Permanent Mission of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the United Nations

The Women’s gathering Public Association and Mekhr nuri Fund and several other organizations held the joint event on awarding the winners of the contest “Social protection of the rural women” at the Center of National Arts in Tashkent, the Uzbekistan National News Agency reported.

The issues on employing the women, who reside at the farthest districts, developing small and private businesses among them and home-stay labor have been stipulated at the Year of Development and Improvement of Countryside State Program adopted in Uzbekistan for 2009 as among the priority ones to be addressed this year.

The contest “Social protection of the rural women” organized with a view of tackling these issues is important in terms of comprehensively supporting the businesswomen at the local levels, rendering them necessary legal and informational aid to run businesses, as well as supporting them in implementing the business projects.

Over 7,000 businesswomen participated at the contest in such directions as producing agricultural goods, foodstuff, textile and sewing, developing national craftsmanship, rendering public and social services. One hundred of them became winners of the contest.

One of them is Mukhabbat Khakimova from the Mevazor makhalla (the local neighborhood community area) in Urgench District in Khorezm Province.

“We have been doing the beekeeping for over 30 years,” Ms. Khakimova said. “The victory in the contest gives me an opportunity to establish a specialized farm and achieve bigger results in beekeeping.”

Lola Bekmuratova for the Information Agency “Jahon” in English