Tashkent, Uzbekistan – On 18 June, the International Labour Organization (ILO) held a workshop on social protection data and statistics for representatives of the National Agency for Social Protection (NASP), the Pension Fund, the State Social Insurance Fund and the Ministry of Employment and Poverty Reduction.
The workshop took place at a pivotal moment for Uzbekistan’s social insurance system. Following the adoption of the new Social Insurance Law in 2025, the new maternity benefit began to be implemented at the start of 2026, while additional benefits are expected to be introduced progressively, including sickness benefits in July 2026 and unemployment insurance in 2030.
In this context, the availability of timely, reliable and high-quality data and statistics is essential to monitor the impact of these reforms on the coverage, adequacy and effectiveness of social protection over time.
Ms Mariana Pereira, ILO's social protection specialist, presented an overview of the social protection data collected to produce the World Social Protection Report and the World Social Protection Data Dashboards, with a focus on Central Asia and Uzbekistan. She also shared international best practices in data compilation and dissemination, highlighting national social protection statistical bulletins from Angola, Nepal, Jordan and Mozambique. These examples demonstrated how regular statistical reporting can support more informed dialogue and evidence-based policymaking.
Participants were also introduced to the ILO’s Social Security Inquiry (SSI), the organization’s main data collection tool for social protection statistics. The SSI is used to compile country-level data and monitor progress on Sustainable Development Goal indicator 1.3.1, which measures social protection coverage at national, regional and global levels.
Ms Janna Fattakhova, ILO consultant ,presented preliminary findings on Uzbekistan’s social protection landscape based on data collected through the SSI in collaboration with NASP. This work is supported by the Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for a Just Transition.
The presentation highlighted both the progress made and the remaining data gaps. Addressing these gaps will help develop a more complete and up-to-date picture of social protection coverage and adequacy in Uzbekistan. Improved data will support monitoring the implementation and impact of the new Social Insurance Law, while also contributing to greater transparency, accountability and public trust in the system.
Participants also discussed transforming the data report into a periodic national bulletin on social protection statistics. Such a publication could serve as an important tool for regular monitoring, policy dialogue and informed decision-making.
In the coming weeks, final efforts will focus on addressing the data gaps identified during the workshop in collaboration with participating public institutions. This process will pave the way for the finalization and dissemination of the report on social protection statistics in Uzbekistan among participating entities and key stakeholders.
This news item first appeared on the ILO website.