During the meeting, the sides considered issues of developing relations between Uzbekistan and the UNFPA, the press service of the Uzbek ministry said.

The sides exchanged opinion on implementation of joint projects and expressed to further deepening cooperation within the UNFPA Country Programme for Uzbekistan for 2010-2015.

Violence against women and girls is exacerbated in conflict and disaster settings, where the risks are compounded by displacement, breakdowns in social norms and lack of access to services.

UNFPA has established its Country Office in Uzbekistan in 1993. Relationship between the Fund and the Government of Uzbekistan is governed by the Standard Basic Assistance Agreement (SBAA) of the Government and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the document stipulating basic conditions under which Agencies shall support the Government in carrying out its development projects.

Currently, UNFPA implements its third Country Programme in Uzbekistan, for the period of 2010-2015. Under this strategic plan, UNFPA continues to focus on:

• advancing national capacities in using population data for development programmes;

• promoting reproductive health and rights, including access of young people to information of reproductive health;

• ensuring full implementation of women and men’s rights, opportunities and responsibilities;

• supporting efforts to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, especially among vulnerable groups.