Male elders to join the fight against poverty in Uzbekistan
Strengthening the social and spiritual environment: Aksakals (male elders) to join the fight against poverty in Uzbekistan
29.11.2024
Article published on the rus.ozodlik.org website
A programme to involve community elders in the fight against poverty is being introduced in Uzbekistan. They are to be given the task of supporting poor families for six months and paid 577,500 soms ($45) per month.
Under a Presidential Decree of 25 November and as part of the From Poverty to Prosperity Programme, three elders with life experience in each mahalla will be assigned to work with five low-income families. As well as helping these families, their task is to contribute to the strengthening of the social and spiritual environment in the mahallas, together with promoting a healthy lifestyle. The State budget has allocated 504 billion soms (more than $39.3 million) for the programme.
The main activities of the elders will include providing support to families in managing homestead plots, training in crop maintenance and marketing of produce.
On the recommendation of the aksakals, sports events for senior citizens and their travel expenses, as well as the purchase of school and sportswear supplies for children from low-income families, will be financed. The Nuroniy Foundation for Support of Public Activities of Uzbek Veterans will take on a sponsorship role for the project and plans to set aside ten million soms ($780) for each mahalla.
The Tashkent journalist Sharofiddin Tulyaganov has welcomed this initiative, emphasising its cultural importance. “The Decree reflects the ancient traditions and values of the Uzbek people. As is well known, mahallas play an important role in our society, with residents always helping each other at weddings and other ceremonies. This is illustrated by the Uzbek proverb Seven mahallas are parents for one child. I am sure this initiative will be a success – all that is needed is the will and people working together”, said the journalist.
However, the London-based Uzbek political scientist Alisher Ilkhamov has criticised the programme, saying it will make very little difference in combating poverty in the country.
“The advice of the so-called elders is unlikely to be of any use unless one of them is a specialist in issues such as economics, marketing or crop cultivation which are in demand on the market, or someone who has experience in running a small or medium-sized business. One should not therefore rely on the views of the elders but on professional advice from experts, some of whom can also be young people”, said Ilkhamov. In his opinion, the role of elders in solving poverty issues could even be harmful.
“It is their representatives who, influenced by traditional values, have encouraged or are still encouraging families to spend money on ritual practices, weddings, funerals and other events such as sunnat toya (circumcision – Ed) for which families consider it an honour to invite large numbers of guests. Many follow misguided traditional beliefs, or are driven by reasons of prestige and spend their whole lives preparing and organising all these expensive events, depleting their finances and diverting resources away from far more pressing expenditure such as for education, which could really help them avoid a life of poverty”, said Ilkhamov.
Ilkhamov believes that the reason for this initiative is most likely related to issues of labour migration.
Labour migration to Russia, which used to be the main destination for many people from Central Asia seeking work, has declined significantly in recent years. Many Uzbeks, Tajiks and Kyrgyz do not want to go there because of a dramatic rise in anti-immigrant rhetoric, discrimination and the risk of mobilisation to fight in the war in Ukraine. The result is the loss of the principal source of income for many families and with it the threat of falling into poverty.
“There is a need for professionally-run local counselling centres to help families start and manage their own small businesses and to teach basic economic literacy. Effective economic policies and improving access to education is what the Government should really be focusing on”, said the political scientist.
The Presidential Decree states that the new initiative to involve elders is aimed at improving the quality of life for low-income families and developing the cultural, sporting and spiritual environment in the mahallas. It is assumed that the active participation of these people will contribute to the strengthening of social ties, creating comfortable surroundings for its residents and ensuring a stable society.
