims of violence.
Furthermore, the project aims to develop an adaptive social protection system capable of responding to emergencies and implementing measures to address climate change impacts in rural areas. This includes awareness-raising activities, provision of climate-resilient agricultural resources, and training on climate-smart agriculture practices for rural residents.
