Uzbekistan’s State Customs Committee Leads Central Asia with Silver Gender Equality Seal Win

Tashkent, 14 February 2026 — Uzbekistan has taken a landmark step in advancing gender responsive governance in Central Asia with the State Customs Committee (SCC) receiving the Silver Gender Equality Seal for Public Institutions. The award was presented during the national “Gender Equality Activist – 2025” ceremony at the Senate of the Oliy Majlis, positioning SCC as the first public institution in the region’s Public Finance Management sector to reach this level under UNDP’s global Gender Equality Seal for Public Institutions programme.

The event, jointly organized by the Senate, the State Customs Committee, and UNDP Uzbekistan, gathered senior government leaders, parliamentarians, development partners, civil society, and media—reflecting strong political will behind institutional transformation for gender equality. 

A Regional Benchmark for Public Sector Reform 

The Silver Seal highlights the State Customs Committee’s strong commitment to gender equality and its progress toward international standards. Women’s representation has grown from 8 percent to 12 percent as more women join leadership pipelines and the talent reserve. The Committee now uses gender analysis and gender responsive budgeting, which brings inclusive governance directly into customs operations. It also created new structures that strengthen accountability, including a Gender Equality Advisor to the Chairman and a Gender Equality Expert who guide and monitor reforms. 

Capacity building continues to drive this progress. More than 500 women have completed national and international programmes that build leadership skills, customs expertise, ICT knowledge, and legal competencies. The Committee also expanded social protection, introduced new recognition systems, and created more opportunities for women to pursue higher education and advanced degrees. These changes show how consistent commitment, technical support, and clear leadership can transform institutions that have historically been male dominated. They position the State Customs Committee as an emerging example of gender responsive reform across the Europe and Central Asia region.

High-Level Commitment Reinforces National and Regional Momentum 

The ceremony’s speakers highlighted the strategic importance of advancing gender equality in public administration. Tanzila Narbaeva, Chairperson of the Senate, reaffirmed Uzbekistan’s commitment to gender equality under the Constitution and the National Gender Equality Strategy 2021 to 2030. Akmalhuja Mavlonov, Chairperson of the SCC, emphasized that gender equality strengthens institutional effectiveness and builds public trust. Akiko Fujii, UNDP Resident Representative, emphasized the Gender Equality Seal’s role in translating policy commitments into measurable results and accelerating progress toward the 2030 Agenda.

Messages from UNDP’s Global Gender Seal Manager emphasized the regional significance of Uzbekistan’s achievement and encouraged other public institutions across Central Asia and beyond to embark on the Seal journey. The event concluded with the formal awarding of the Silver Seal diploma, marking an important milestone in expanding gender responsive public administration across the region. 

Inspiring a Wider Movement Across Uzbekistan and Beyond 

SCC’s achievement is already catalyzing national expansion: Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Finance has now joined the Gender Equality Seal for Public Institutions, following SCC’s leadership and reinforcing governmentwide momentum. 

The SCC experience embedding gender equality into reforms, building internal capacities, and improving representation, offers a scalable model for other institutions in the Europe and Central Asia region aiming to advance gender responsive responsive governance.

Looking Forward 

UNDP will continue supporting Uzbekistan and regional partners in strengthening public institutions through the Gender Equality Seal. As countries advance governance reforms and pursue the 2030 Agenda, Uzbekistan’s leadership demonstrates how gender equality serves as a catalyst for effective, transparent, and inclusive public administration.