Key Insights

• The past three years have marked a pivotal period of increased protection for women and survivors of gender-based violence and domestic violence in Uzbekistan.
• While these changes have led to promising developments in the fight against domestic violence, human rights organisations and local activists point to pervasive gaps in legislation and implementation.

Introduction

8 March marked International Women’s Day across the globe. This year, Uzbekistan’s President, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, marked the occasion with an event held at the Presidential Palace, during which he celebrated the essential role of Uzbekistan’s women and girls in the well-being of the country:

“Without women and their wonderful, noble qualities, it is impossible to imagine the development of society and life itself.”

According to the Head of State’s official website, President Mirziyoyev emphasised that a “completely new system” had been created to “ensure the rights and interests of women” and to “increase their role in society”. The official statement reported that, “Henceforth, no law will be adopted without assessing its impact on the rights and interests of women”.^[1]

This decree comes in the wake of a series of legal amendments, social campaigns, funding programs, and other efforts to improve the protection of women and girls and promote physical, mental, and financial well-being. From 2023 amendments to the Criminal Code and the Code of Administrative Responsibility,^[2] to a decree signed by the president this March strengthening the country’s response to domestic violence,^[3] the following article outlines the recent evolution in women’s rights in Uzbekistan. Specifically, it assesses progress made in addressing gender-based violence (GBV) in the country.

A Golden Age for GBV Protections?  

April 2023 marked an important milestone for the protection of women and girls from GBV in Uzbekistan. Amendments to Uzbekistan’s Criminal and Administrative Codes criminalised domestic violence and provided additional protections for women and girls, making Uzbekistan the second country in Central Asia to criminalise domestic violence as a distinct offence.^[4] Specifically, Article 126-1 of the Criminal Code imposed punishments of between five to 12 years of imprisonment for repeated or particularly severe instances of physical, psychological, and economic violence within the family. Article 141-3 of the Criminal Code also criminalised the dissemination of intimate materials, including “revenge porn”, or the distribution of intimate photos or videos without consent, with a penalty of up to 60 million UZS (just under 4,300 EUR) or imprisonment for up to three years.

Likewise, alterations to the Administrative Code addressed less severe instances of domestic abuse which do not qualify as a criminal offence under current legislation. Article 59-2 threatens fines of up to 4.5 million UZS (around 320 EUR) or administrative detention for up to 30 days for inhibiting the ability to exercise “the right to property, education, healthcare, and/or work; intentional damage to property and personal belongings; as well as humiliation (…), intimidation, isolation from close relatives” and “intentional beatings, minor bodily injury (…) to a spouse, former spouse, person living together on the basis of a single household, or child, as well as a person who has a common child.”’^[5]

Since April 2023, Uzbekistan has taken several other measures to protect its women and girls. For example, Article 41-1 of the Administrative Code now recognises sexual harassment as an offence, with consequences of up to 15 days of administrative detention or a fine of up to 3 million UZS (215 EUR). In September 2024, the Senate approved additional amendments which strengthened protection against domestic violence. This included amendments to the Criminal Code provision of Article 126-1 and the Administrative Code provision of Article 59-2, which explicitly hold those liable for committing such violence against children.

Of particular importance are reforms to the rules on reconciliation. Reconciliation is the practice whereby courts delay divorce proceedings in an attempt to solve disputes outside of court. This practice is rooted in traditional values which prioritize preservation of the family unit. In September 2024, changes to reconciliation procedures allowed for applications for reconciliation to be considered only during trial, and not during investigations. In February 2025, changes to the Family Code also addressed reconciliation processes within divorce proceedings.^[6] While Article 40 of the Family Code still allows for judges to impose a reconciliation period, victims of domestic abuse can request that reconciliation periods not be set.^[7] This reconciliation period has historically been a maximum of 6 months, however, Uzbekistan has been considering extending this period to up to a year, while still excluding victims of domestic abuse from this requirement.^[8]

Over the past three years, the Uzbekistani government has also introduced regulatory measures aimed at increasing support and prevention infrastructure for victims. These include national legislation, presidential decrees, resolutions of the Cabinet of Ministers, and regulations from the National Agency for Social Protection and the Republic Centre for the Rehabilitation and Adaptation of Women. Among these measures are those to improve the availability of shelters, social services, primary care, and protection orders and referrals.^[9]

Most recently, in February 2026, the government approved a new state programme to strengthen penalties for violence against women and children, improve enforcement, expand support services, and introduce measurable benchmarks.^[10] This was followed by a presidential decree this March on women’s safety, which approved measures to enhance protection for women and children. Included in the measures was the administration of free pre-marriage training courses called “Preparation for a Happy Family Life Without Domestic Violence”, with a goal of administering the course to up to half of couples getting married in 2026, and all couples by 2030. Also included in the new measures, women who have received protection orders will be able to use an SOS emergency application to report harassment and violence, with police expected to arrive at SOS call locations within 10 minutes.^[11]

This three-year period represents the most active phase of GBV-related legislative reform in Uzbekistan’s history, kicked off by the pivotal 2023 criminalisation law. However, reporting from Human Rights Watch (HRW), the International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has illuminated many persistent gaps in the legislation and in implementation, with serious implications for the protection of survivors and prevention against GBV.

Impact of New Legislation

The new laws in Uzbekistan represent promising steps toward adherence to international standards of gender equality and human rights protection for women and girls. From 2020 to 2024, the number of domestic violence cases reported to the police and referred to rehabilitation centres rose rapidly, from roughly 11,000 in 2020 to 16,000 in 2024. In 2023, over 9,000 people were held accountable under the new April 2023 legal provisions, including 8,928 individuals charged and convicted under the Administrative Code and a further 203 convicted under the Criminal Code. In the first ten months of 2024 alone, this number rose to almost 16,000 individuals in total, with 15,400 prosecutions for administrative offences and 399 criminal convictions.^[12]

Uzbekistan has been recognised internationally for its efforts. In 2024, the World Bank’s Women, Business and the Law study, which assesses progress toward legal gender equality worldwide, recognised Uzbekistan as one of the top five most-improved countries globally.^[13] Significantly, Uzbekistan rose from 103rd to 52nd place in the 2024 global Gender Equality and Governance Index.^[14] Key in the assessment was the 2023 legislation to protect women from domestic violence.

However, these laws have received criticism from local activists and international organisations for failing to take proper measures to ensure their effectiveness. In particular, many argue that amendments to the practice of reconciliation have not gone far enough. For example, reconciliations between perpetrators and victims of coercive sexual relations, marriage, or illegal deprivation of liberty are still allowed, and forced reconciliations remain a pervasive issue. For this reason, a large portion of court cases are “resolved” by reconciliation, with victims facing pressure to agree to this so-called resolution. Additionally, Article 66 of the Criminal Code dictates that perpetrators may escape criminal prosecution following reconciliation with their victims, and the Family Code allows for reconciliation to begin when an offender admits guilt and ‘makes amends’. Further, while the new legislation allows for mandatory reconciliation to be foregone in the case of domestic abuse, the law still puts responsibility on the victim to request that reconciliation not occur. These legal mechanisms and gaps in legislation can lead to impunity for perpetrators of domestic violence and a lack of justice for victims.

What’s more, local activists have reported a lack of public knowledge about the reforms, particularly in rural areas.^[15] This naturally limits their effectiveness, as many do not understand their legal rights and the resources available to them. Those who do know their rights may still be dissuaded from taking action to protect themselves or be pressured into reconciliation proceedings due to societal norms, pressures from mahalla representatives (mahallas are traditional, community-based, self-governing bodies in Uzbekistan),^[16] and an emphasis on strong family values. 

If and when victims do report domestic violence, they face a long and arduous journey to justice. Upon reporting abuse, survivors often experience incredible difficulty in their interactions with police officers, leading many to retract their complaints before they reach trial. They face issues in court, where judges often dismiss cases due to a lack of evidence of a crime when eye-witnesses and/or admissible medical evidence are unavailable. Trials often drag on, with most lasting between six and nine months, and many result in especially light sentencing or restorative justice measures. Between May and September 2023, IPHR reported that 61% of criminal domestic violence proceedings were resolved through reconciliation measures and 28% of administrative trials (where reconciliation is not an option) were dismissed as insignificant. Beyond the above obstacles to justice, survivors face ineffective protection orders, victim blaming, and limited state support and resources.^[17]

Conclusion

While Uzbekistan’s recent developments should be celebrated, there is more to be done. As many of these developments are new, it will take time to understand the full effect of new legislation and government actions. Despite promising trends in reporting data, it is difficult to truly understand the prevalence of domestic and GBV in Uzbekistan based on statistics alone. A change in attitudes regarding domestic violence and women’s roles in society, procedural compliance and a victim-centred approach at all stages of the legal system, adequate funding, and well-run state-provided services are all necessary in order to ensure women and girls are properly protected from harm and victims are supported.

Policy Recommendations

• In order to promote increased awareness of Uzbekistan’s new laws and support systems for victims, we echo calls for state-sponsored, targeted nationwide information campaigns. These campaigns should also be aimed at changing public perception of domestic violence and patriarchal norms related to women’s roles in society.
• While not mentioned in this article, recent incidents point to the increased importance of social media in advocacy efforts.^[18] We support increased access and use of social media platforms as a way to promote awareness and hold the justice system and government accountable for protecting victims of abuse.
• We call for continuous monitoring of GBV trends (reporting data, trial length, case outcomes, availability and access to victim support, and more) in order to better understand the long-term effects of the new laws and assess gaps in protection.
• Gaps in existing legislation, particularly related to reconciliation, must be addressed. We call for the termination of the practice of mandated reconciliation in all instances.
• We reiterate calls for increased comprehensive training of all key groups involved in the legal response (police officers, judges, prosecutors, and defence lawyers) in order to effectively fight domestic violence.
• Finally, increased funding for social services (shelters, helplines, medical care, and more) is essential to promoting and enabling survivors to speak up. Without aid, victims remain vulnerable to abuse and face social stigma within their communities.

^[1] ‘Turning New Uzbekistan into a Country Where Women Live Happily and in Prosperity Is the Noblest Goal.’ (President of the Republic of Uzbekistan 6 March 2026) <https://president.uz/en/lists/view/9003> accessed 27 April 2026.

^[2] International Partnership for Human Rights, ‘Reform and Reality: Measuring Uzbekistan’s Progress in the Fight against Domestic Violence’ (2025) <https://iphronline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/report-reform-and-reality-measuring-uzbekistans-progress-in-the-fight-against-domestic-violence.pdf> accessed 26 April 2026.

^[3] Sadokat Jalolova, ‘Mirziyoyev: Violence against Women and Children Will Not Be Tolerated in Uzbekistan – the Times of Central Asia’ (The Times Of Central Asia9 March 2026) <https://timesca.com/mirziyoyev-violence-against-women-and-children-will-not-be-tolerated-in-uzbekistan/> accessed 26 April 2026.

^[4] NADJA, ‘Uzbekistan Adopts Landmark Legislation on Domestic Violence’ (NADJA10 April 2023) <https://nadja.co/2023/04/10/uzbekistan-adopts-landmark-legislation-on-domestic-violence/> accessed 27 April 2026.

^[5] International Partnership for Human Rights, ‘Reform and Reality: Measuring Uzbekistan’s Progress in the Fight against Domestic Violence’ (2025) <https://iphronline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/report-reform-and-reality-measuring-uzbekistans-progress-in-the-fight-against-domestic-violence.pdf> accessed 26 April 2026.

^[6] Mihra Rittmann, ‘Uzbekistan’s Domestic Violence Reforms Fall Short’ (Human Rights Watch4 March 2026) <https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/03/04/uzbekistans-domestic-violence-reforms-fall-short> accessed 27 April 2026.

^[7] Gazeta, ‘Uzbekistan to Abolish Reconciliation Period in Divorce Cases for Domestic Violence Victims’ (Gazeta13 February 2025) <https://www.gazeta.uz/en/2025/02/13/reconciliation/> accessed 27 April 2026.

^[8] Дониёр Тухсинов, ‘Uzbekistan Considers Extending Reconciliation Period for Divorcing Couples to One Year’ (Kun.uz27 March 2026) <https://kun.uz/en/news/2026/03/27/uzbekistan-considers-extending-reconciliation-period-for-divorcing-couples-to-one-year> accessed 27 April 2026.

^[9] International Partnership for Human Rights, ‘Reform and Reality: Measuring Uzbekistan’s Progress in the Fight against Domestic Violence’ (2025) <https://iphronline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/report-reform-and-reality-measuring-uzbekistans-progress-in-the-fight-against-domestic-violence.pdf> accessed 26 April 2026.

^[10] Mihra Rittmann, ‘Uzbekistan’s Domestic Violence Reforms Fall Short’ (Human Rights Watch4 March 2026) <https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/03/04/uzbekistans-domestic-violence-reforms-fall-short> accessed 27 April 2026.

^[11] Gazeta, ‘Uzbekistan to Toughen Penalties for Harassment and Violence against Women and Children’ (Газета.uz5 March 2026) <https://www.gazeta.uz/en/2026/03/05/violence/> accessed 27 April 2026.

^[12] International Partnership for Human Rights, ‘Reform and Reality: Measuring Uzbekistan’s Progress in the Fight against Domestic Violence’ (2025) <https://iphronline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/report-reform-and-reality-measuring-uzbekistans-progress-in-the-fight-against-domestic-violence.pdf> accessed 26 April 2026.

^[13] World Bank Group, ‘Uzbekistan Reaches the Ranks of Top Five Improvers in the World Bankʻs Women, Business and the Law 2024 Study’ (World Bank 4 March 2024) <https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2024/03/04/uzbekistan-reaches-the-ranks-of-top-five-improvers-in-the-world-banks-women-business-and-the-law-2024-study> accessed 27 April 2026.

^[14] Zaynabbegim Gaybullayeva, ‘Uzbekistan Climbs to 52nd in Global Gender Equality and Governance Index’ (Daryo 15 February 2026) <https://daryo.uz/en/2026/02/15/uzbekistan-climbs-to-52nd-in-global-gender-equality-and-governance-index/>  accessed 27 April 2026.

^[15] International Partnership for Human Rights, ‘Reform and Reality: Measuring Uzbekistan’s Progress in the Fight against Domestic Violence’ (2025) <https://iphronline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/report-reform-and-reality-measuring-uzbekistans-progress-in-the-fight-against-domestic-violence.pdf> accessed 26 April 2026.

^[16]UN University, ‘The Mahalla — an Important Social Bridge between Civil Society and Government to Support Sustainable Development’ (United Nations University 22 April 2026) <https://unu.edu/event/mahalla-important-social-bridge-between-civil-society-and-government-support-sustainable> accessed 30 April 2026.

^[17] International Partnership for Human Rights, ‘Reform and Reality: Measuring Uzbekistan’s Progress in the Fight against Domestic Violence’ (2025) <https://iphronline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/report-reform-and-reality-measuring-uzbekistans-progress-in-the-fight-against-domestic-violence.pdf> accessed 26 April 2026.

^[18] International Partnership for Human Rights, ‘Reform and Reality: Measuring Uzbekistan’s Progress in the Fight against Domestic Violence’ (2025) <https://iphronline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/report-reform-and-reality-measuring-uzbekistans-progress-in-the-fight-against-domestic-violence.pdf> accessed 26 April 2026.