Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan is a landlocked central Asian country that won its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. In 2009, the per capita gross domestic product was $2,800, with one-third of the population living below the poverty line. The leading ethnic group is Uzbek (80 percent) with minorities including Russian (5.5 percent), Tajik (5 percent), and Karakalpak (2.5 percent). Islam is the most common religion (88 percent), followed by 9 percent Eastern Orthodox.

In 2009, the World Economic Forum ranked Uzbekistan in the middle range of countries on gender equality. On the Gender Gap Index where 0 means inequality and 1 means perfect equality, [Page 1507]Uzbekistan scored 0.691 overall, 58th among 134 countries. On health and survival, Uzbekistan scored 0.997 (64th); on educational attainment, the country scored a 0.941 (73rd); on economic participation and opportunity, Uzbekistan received a 0.769 (ninth) and on political empowerment it got a 0.079 (97th).

A family displays their new harvest of grapes in Pop Rayon of Namangan Oblast, Uzbekistan. A USAID program introduced new techniques for growing fruits in Uzbekistan, helping generate higher incomes for rural families.

Ninety-six percent of Uzbek women are literate and about 90 percent of girls attend primary and secondary school, versus 92 and 93 percent, respectively, of boys. About 8 percent of girls are enrolled in tertiary educational institutions, compared to 11 percent of boys. A smaller proportion of women than men, 62 percent compared to 73 percent, are in the labor force, and women earn about 60 percent of men's wages. Women hold 18 percent of the seats in parliament and 5 percent of the nation's ministerial positions. Uzbek women have a longer life expectancy than men, 61 versus 58 years, both of which are low by international standards.

Uzbekistan provides a high standard of maternal and child health services given its limited resources. Maternity leave is provided for 126 days at 100 percent of salary. Prenatal care and delivery in a health facility assisted by trained personnel is almost universal, and midwives play a large role in delivering this care. Abortion is available on demand, and 65 percent of married women report using birth control. The infant mortality rate is 38 per 1,000 live births, and the maternal mortality rate is 24 per 100,000 live births. Save the Children ranks Uzbekistan in the upper third of Tier II or less developed countries on services to women and children, ranking it 22nd among 75 countries on it Mothers’ Index, 22nd on its Women's Index, and 32nd on its Children's Index.