Today, UNICEF, UNDP, the Yuksalish Movement, and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, representing the Embassy of Switzerland in Uzbekistan, launched the UN Joint Programme on Inclusive Transformation for Youth and Child-Friendly Local Governance in Uzbekistan.

Government officials, international development partners, civil society representatives, and young people participated in the event.

The programme builds upon the success of the Youth and Child-Friendly Local Governance initiative piloted in six cities in 2022-2023. The pilot demonstrated the positive impact of youth engagement in decision-making and service delivery, resulting in improved road safety, environmental initiatives, and enhanced services for youth with disabilities.

With a USD 2 million contribution from the Swiss Government, the programme will be implemented in 12 districts in Surkhandarya, Kashkadarya, Khorezm, and Tashkent regions, focusing on local communities and municipalities with diverse socio-economic conditions and significant presence of vulnerable groups requiring better local service delivery.

Uzbekistan’s ongoing reforms, guided by the Uzbekistan 2030 Strategy, national Sustainable Development Goals, the Youth Strategy, and the country’s commitments to child rights, aim to strengthen governance and improve the delivery of social and public services with a focus on inclusion and equity. Aligned with these national priorities, the UN Joint Programme promotes inclusive, accountable, results-oriented, and responsive local governance. It supports the active participation of children and youth in decision-making processes and enhances their access to quality local services.

The new Joint Programme will focus on improving legislative and institutional frameworks for institutionalizing results-based management and budgeting at the subnational level. This will enable local authorities to plan, allocate, and monitor resources more effectively, transparently, and accountably, in line with local priorities and the needs of the youth and children. By building skills and systems for evidence-informed decision-making, participatory planning, and performance monitoring, the Programme will help ensure that public investments translate into improved outcomes for children, adolescents, and their families. These efforts will contribute to more equitable and efficient public and social service delivery, and support Uzbekistan’s broader reform agenda and long-term sustainable development.

The programme will draw on global best practices to support more inclusive and effective local governance. It will help local authorities adopt results-based planning, strengthen youth participation in decision-making, and build the skills of civil servants in inclusive governance.