The Senate of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan, during its eighteenth plenary session, approved a law that introduces amendments and additions to a number of legislative acts. These changes are aimed at further improving the state assistance system for socially vulnerable groups, including people with disabilities.
The new legislation provides for additional social and tax support measures for both people with disabilities and families in need of social protection. This was reported by the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan.
The introduced amendments establish liability for violating the equal rights of people with disabilities and create more favorable conditions for their access to justice. Furthermore, the law grants tax benefits to people with disabilities without the need to submit an application.
Tax advantages will also be available to enterprises that employ people with disabilities or provide them with social services. The law also defines procedures for granting tax benefits and deductions from state payments for families in difficult life situations.
Other provisions concern the change of the name of the Register to reflect its new designation. The legislation also exempts from state duties requirements submitted by authorized state bodies to civil courts for the recovery of unduly paid or excessively paid benefits.
Senators noted that the goal of this law is to improve support measures for those in need and raise the standard of living for people with disabilities by creating equal and favorable conditions for realizing their potential. The law was approved by the senators after comprehensive review.
The Senate of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan has approved a law that introduces amendments and additions to a number of legislative acts. The goal of these changes is to strengthen guarantees for the freedom of entrepreneurial activity and improve mechanisms for supporting enterprises.
The new legislation expands entrepreneurs' rights to participate in the development of regulatory legal acts and also improves state assistance systems for businesses. This was reported by the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan.
In particular, the Law 'On Guarantees of Entrepreneurial Freedom' has been supplemented with a provision that guarantees the participation of entrepreneurs in the process of drafting regulatory legal acts. According to this provision, draft documents and reports on regulatory impact assessment that introduce new requirements, obligations, prohibitions, liability measures, or other restrictions for companies must be discussed directly with entrepreneurs and their associations.
Furthermore, the law optimizes the legal framework for providing subsidies intended for the development of areas such as tourism, education, healthcare, social entrepreneurship, and green technologies. Procedures for supporting connection to engineering and utility networks, as well as mechanisms for financing socially significant, innovative, and economically important projects through state grants, have also been clarified.
Senators noted that the adopted law is aimed at further improving the business climate, expanding guarantees for entrepreneurial freedom, and strengthening the legal basis for state support of business. This law was approved by the senators after careful consideration.
Uzbekistan has signed a presidential decree aimed at improving social and educational services for children requiring special education. According to the Ministry of Justice of Uzbekistan, Decree No. PP-292, signed by the President of Uzbekistan on August 4, 2026, introduces new support mechanisms, increases state assistance measures, and develops inclusive education.
Starting September 1, 2026, the country will launch the 'Mahallabai' system to involve children with special educational needs in social and educational programs. Social workers will provide practical assistance to families in obtaining necessary services, monitor their use, and provide additional social support if needed.
Integrated assessment groups for children in 'Inson' centers will determine the special educational needs of children aged 3 to 18 and refer them to state educational institutions. The assessment of educational needs will be based on psychological and pedagogical diagnostic criteria, while functional capabilities will be evaluated using an disability assessment scale adapted to local conditions. The work of these assessment groups will begin in the Navoi and Khorezm regions on October 1, 2026.
Starting from the 2026/2027 academic year, education in specialized state educational institutions will be organized according to individual curricula that take into account each child's educational needs, functional abilities, and level of achievement.
The document also provides for financial support for non-state educational organizations opening correctional classes. Starting September 1, 2026, a subsidy of 11 basic calculation units per student will be allocated to these classes in Tashkent, 9.5 basic calculation units in regional centers and Nukus, and 8.5 basic calculation units in other districts and cities.
On May 5, 2027, Uzbekistan will introduce a voucher system to provide children with special educational needs with modern auxiliary learning tools.
Starting from the 2027/2028 academic year, applicants with disabilities taking entrance exams to higher education institutions, national certification exams in general education subjects, and teaching staff certifications will receive an additional 50% of the standard exam duration. They will also be provided with access to exam materials in Braille format, as well as audio and electronic formats.
The decree establishes the annual professional skills competition 'Abilympics', where winners and prize-winners will receive one-time cash prizes ranging from 15 to 30 basic calculation units. An annual 'UPSHIFT' competition will also be held, which will provide winners with grants of equivalent size and mentorship support to implement their projects.
From the 2027/2028 academic year, state higher education institutions will begin targeted training of teachers to teach foreign languages to children with hearing impairments. Furthermore, students studying the specialty 'Primary School Teacher' will undergo advanced special pedagogy programs, and quotas for this specialty will be approved in consultation with the relevant agency.
Starting September 1, 2026, advanced training courses for special education teachers will be conducted both in full-time and distance learning formats based on approved programs and curricula.
The President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, signed a decree that introduces additional measures to fundamentally improve the system for identifying human trafficking victims and supporting their integration into society. This document expands mechanisms for detecting victims, improves the services provided for assistance, and strengthens social protection measures.
According to the new decree, 'Inson' centers, specialized institutions of the National Agency for Social Protection that assist human trafficking victims, as well as non-governmental non-profit organizations, are granted the right to conduct preliminary identification of individuals who may be victims of this trade.
After conducting an initial assessment, an individual may be assigned the status of a suspected human trafficking victim for up to one month. After completing the final identification procedure, an individual officially recognized as a victim may receive this status for up to one year. Territorial commissions for combating human trafficking and promoting decent work are obliged to complete the final identification within 10 days.
Starting September 1, 2026, the National Agency for Social Protection will begin accepting calls from human trafficking victims through the hotline 1146. Specialists will provide consultations on social, psychological, legal, and other issues. Furthermore, hotlines will be established in the diplomatic missions and consular offices of Uzbekistan abroad to receive reports of human trafficking and provide advisory assistance to citizens.
The decree also provides for the creation of migration consultation offices at Islam Karimov Tashkent International Airport and Samarkand International Airport using artificial intelligence technologies. The funding for these offices will be provided by the Migration Fund.
The decree defines the procedure for providing social services to victims. Men, foreign citizens, and repatriates returned to Uzbekistan under special programs will be directed to the National Rehabilitation Center for Victims of Human Trafficking. This center will coordinate the activities of specialized regional centers.
Individuals who have been given the status of a suspected victim are entitled to services from specialized centers for up to one month, while those officially recognized as victims may receive services for up to six months. Applications for assistance can be submitted within one month of receiving the status of a suspected victim and within one year of receiving official victim status. Re-enrollment in specialized centers for the same case of preliminary identification is not permitted.
Additionally, the decree provides for reimbursement of travel expenses to and from specialized centers through the 'Sahovat va Kumak' Fund. Compensation will amount to one calculated unit for a trip to the National Rehabilitation Center and half a calculated unit for trips to specialized regional centers.
