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Women’s Representation and Participation in Politics in Uzbekistan from 1991 to 2023

Year 2025, Issue: 113, 27 - 52
https://doi.org/10.12995/bilig.11302

Abstract

Uzbekistan had a new Constitution, and a series of laws were enacted after the proclamation of independence in 1991. The functioning of the new state in a democratic way was organized according to these laws. In this study, it was investigated whether the laws enacted had influence on women’s participation and representation in politics along with democracy, and if so, in what ways they were applied. As the method of the study, a descriptive design with semi-structured interviews and document analyses was applied to obtain data for the triangulation of a mixedmethod
approach. The current situation and dynamics regarding women’s participation and representation in politics were explored by analysing original governmental documents related to Uzbek Constitution and by conducting semi-structured interviews with 9 Uzbek citizens. As the results exhibited, it was seen that women in Uzbekistan were represented in the politics as mentioned in the laws. However, as the data analysis indicated the so-called representation and participation of women in Uzbekistan remained on the surface level. Depending on the reported results, it could be stated that the presentation and participation were limited and not efficient and actively implemented in the real-life context.

References

  • Govermental Documents “Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan.” The Government Portal of the Republic of Uzbekistan, 2023, https://www.gov.uz/en/constitution/english#%23.
  • “Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women: Initial Reports of States Parties.” United Nations, 2000.
  • “Election Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan.” National Database of Legislation of the Republic of Uzbekistan, 2019, https://saylov.uz/en/docs/ozbekistonrespublikasining-sajlov-kodeksi.
  • “Elections to the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, 2009.” Central Election Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan, 2021, https://saylov.uz/en/docs/2009-jil-29- dekabr-ozbekiston-respublikasi-olijmazhlisi- qonunchilik-palatasi-deputatligiga-sajlov.
  • “Elections to the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, 2014.” Central Election Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan, 2021, https://saylov.uz/oz/docs/2014-jil-21-dekabr-ozbekiston-respublikasi-olijmazhlisi-qonunchilik-palatasi-deputatligiga-sajlov.
  • “Elections to the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, 2019.” Central Election Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan, 2021, https://saylov.uz/en/docs/2019-jil-22- dekabr-ozbekiston-respublikasi-olijmazhlisi-qonunchilik-palatasi-deputatligiga-sajlov.
  • “Female Deputies, Gender Equality.” Ozbekiston Respublikasi Markazij Sajlov Komissiyasi, 2015, https://saylov.uz/en/gender-equality/female-deputies.
  • “Global Gender Gap Report 2020.” World Economic Forum, 2019, https://www.weforum.org/reports/gender-gap-2020-report-100-years-pay-equality/infull.
  • “Initial Reports of States Parties due in 1996.” International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. United Nations, 2000, https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/419044.
  • “Members of the Legislative Chamber.” Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, 2023, https://Parliament.Gov.Uz/En/Deputies.
  • “ODIHR Election Observation Mission Final Report (2020): Parliamentary Elections – 22 December 2019.” OSCE. Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, 2020, https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/uzbekistan/428690.
  • “On the State Program for the Implementation of the Action Strategy on the Five Priority Areas of Development of the Republic of Uzbekistan for 2017-2021 in the ‘Year of Science, Enlightenment and Digital Economy Development.” National Legislative Base of the Republic of Uzbekistan, 2020, https://lex.uz/ru/docs/-4751561.
  • “OSCE project coordinator in Uzbekistan trains judges on countering genderbased violence.” OSCE. Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, 2020, https://www.osce.org/project- coordinator-in-uzbekistan/468573.
  • “The Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments (%) – Uzbekistan.” World Bank. Inter-Parliamentary Union, 2021, https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SG.GEN.PARL.ZS?locations=UZ.
  • “The Beijing Declaration 1995, section 13.” The Fourth World Conference on Women, 1995, https://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/beijing/pdf/BDPfA%20E.pdf.
  • “Women and men of Uzbekistan 2007-2010: Statistical bulletin. State committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan on statistics.” Asian Development Bank, 2012, https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/project-documents//44067-012-tacr-04.pdf.
  • “Women’s political participation and leadership: Social Development Policy Briefs” United Nations, ESCAP. 2019, https://www.unescap.org/sites/default/files/SDPB%202019- 03_Political%20Participation_1.pdf.
  • “Women’s rights.” Official Site of National Center for Human Rights of the Republic of Uzbekistan, 2023, https://pravacheloveka.uz/en/menu/prava-zhenschin.
  • “25 Years after Beijing: A review of the UN system’s support for the implementation of the Platform for Action, 2014-2019.” Inter-Agency Network on Women and Gender Equality. UN Women, 2020, https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/Library/Publications/2020/IANWGE-Review-of-UN-system-support-forimplementation-of-Platform-for-Action- 2014-2019-Summary-en.pdf.
  • Books and Articles “A committee on women and gender equality opened in the senate.” UzDaily, 2019, https://www.uzdaily.uz/en/post/51090.
  • Conway, M. Margaret. “Women and Political Participation.” PS: Political Science and Politics, vol. 34, no. 2, 2001, pp. 231–33. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/1350210.
  • Curtis, Glenn. E. Uzbekistan. Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan: country studies. Library of Congress, 1996.
  • Kadirkhanova, Malika. “Gender and development.” Gender Equality Strategy Serves Stability and Growth in Uzbekistan, 2023, https://uzbekembassy.com.my/eng/news_press/constitutional_reform/gender_equality_strategy_serves_stability_and_growth_in_uzbekistan.html.
  • Leech, Nancy L., et al “Evaluating Mixed Research Studies: A Mixed Methods Approach.” Journal of Mixed Methods Research, vol. 4, no. 1, 2010, pp. 17-31. http://mmr.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/4/1/17.
  • Mee, Wendy. “Country Briefing Paper: Women in the Republic of Uzbekistan.” Asian Development Bank, February 2001, pp. 1-16, https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/institutional- document/32604/women uzbekistan.pdf.
  • “Message from the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to the Oliy Majlis.” The PRESIDENT, Republic of Uzbekistan, 2017, https://www.president.uz/ru/lists/view/1371.
  • Nohlen, Dieter, et al (Eds.). “Elections in Asia.” A data handbook, Volume I. Oxford University Press, 2001.
  • Prillaman, Soledad A. “A Relational Theory of Women’s Political Participation.” The Patriarchal Political Order: The Making and Unraveling of the Gendered Participation Gap in India. 2023, pp. 61-86, https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/patriarchal-political-order/relational-theory-of-womenspolitical-participation/020B9376A06A399B1F4CF4EF7C89770A.
  • Rakhimov, Mirzokhid. “Post-Soviet transformations and The contemporary history of Uzbekistan.” Uzbekistan Initiative Papers, no. 14, 2014, pp. 1-7.
  • Salimov, Sherzod Y. “Socio-Economic Development of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Years of Independence.” Arch Appl Sci Res: AASR-104, no. 1, 2018, pp. 1-5, DOI:10.29011/AASR-104. 100004, https://www.gavinpublishers.com/assets/articles_pdf/154.087.7943article_pdf103.853.5694.pdf.
  • “Social Life and Participation in Decision-making.” Statistics Agency under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Gender Statistics, 2023, https://gender.stat.uz/en/additional-indicators/social- protection.
  • Taşkın, Burcu. “Political Representation of women in Turkey: Institutional Opportunities Versus Cultural Constraints.” Open Gender Journal, no. 5, 2021, pp. 163-183.
  • Taşkın, Burcu. “Cherry-Picking in Policymaking: The EU’s Presumptive Roles on Gender Policymaking in Turkey.” Feminist Framing of Europeanisation: Gender Equality Policies in Turkey and the EU, (eds.) Rahime Süleymanoğlu-Kürüm and Melis Cin. Palgrave Macmillan, 2021, pp. 131-155.
  • Thabane, Tebello, and Michael Buthelezi. “Bridging the gap between de jure and de facto parliamentary representation of women in Africa.” Comparative and International Law Journal of Southern Africa, vol. 41, no. 2, 2008, pp. 175-204.
  • “The role of women parliamentarians in the development of Uzbekistan.” UzDaily, 2022, https://www.uzdaily.uz/en/post/72395.
  • Tursunova, Zulfiya, and Nodira Azizova. “Women’s progress in Uzbekistan: Political Participation”, Gender Politics in Central Asia, (eds.) Hammerle, C., et al. 2008, pp. 113-132.

1991’den 2023’e Özbekistan’da Kadınların Siyasette Temsili ve Katılımı

Year 2025, Issue: 113, 27 - 52
https://doi.org/10.12995/bilig.11302

Abstract

Özbekistan›ın yeni bir Anayasası vardı ve 1991›de bağımsızlığının ilanından sonra bir dizi yasa çıkarıldı. Yeni devletin demokratik bir şekilde işleyişi bu yasalara göre örgütlendi. Bu çalışmada,
çıkarılan yasaların kadınların demokrasiyle birlikte siyasete katılımı ve temsili üzerinde etkili olup olmadığı ve eğer öyleyse hangi yollarla uygulandığı araştırılmıştır. Çalışmanın yöntemi olarak, karma yöntem yaklaşımının üçgenleştirilmesi için veri elde etmek amacıyla yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmeler ve belge analizleri içeren tanımlayıcı bir tasarım uygulanmıştır. Kadınların siyasete katılımı ve temsil edilmesine ilişkin mevcut durum ve dinamikler, Özbek Anayasasına ilişkin orijinal hükümet belgeleri analiz edilerek ve 9 Özbek vatandaşıyla yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmeler yapılarak incelenmiştir. Sonuçlar ortaya çıktıkça, Özbekistan›daki kadınların yasalarda belirtildiği gibi siyasette temsil edildiği görülmüştür. Bununla birlikte, veri analizinde belirtildiği gibi, Özbekistan›da kadınların sözde temsili ve katılımı yüzey seviyesinde kalmıştır. Rapor edilen sonuçlara bağlı olarak sunum ve katılımın sınırlı olduğu, etkin olmadığı ve gerçek hayat bağlamında aktif olarak uygulandığı ifade edilebilir.

Ethical Statement

An ethics approval letter was obtained from Westminster International University in Tashkent on April 5, 2023 (RO/06-01-0056) for the implementation of the interviews in accordance with the principles of qualitative research, and the study was carried out in accordance with the principles of social sciences. The written informed consent of the people we interviewed was obtained to record the information given in writing and to publish the information in the article, and they took part in the study by stating their names without specifying their surnames.

References

  • Govermental Documents “Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan.” The Government Portal of the Republic of Uzbekistan, 2023, https://www.gov.uz/en/constitution/english#%23.
  • “Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women: Initial Reports of States Parties.” United Nations, 2000.
  • “Election Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan.” National Database of Legislation of the Republic of Uzbekistan, 2019, https://saylov.uz/en/docs/ozbekistonrespublikasining-sajlov-kodeksi.
  • “Elections to the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, 2009.” Central Election Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan, 2021, https://saylov.uz/en/docs/2009-jil-29- dekabr-ozbekiston-respublikasi-olijmazhlisi- qonunchilik-palatasi-deputatligiga-sajlov.
  • “Elections to the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, 2014.” Central Election Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan, 2021, https://saylov.uz/oz/docs/2014-jil-21-dekabr-ozbekiston-respublikasi-olijmazhlisi-qonunchilik-palatasi-deputatligiga-sajlov.
  • “Elections to the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, 2019.” Central Election Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan, 2021, https://saylov.uz/en/docs/2019-jil-22- dekabr-ozbekiston-respublikasi-olijmazhlisi-qonunchilik-palatasi-deputatligiga-sajlov.
  • “Female Deputies, Gender Equality.” Ozbekiston Respublikasi Markazij Sajlov Komissiyasi, 2015, https://saylov.uz/en/gender-equality/female-deputies.
  • “Global Gender Gap Report 2020.” World Economic Forum, 2019, https://www.weforum.org/reports/gender-gap-2020-report-100-years-pay-equality/infull.
  • “Initial Reports of States Parties due in 1996.” International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. United Nations, 2000, https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/419044.
  • “Members of the Legislative Chamber.” Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, 2023, https://Parliament.Gov.Uz/En/Deputies.
  • “ODIHR Election Observation Mission Final Report (2020): Parliamentary Elections – 22 December 2019.” OSCE. Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, 2020, https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/uzbekistan/428690.
  • “On the State Program for the Implementation of the Action Strategy on the Five Priority Areas of Development of the Republic of Uzbekistan for 2017-2021 in the ‘Year of Science, Enlightenment and Digital Economy Development.” National Legislative Base of the Republic of Uzbekistan, 2020, https://lex.uz/ru/docs/-4751561.
  • “OSCE project coordinator in Uzbekistan trains judges on countering genderbased violence.” OSCE. Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, 2020, https://www.osce.org/project- coordinator-in-uzbekistan/468573.
  • “The Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments (%) – Uzbekistan.” World Bank. Inter-Parliamentary Union, 2021, https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SG.GEN.PARL.ZS?locations=UZ.
  • “The Beijing Declaration 1995, section 13.” The Fourth World Conference on Women, 1995, https://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/beijing/pdf/BDPfA%20E.pdf.
  • “Women and men of Uzbekistan 2007-2010: Statistical bulletin. State committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan on statistics.” Asian Development Bank, 2012, https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/project-documents//44067-012-tacr-04.pdf.
  • “Women’s political participation and leadership: Social Development Policy Briefs” United Nations, ESCAP. 2019, https://www.unescap.org/sites/default/files/SDPB%202019- 03_Political%20Participation_1.pdf.
  • “Women’s rights.” Official Site of National Center for Human Rights of the Republic of Uzbekistan, 2023, https://pravacheloveka.uz/en/menu/prava-zhenschin.
  • “25 Years after Beijing: A review of the UN system’s support for the implementation of the Platform for Action, 2014-2019.” Inter-Agency Network on Women and Gender Equality. UN Women, 2020, https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/Library/Publications/2020/IANWGE-Review-of-UN-system-support-forimplementation-of-Platform-for-Action- 2014-2019-Summary-en.pdf.
  • Books and Articles “A committee on women and gender equality opened in the senate.” UzDaily, 2019, https://www.uzdaily.uz/en/post/51090.
  • Conway, M. Margaret. “Women and Political Participation.” PS: Political Science and Politics, vol. 34, no. 2, 2001, pp. 231–33. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/1350210.
  • Curtis, Glenn. E. Uzbekistan. Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan: country studies. Library of Congress, 1996.
  • Kadirkhanova, Malika. “Gender and development.” Gender Equality Strategy Serves Stability and Growth in Uzbekistan, 2023, https://uzbekembassy.com.my/eng/news_press/constitutional_reform/gender_equality_strategy_serves_stability_and_growth_in_uzbekistan.html.
  • Leech, Nancy L., et al “Evaluating Mixed Research Studies: A Mixed Methods Approach.” Journal of Mixed Methods Research, vol. 4, no. 1, 2010, pp. 17-31. http://mmr.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/4/1/17.
  • Mee, Wendy. “Country Briefing Paper: Women in the Republic of Uzbekistan.” Asian Development Bank, February 2001, pp. 1-16, https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/institutional- document/32604/women uzbekistan.pdf.
  • “Message from the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to the Oliy Majlis.” The PRESIDENT, Republic of Uzbekistan, 2017, https://www.president.uz/ru/lists/view/1371.
  • Nohlen, Dieter, et al (Eds.). “Elections in Asia.” A data handbook, Volume I. Oxford University Press, 2001.
  • Prillaman, Soledad A. “A Relational Theory of Women’s Political Participation.” The Patriarchal Political Order: The Making and Unraveling of the Gendered Participation Gap in India. 2023, pp. 61-86, https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/patriarchal-political-order/relational-theory-of-womenspolitical-participation/020B9376A06A399B1F4CF4EF7C89770A.
  • Rakhimov, Mirzokhid. “Post-Soviet transformations and The contemporary history of Uzbekistan.” Uzbekistan Initiative Papers, no. 14, 2014, pp. 1-7.
  • Salimov, Sherzod Y. “Socio-Economic Development of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Years of Independence.” Arch Appl Sci Res: AASR-104, no. 1, 2018, pp. 1-5, DOI:10.29011/AASR-104. 100004, https://www.gavinpublishers.com/assets/articles_pdf/154.087.7943article_pdf103.853.5694.pdf.
  • “Social Life and Participation in Decision-making.” Statistics Agency under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Gender Statistics, 2023, https://gender.stat.uz/en/additional-indicators/social- protection.
  • Taşkın, Burcu. “Political Representation of women in Turkey: Institutional Opportunities Versus Cultural Constraints.” Open Gender Journal, no. 5, 2021, pp. 163-183.
  • Taşkın, Burcu. “Cherry-Picking in Policymaking: The EU’s Presumptive Roles on Gender Policymaking in Turkey.” Feminist Framing of Europeanisation: Gender Equality Policies in Turkey and the EU, (eds.) Rahime Süleymanoğlu-Kürüm and Melis Cin. Palgrave Macmillan, 2021, pp. 131-155.
  • Thabane, Tebello, and Michael Buthelezi. “Bridging the gap between de jure and de facto parliamentary representation of women in Africa.” Comparative and International Law Journal of Southern Africa, vol. 41, no. 2, 2008, pp. 175-204.
  • “The role of women parliamentarians in the development of Uzbekistan.” UzDaily, 2022, https://www.uzdaily.uz/en/post/72395.
  • Tursunova, Zulfiya, and Nodira Azizova. “Women’s progress in Uzbekistan: Political Participation”, Gender Politics in Central Asia, (eds.) Hammerle, C., et al. 2008, pp. 113-132.
There are 36 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Gender and Politics, Studies of the Turkic World
Journal Section Articles
Authors

Meral Balcı 0000-0003-3638-5339

Early Pub Date September 20, 2024
Publication Date
Published in Issue Year 2025 Issue: 113

Cite

APA Balcı, M. (2024). Women’s Representation and Participation in Politics in Uzbekistan from 1991 to 2023. Bilig(113), 27-52. https://doi.org/10.12995/bilig.11302
AMA Balcı M. Women’s Representation and Participation in Politics in Uzbekistan from 1991 to 2023. Bilig. September 2024;(113):27-52. doi:10.12995/bilig.11302
Chicago Balcı, Meral. “Women’s Representation and Participation in Politics in Uzbekistan from 1991 to 2023”. Bilig, no. 113 (September 2024): 27-52. https://doi.org/10.12995/bilig.11302.
EndNote Balcı M (September 1, 2024) Women’s Representation and Participation in Politics in Uzbekistan from 1991 to 2023. Bilig 113 27–52.
IEEE M. Balcı, “Women’s Representation and Participation in Politics in Uzbekistan from 1991 to 2023”, Bilig, no. 113, pp. 27–52, September 2024, doi: 10.12995/bilig.11302.
ISNAD Balcı, Meral. “Women’s Representation and Participation in Politics in Uzbekistan from 1991 to 2023”. Bilig 113 (September 2024), 27-52. https://doi.org/10.12995/bilig.11302.
JAMA Balcı M. Women’s Representation and Participation in Politics in Uzbekistan from 1991 to 2023. Bilig. 2024;:27–52.
MLA Balcı, Meral. “Women’s Representation and Participation in Politics in Uzbekistan from 1991 to 2023”. Bilig, no. 113, 2024, pp. 27-52, doi:10.12995/bilig.11302.
Vancouver Balcı M. Women’s Representation and Participation in Politics in Uzbekistan from 1991 to 2023. Bilig. 2024(113):27-52.

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