Key UNFPA’s partners in the country, such as Ministry of Health and other line ministries, Women’s Committee, as well as research institutions and NGOs took part in the discussion.

The Country Programme 2010-2015 was agreed between UNFPA and the Government of Uzbekistan as a framework document guiding UNFPA’s work in the country for this period. As in 2015 this programme comes to its end, it has been thoroughly assessed to discover lessons learned and recommendations for the future.

The evaluation of the programme was conducted by a group of independent experts who have held a number of interviews with national partners and reviewed programme documentation and reports. The evaluators have visited some project sites and held talks with beneficiaries of UNFPA’s initiatives.

The evaluation has revealed important insights into implementation of UNFPA’s activities in the country, as well as a number of lessons for the future. Particularly, it was noted that Uzbekistan is steadily evolving as middle-income country, with high growth rates and improved living standards of population. Correspondingly, UNFPA’s programmes in the country should gradually move from capacity building to activities aimed at policy dialogue and advocacy. In addition, the importance of strengthening the role of national partners in programme implementation, as well as the need for establishment of a joint monitoring and assessment mechanism was highlighted.

These factors, as well as international frameworks, such as renewed ICPD post-2014 agenda, and the global Sustainable Development Goals will shape UNFPA’s work in the country for the forthcoming five years period.

In general, thematic areas of the Fund’s work will remain the same. UNFPA will continue to focus on promoting reproductive health and rights, women’s and young people’s empowerment, as well as population and development programmes in Uzbekistan. Within these areas, UNFPA in Uzbekistan has already implemented projects worth more than USD 19 million since 2005.

UNFPA Representative in Uzbekistan Mr. Karl Kulessa said at the meeting: “We at UNFPA highly value our partnership with the Government of Uzbekistan and support it renders to our initiatives. During 15-years history of our joint work, UNFPA’s mission to Uzbekistan, being one of the largest in the region, has benefited tens of thousands of people. We look forward to a continued cooperation with our national partners, and we are confident that together we’ll be able to develop programmes that are in line with current global realities and respond to the country’s needs”.