On measures to strengthen support of non-state non-profit organizations,

other institutions of civil society

July 09, 2008

On July 3, 2008, the Kengashs (Councils) of Legislative Chamber and Senate of Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan adopted the Joint Resolution “On measures to strengthen support of non-state non-profit organizations, other institutions of civil society”.

In this context, it must be noted that during the active democratic renewal and modernization of country a large-scale work has been accomplished in Uzbekistan to create the legal conditions, economic and legal guarantees to establish and provide for free development of non-state non-profit organizations, other institutions of civil society, maintain their active participation in democratic reforms and liberalization of society.

At the moment, there are over five thousand non-state non-profit organizations in Uzbekistan that operate in various spheres of public life such as economy, culture, as well as humanitarian and social spheres, and reflect the interests of broad layers of population. Kamolot Public Youth Movement, Women’s Committee, Makhalla and Nuroniy Funds are operating in the country. For over the last years non-state non-profit organizations established the National Association of non-state non-profit organizations and electronic mass media, Public Fund to Support and Develop Independent Print Mass Media and tens of other institutions of civil society that enjoy the active support of public.

The modernized legislative and legal basis has been established in Uzbekistan that provide for free development of non-state non-profit organizations. The Laws “On public funds”, “On charity”, “On public associations”, “On strengthening the role of political parties in the renewal and further democratization of state governance and modernization of the country”, “On mass media”, several decrees and resolutions of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the country’s government were adopted or published in new edition.

The Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On guarantees of activity of non-state non-profit organizations” became the main factor for strengthening and development of independent non-state non-profit organizations, and other institutions of civil society. The law has stipulated the integral system of legal, economic, organizational and technical measures of supporting the manifold activities of non-state non-profit organizations.

At the modern stage of political renewal and reforming the society the support of non-state non-profit organizations and other institutions of civil society is a main condition of providing for their real independence. Only free, independent and sovereign non-state non-profit organizations and other institutions of civil society with enough financial resources at their disposal can effectively accomplish the tasks laid on them.

In this context, the Joint Resolution of Kengashs (Councils) of chambers of Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On measures to strengthen support of non-state non-profit organizations, other institutions of civil society” is yet another important step along the way to ensure the gradual development of non-state non-profit organizations, institutions of civil society, strengthen their role and significance in democratic renewal of the country.

In line with the Resolution, the issues related to determining the volume of funds allotted by the State budget for supporting the activity of non-state non-profit organizations, distributing these funds, monitoring their use are delegated from the bodies of executive power, including the Ministry of Finance, Cabinet of Ministers, onto the supreme legislative body of the country – the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

To accomplish the aforementioned functions the Public fund to support non-state non-profit organizations and other institutions of civil society shall be established at the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The Special parliament commission which consists of deputies of Legislative Chamber and members of Senate of Oliy Majlis, as well as the experts of corresponding ministries and agencies, non-state non-profit organizations, mass media will administer the means of the Fund.

The main tasks of the Fund shall be defined as follows:

• Accumulation of funds allotted by the State budget of the Republic of Uzbekistan, other sources not banned by legislation, their application towards implementation of programs aimed at stimulating the development and supporting the activities of independent non-state non-profit organizations and other institutions of civil society, their active participation in addressing the urgent social, economic and humanitarian problems;

• Assisting the implementation of programs and projects related to strengthening the material and technical basis of non-state non-profit organizations by rendering them legal, consultative, organizational, technical and other assistance, expanding their contacts with foreign partners (holding joint conferences, seminars, roundtables, trainings, implementation of joint projects, and others) on developing the activities of non-state non-profit organizations, other institutions of civil society, their participation in democratic renewal and modernization of the country.

The means of the Fund shall be allotted directly to the non-state non-profit organizations based on their applications and decisions of Parliament commission without participation of any intermediate units and structures.

The Fund annually publishes in the mass media the full report on its activity, as well as the information on how the means allotted to non-state non-profit organizations and other institutions of civil society were distributed and realized.

The Joint Resolution has clearly defines the goals which the means of the Fund can allotted be for. They are: financing the socially and publicly significant projects proposed by non-state non-profit organizations and aimed at addressing the concrete social and economic problems of the regions, further raising the social activeness of citizens, strengthening the material and technical basis of non-state non-profit organizations and other institutions of civil society. Such clear determination of conditions and spheres of rendering support is an important guarantee of fair and objective distribution of the means of Fund.

The sources of accumulation of the means of Fund shall be defined alongside with the State budgetary means the free-will sponsorship means, including the grants of international organizations and financial institutions.

The Joint Resolution envisages several guarantees of purposeful, and, at the same time, the free use of means received by non-state non-profit organizations. In particular, it establishes that at the end of the accounting year the unutilized means of the non-state non-profit organizations shall not be returned to budget but shall be used according to their intended purpose in the forthcoming year. This provision is an exclusion from the general rules that define the procedure of using the budget means. And this exclusion has especially been made for non-state non-profit organizations.

The control (monitoring) of the purposeful and effective use of means of the Fund shall be laid on Parliament commission. This provision is an important guarantee not to allow for arbitrary and baseless interference in addressing these issues by other structures. Its implementation will promote the strengthening the financial independence, sovereignty of non-state non-profit organizations and other institutions of civil society.

The Joint Resolution of Kengashs (Councils) of the Chambers of Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On measures to strengthen support of non-state non-profit organizations, other institutions of civil society” will have a big significance in carrying out the large-scale, systemic and gradual work in Uzbekistan on democratic renewal and modernization of the country, as well as implementation of the most important goal of the development – “From a strong state towards a strong civil society”.