Following Uzbekistan’s ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in 2021, the country swiftly embarked on devising a plan for its implementation. This significant move presented a remarkable opportunity for mainstreaming disability rights into national policies, driven by the government’s strong commitment to enhancing the rights of persons with disabilities.
To achieve this objective, the government drafted an initial National Action Plan, outlining measures across various sectors. Supporting this endeavor, the World Bank played a pivotal role in ensuring that the plan’s initiatives are evidence-based, in alignment with the CRPD, and informed by international best practices.
A Comprehensive Diagnosis: Understanding the challenges
To address the multifaceted challenges faced by persons with disabilities, Uzbekistan embarked on a comprehensive diagnosis involving in-depth analysis of quantitative, qualitative, and legislative information across nine crucial sectors, including accessibility, employment, education, and health.
Through World Bank-supported workshops and consultations with state institutions and organizations of persons with disabilities, a wealth of information was gathered, leading to concrete recommendations and proposed institutions for their implementation. This inclusive approach ensured that the voices and concerns of persons with disabilities were effectively captured, enhancing the accuracy and relevance of the diagnostic work.
An Evidence-Based Strategy: Fostering Implementation and Monitoring
Building upon the diagnostic work, Uzbekistan developed an evidence-based strategy aligned with the CRPD’s principles. This strategic note serves as a guiding document for the finalization of the National Strategy and National Action Plan.
By grounding the strategy in evidence and international best practices, Uzbekistan is well-positioned to foster the implementation and monitoring of the CRPD, ensuring tangible outcomes for persons with disabilities.
Effective Monitoring and Evaluation: Tracking Progress
To track progress in the implementation of the CRPD, Uzbekistan focused on building an effective monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system. This system comprises a set of monitoring indicators, proposed templates for monitoring and evaluation reports, and fiches detailing key information on data collection.
By establishing a robust M&E framework, state agencies can systematically measure advancements, identify areas of improvement, and hold accountable stakeholders responsible for implementing the necessary measures. This commitment to monitoring and evaluation underscores Uzbekistan’s dedication to ensuring the rights of persons with disabilities are upheld effectively.
Promoting Employment: A Priority Sector
Recognizing the importance of employment for persons with disabilities, Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Employment and Poverty Reduction defined a set of proposed employment measures within the National Action Plan. The World Bank supported this endeavor by developing a costing table for these measures, providing a basis for budgeting considerations. By prioritizing employment for persons with disabilities, Uzbekistan demonstrates its commitment to creating inclusive workplaces and economic opportunities, empowering persons with disabilities to lead fulfilling and independent lives.
Capacity-Building and Collaboration: Strengthening Stakeholders
Inclusion and progress are achieved through collaboration and capacity-building. The World Bank facilitated the organization of face-to-face and online workshops, engaging diverse stakeholders, including state agencies and organizations of persons with disabilities. These workshops covered a range of topics, such as social services, disability assessment, monitoring and evaluation, labor force participation, and disability-inclusive communication. Equipping stakeholders with the necessary knowledge and skills fosters a culture of inclusivity, enabling all sectors to effectively contribute to the implementation of the CRPD.
The key learnings from the work carried out are as follows:
Involvement of persons with disabilities and their organizations: It is crucial to actively engage and include persons with disabilities and their representative organizations at all stages of policy design. This includes reaching out to and involving local non-governmental organizations (NGOs), not just the most active ones.
Consultations with these stakeholders greatly enhance the quality of diagnostic assessments and recommendations, ensuring that the concerns of persons with disabilities are adequately addressed. Early involvement of NGOs also helps in prioritizing capacity-building topics, planning dissemination activities, and determining suitable formats for different target groups.
Engagement with institutional actors: When formulating effective measures to address identified issues and promote the rights of persons with disabilities within a specific sector, it is essential to thoroughly engage and consult with institutional actors responsible for implementation. Identifying and establishing consultations with these stakeholders can be challenging, but it is crucial.
Engaging with institutional actors can have several benefits, such as revealing previously unaccounted aspects in the diagnostic work, informing state actors about the content of the CRPD and the rights-based perspective on disability issues, clarifying their upcoming responsibilities, identifying potential synergies with other stakeholders, and ensuring accountability for necessary measures.
Overall, these key learnings emphasize the importance of inclusive and participatory approaches in policy design and implementation, ensuring the active involvement of persons with disabilities, their organizations, and relevant institutional actors throughout the process.