Less than 5% of women worldwide live in countries that grant them full legal equality, the World Bank says — a figure that framed discussions at a regional forum in Bukhara on how investment in women and education could drive long-term development across Asia.
Discussions involving regional leaders, UN officials and policymakers centred on economic inclusion, labour participation, healthcare access and the role of women in rapidly changing societies with young and growing populations.
Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, in a message to participants, said the country had climbed 43 places in the World Bank’s “Women, Business and the Law” index this year, reaching 48th among 190 economies.
Figures Mirziyoyev cited showed that women now make up 35% of public administration positions in the country, while female participation in higher education has risen sharply in recent years.
UN Population Fund Executive Director Diene Keita pointed to Central Asia’s demographic profile as one of its biggest long-term opportunities if governments invest effectively in human capital.
