Social protection of the population: experience of Germany and Uzbekistan

In the statement of the President I.A.Karimov at the ceremonial meeting devoted to the 14-anniversary of the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan it is mentioned, that ... it isn’t difficult to notice, that names of years which we declare for almost decades, by their contents and value are inextricably related, logically supplement each other and are aimed at maintenance of the interests of the population of the country.

The year 2007 in our country is declared as the Year of social protection and in order to implement a complex of measures on further expansion of scales of strengthening social protection, to render addressed, differentiated and efficient assistance to requiring categories of the population the Decision of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan # PP-573 from January, 23, 2007 About the State program Year of social protection was adopted.

Based on the primary goals and provisions stated in the given documents and for its subsequent distribution among the wide layers of population, the Public opinion study center Ijtimoiy fikr, National Center of the Republic of Uzbekistan on human rights and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (Germany), within the framework of the Civil forum project, held a round table discussions on a theme Social protection of the population: experience of Germany and Uzbekistan on February, 26, 2007.

One of leading principles on which Uzbekistan’s way of renovation and progress is based, is to conduct the strong anticipatory social policy directed on duly support of the most unprotected and requiring layers of the population at all stages of transformation.

Mechanisms of maintenance of social protection in our country include comprehensively proved system of legal norms, law enforcement bodies, state and municipal bodies, called to render the material and organizational help to the requiring layers, pensions system, support of students, families having many children and needy families through the budgetary mechanism and state guarantees.

Various NGOs working in the territory of Uzbekistan protect the rights and interests of various groups and categories of the population. One of them is the unique system of citizens self-governing institution "Mahalla", charity funds, funds of the enterprises, organizations and small scale enterprises, trade unions, free press, system of providing the citizens with free-of-charge and preferential medical and educational services. Thus, it is necessary to note that in our country effective system of social protection, which thoroughly based on legal terms and completely justifies itself in practice, has already been formed.

In this regard the following reports have been submitted to participants of the round table:

• German approach to the system of social protection (The head of the Representative office of Friedrich Ebert Stiftung in Central Asia, doctor R.Krumm);
• Social-legal protection of the population: experience of Uzbekistan (Director of the National Center of the Republic of Uzbekistan on human rights, professor A.Saidov);
• Social protection of the population – the important factor of intensifications of the reforms in Uzbekistan (results of monitoring researches) (Director of the Public opinion study center Ijtimoiy fikr, academician R.Ubajdullaeva).

The Round table discussions were accompanied by interesting debates of participating scientists-sociologists, lawyers, historians, philosophers, experts of social sciences in the field of studying, formation and development of civil society, representatives of nongovernmental organizations and mass-media.

social protection should not remain the business of the state

organizations and authorities, institution of social security and charitable

 organizations only. The concept "social" concerns all of us and should be in the

 center of attention of all society

I.A.Karimov