U.S. Embassy Tashkent PAS Grant for Strengthening Uzbekistan’s Civil Society and Democratic Institutions

Problem Statement: In 2020, Uzbekistan was selected as a member of the UN Human Rights Council and has since signed international agreements in a number of areas including the rights of women, children and people with disabilities. To support the Government of Uzbekistan’s efforts in strengthening civil society, the U.S. Embassy seeks to support projects that support women and other marginalized communities, including people with disabilities, across all segments of society.
Throughout Uzbekistan, women and people with disabilities face discrimination and inequality in social, economic, and political life. Empowerment of these communities requires not only legal protections, but also economic independence. Entrepreneurship can be an important way for women and vulnerable populations to enter the workforce and bring much needed money into rural communities. Key obstacles to entrepreneurship include: a lack of familiarity with entrepreneurship as a valid career choice, and the need for support to develop business plans and navigate the legal hurdles required when establishing a business.
The U.S. Embassy is seeking to fund organizations that encourage and support entrepreneurship opportunities for women and marginalized communities, including people with disabilities, as well as programs that focus on women’s empowerment and legal support.

TOPIC 2: Strengthening Independent Media

Problem Statement: A strong and independent media is a key tenant of democracy and can be strengthened in Uzbekistan. The majority of Uzbek media is state controlled. Journalists lack proper training to report competently on political and economic issues, and investigative reporting is very limited. President Mirziyoyev has emphasized the important role of a free and independent media in aiding the country’s reform process. While Uzbekistan rose from 160th place out of 180 countries to 156th in the 2020 World Press Freedom ranking list, the country moved back to 157th in the 2021 ranking. To help keep Uzbekistan from slipping backward further and to support existing efforts to bolster independent media and increase capacity for journalists, this funding opportunity seeks to expand media programming by addressing lack of journalistic capacity and insufficient attention on political, economic, and other societal issues in Uzbek society.