Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a law on ratification of the Convention of the International Labor Organization.

According to the Law, Uzbekistan has ratified the International Labor Organization Convention No. 156 on Equal Treatment and Equal Opportunities for Men and Women Workers: Workers with Family Responsibilities (Geneva, on 23 June 1981).”

The main purpose of Convention No. 156 is to ensure equality of rights and opportunities for working women and men who are engaged or seeking to engage in gainful employment, taking into account their family responsibilities. The Convention is aimed at eliminating discrimination and creating conditions for a harmonious combination of professional and family responsibilities.

These principles of the Convention apply to all sectors of the economy and to all categories of workers. It is important to note that all the requirements of this Convention are fully implemented into the national legislation of Uzbekistan.

To date, Convention No. 156 has been ratified by 45 countries out of 187 member states of the International Labor Organization. Among them are countries such as Norway, Sweden, Spain, France, Japan, South Korea, Russia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan.

The World Bank, with financial support from the UK government, prepared a report entitled “Country Gender Assessment for Uzbekistan”.

The report notes that despite some positive changes, gender inequality in the labor market remains significant. In 2021, women’s participation in the labor force was 28 percentage points lower than men’s.

The unemployment rate for young women is 15.5%, while the rate for young men is 10%.