UZBEKISTAN – “I’ve lived in Gelon all my life, and seen how our village has grown and changed over the years,” said Sharofiddin Xaknazarov. “Our village is far in the mountains, but we are part of Uzbekistan like everyone else.”
Mr. Xaknazarov is chair of Gelon’s mahalla (neighbourhood) citizens’ assembly – a local self-governing unit in villages in Uzbekistan. Gelon lies high in the mountains, over 400 kilometres from the capital city of Tashkent, and reaching it from almost anywhere requires hours of travel along winding dirt roads.
In the past, such geographic barriers meant these communities risked being isolated, left behind in terms of essential services and meeting their needs. But now, a historic effort aims to bridge that gap.
For the first time in 37 years, the Government of Uzbekistan has carried out a nationwide Population and Agricultural Census, with support from UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund. This will not only determine the country’s population size, but also gather crucial insights into its development requirements, trends and strategies.
The last time Uzbekistan performed a census was in 1989, when it was still part of the Soviet Union. Today, it is a country of over 38 million people facing rapid demographic changes, marked by a large youth population, shifting migration and urban expansion.
Counting through communities
The information generated by the census will equip the government to better understand the state of their population and guide investments in public services, such as health, education and housing.
For Gelon and other underrepresented areas, Mr. Xaknazarov said, “The census is important because it helps make sure our community is seen, heard and included in the country’s plans for the future.”
The success of this massive undertaking relied heavily on grassroots mobilization: Organizers enlisted representatives from Uzbekistan’s traditional neighbourhood governing systems, or mahallas, as they are deeply embedded in the social fabric of their communities, often support families in need, and can facilitate communication between residents and government institutions.
Mahalla representatives were trained as census enumerators to go door-to-door to collect data. Their detailed knowledge about local geography and dynamics contributed to a more complete and accurate count of households, especially in remote areas.
Using these well-known figures to engage with the community also increased trust and participation in the statistical process. “Since I’ve lived in this village for many years, I know most of the residents personally, which made the census process much easier,” said Sayyora Norqulova, an enumerator in the Mohiyat mahalla.
Digital tools for inclusivity
Uzbekistan’s census was conducted in two phases. The first was launched in January, with an online platform so citizens could register and complete the survey independently. More than 30 million people participated, covering 80 per cent of Uzbekistan’s population.
Then in February, enumerators were sent to homes that had not participated online. Equipped with digital tablets provided by UNFPA, they worked to ensure that remote, vulnerable and disconnected households were also recorded in the online database.
UNFPA also provided methodological and technical support for the preparation and implementation of the census, ensuring alignment with international standards and best practices.
For residents like Huvaido momo Umarova, participating in the census went beyond civic duty: She has witnessed over a century of change from her village in the eastern region of Ferghana, and explained that simply being counted alongside everyone else held deep personal meaning.
“I have taken part in six censuses before,” she said. “Now, I will join again – for the first time in independent Uzbekistan. I believe it is important that everyone is counted.”
Foundation for a more equitable future
Disaggregated data can help identify current gaps in services and pinpoint population groups with specific unmet needs. Women and girls, for example, now make up some 54 per cent of Uzbekistan’s higher education students and are increasingly active in public spaces – yet there remains a significant gender pay gap and sharp disparities in employment status between equally educated men and women.
But for more than a generation, there has not been a comprehensive measure of female-led households, women’s poverty rates, housing conditions or social protection requirements, all of which could help determine how to reduce these disparities while understanding their longer-term impacts.
Now with new insights from the census, policymakers can design targeted interventions that are more gender responsive, allocate resources more fairly, and reach those at risk of being left behind – from the smallest mountain village to the national stage.
UNFPA supported the census through its CISPop: Better Data for Better Policies programme, which is currently being implemented in Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to provide broader, more inclusive data for evidence-based policymaking and planning.
