On May 14 of this year, the II Asian Women’s Forum began its work in Bukhara

On May 14 of this year, the II Asian Women’s Forum began its work in the city of Bukhara. This authoritative international forum, held under the theme “Investing in Women — the Foundation of Sustainable Growth: Expanding Women’s Political, Economic, Social and Environmental Opportunities,” is dedicated to strengthening the role of women in society, ensuring gender equality, and expanding the political, economic and intellectual potential of women. The forum is attended by representatives of parliaments, international organizations, government bodies, experts and representatives of public institutions.

Within the framework of the forum, topical issues are being discussed, including women’s participation in public and state administration, ensuring their economic independence, developing entrepreneurship, expanding opportunities in science, education, innovation and artificial intelligence, as well as ensuring women’s social protection and safety in the digital environment.

The forum is also attended by the Director of the Republican Center for the Study of Public Opinion “Ijtimoiy Fikr”, Doctor of Economic Sciences Nigina Khayrullayevna Rakhimova. Within the framework of the forum, views are being exchanged on scientific and practical approaches aimed at increasing women’s socio-economic activity, protecting their rights and interests, and strengthening their role and status in modern society.

It should be noted that, based on regular sociological studies, “Ijtimoiy Fikr” examines processes related to the social well-being of women in the country, their standard of living, economic opportunities, education, employment, entrepreneurship, legal protection and the position of women in society. Every year, the Center conducts a nationwide public opinion survey titled “Women About Themselves: Status, Expectations and Prospects.”

The results of the 2026 study showed that the role and opportunities of women in the country’s society are expanding. In particular, 65% of respondents noted that women have equal rights and opportunities with men, while 67.4% of participants expressed confidence that the position of women in society will further improve in the coming years. These indicators demonstrate that state policy aimed at supporting women is positively perceived in public consciousness.

According to the survey results, education and economic independence are assessed as important factors in strengthening the position of women. In particular, 50.4% of respondents consider it important to expand opportunities for free education, while 50.1% point to the need to increase employment opportunities. In addition, 36.4% of participants noted that the development of women’s entrepreneurship is important for ensuring women’s economic independence and social activity.

The study also revealed a high level of interest among women in entrepreneurship and modern professional skills. In particular, 52.2% of respondents expressed a desire to engage in entrepreneurial activity, and a high demand was also noted for acquiring knowledge in the field of information technology and digital skills. This shows that, in the context of the digital economy, women’s aspiration to acquire modern knowledge and competencies is growing.

The issues raised within the framework of the forum, as well as the sociological studies conducted by “Ijtimoiy Fikr”, are of significant scientific and practical importance for ensuring the rights and interests of women in the country, further increasing their socio-political and economic activity, strengthening gender equality and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.