Today’s breath, labor and aspiration, an appropriate approach, purpose and determination must be between yesterday’s model and a path chosen for the future.

From the very beginning of his presidency, the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, through a series of initiatives and reforms, has proven in practice that the issue of youth is an important part of his policy. A vivid confirmation of this is the adoption on September 14, 2016 of the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On the state youth policy”.

As is known, on September 19, 2017, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev addressed the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly. In his address, which was met with great interest by the world community, the Head of the state noted that the youth of today’s world is the largest generation in the history of mankind, numbering 2 billion people.

He emphasized that tomorrow, the wellbeing of the planet, depends on what kind of people our children grow up to be. Our key task is to provide conditions for self-realization of youth, to create a barrier against the spread of the “virus” of the ideology of violence.

The President noted that for this it is necessary to develop multilateral cooperation in social support for the young generation, protection of their rights and interests. In this regard, he proposed to develop the UN International Convention and over the past period of time this proposal has been implemented.

Face to face with the problem

In 2020, the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On measures for radical reform and raising to a new level the state youth policy in the Republic of Uzbekistan” was adopted. There are sufficient grounds to believe that this Decree has become a historical document that will radically change the life of the youth of our country.

Generally speaking, the attention of young people is developing on a systematic basis.

A videoconference chaired by the President on January 27, 2021, dedicated to discussing measures to ensure the employment of young people and the meaningful organization of their leisure time, became an important link in the sequence in this direction, in literary terms, the culmination of this process.

An open discussion, free from any political approach, took place about the real situation, bitter but precise figures, the current situation and problems, and their solutions. In other words, from a critical point of view, the effectiveness of the new youth policy being implemented in the new Uzbekistan was analyzed, and specific tasks in this direction were identified.

We must openly admit one truth. For many years we did not want to realize the real picture in this direction. While our children, our brothers and sisters wandered abroad in search of work, we decided to hide behind a temporary background called “Happy Youth of Uzbekistan”.

As a result, the issue of creating jobs, ensuring youth employment, returning our compatriots to the homeland, providing real conditions and opportunities for young talents remained behind a closed curtain. The result is sad: today young people need work. After all, labor is the basis of wellbeing and a happy life. This is the truth of life.

The figures given during the meeting indicate the seriousness of the situation, that the brand reports did not justify themselves, that the time has come for real work and concrete results. Therefore, the fact that today in Tashkent 26 thousand young people are not employed, when there are 77 thousand vacancies, 45 thousand of which do not require higher education, clearly shows that a systematic approach to the issue is an urgent task today.

The Head of our state has given a concrete solution to this problem, that is, to train young people in professions and give them a qualification category and employ them for such vacancies.

Separate tasks have been set for the relevant ministries and agencies. In particular, the Ministry of Employment and Labor Relations has been instructed to create centers for the assessment of qualifications in the mono-centers “Welcome to Work”, as well as in a number of higher education institutions and large industries. It is noteworthy that by ensuring the correct operation of this mechanism, it will be possible to provide employment for 30 thousand boys and girls.

Our country is known throughout the world as a sunny country with a rich past and generous land. Unfortunately, in some spheres, especially in the field of employment, we do not appreciate our opportunities listed above. After all, we live on a fertile land, which is ready to give us rich harvests, you just have to make a little effort. However, the insufficient use of this opportunity, unfortunately, today is reflected in the number of unemployed youth.

The Head of the state noted that despite the fact that one of the most important sources of employment is the allocation of land to young people for agriculture, last year only 3000 out of 14000 young people who applied with this issue received land. The President forwarded a number of effective proposals and mechanisms for solving this problem.

In particular, from now on, the Deputy Prime Minister will introduce a procedure for allocating 1 hectare of land to young people for every 10 hectares of sown area for agriculture. Reserve lands did not stand aside either. So, wells will be dug, and such lands will also be transferred to the use of young people.

We are the descendants of hardworking farmers and dehkans who have earned a living from agriculture for centuries. It is right to use this opportunity, to change not only your own destiny, but also the destiny of your family in the hands of young people. All that is required of them is desire, good intentions and determination.

It is noteworthy that not a single aspect was missed that could provide the younger generation with work. In particular, relevant instructions have been given to develop the cultivation of lemons, poultry farming, rabbit farming, and beekeeping. Of course, none of these areas will bring the expected results without investment. Therefore, the issue of allocating loans to support youth initiatives in this area did not go unnoticed.

The reverse side of the coin

As mentioned at the beginning of the article, at the videoconference, the real situation was analyzed, the issue of supporting young people and their employment was widely considered. Specific tasks have been set to create the necessary conditions for the meaningful organization of youth leisure, the development of their talents and abilities.

Their timely implementation will expand the construction and renovation of music and art schools, cultural centers, museums, which in turn will serve to increase youth coverage by 30%.

Of course, funds are needed to accomplish these tasks.

From this point of view, 150 billion UZS will be allocated from the state budget this year.

However, it would be unfair not to mention one subtle aspect.

At a time when, due to the pandemic, the economic situation in the country already needs strong reforms, our state directs such large funds to the meaningful organization of leisure activities for young people. We must adequately evaluate such a decision, strengthen the sense of responsibility in the minds of young people.

Young people need to realize and feel that opportunity is not an endless privilege. The solution to this delicate issue will be the fulfillment of the tasks set by the President.

Each person has the ability to do a particular job. It is only necessary to notice and support this ability in time. And this can be solved by organizing typical courses in schools in remote areas and villages, familiarizing young people with the rich cultural heritage of our ancestors, developing domestic tourism among young people.

A healthy body and healthy spirituality form a harmoniously developed person. The past year has shown to all mankind that health is an invaluable wealth. Physical activity, good and proper nutrition, hard work form a person’s natural immunity to various diseases. It is no coincidence that the goal of this year is the promotion of a healthy lifestyle, an increase in the number of people involved in sports by 25% and coverage of young people up to 20%. For these purposes, or rather for equipping kindergartens and schools with sports equipment, 100 billion UZS have been allocated from the budget. At the expense of these funds, 20 thousand sports sections will be created in schools, sports federations, winners of international competitions will be attached to schools, measures will be taken to attract young people to professional sports, depending on their abilities.

What should be done?

In a word, the videoconference helped us draw a number of conclusions, get acquainted with the work done by the relevant ministries, organizations and agencies, and, most importantly, ask the question: “What can I personally do that will benefit society?” The issue of youth concerns the entire nation. And in the family, it is a question of the future of the family. If so, each of us must contribute to the achievement of the goals and objectives.

First, parents need to often communicate with the child, correctly assess his inner experiences, interests, aspirations and desires, create conditions to engage in their favorite pastime.

Second, the interaction of the family, mahalla, kindergarten and school is very important in this process. Each young man should maintain regular contact with at least one of them, because this will allow him to have support in difficult times, to consult in difficult situations. In the minds of young people, the power of the state is embodied in the example of these institutions.

Third, it is a dialogue between a teacher and parents. It should be recognized that, in many cases, young people’s aspirations for knowledge or a profession are crucial in taking their place in society. Everyone has different talents and abilities. Therefore, the interaction of the teacher and parents is crucial in identifying and further developing the abilities of young people.

Fourth, it is a cohesive approach to the implementation of the tasks. That is, everyone is required to fulfill their duties in good faith and on time. After all, our approach to raising young people today will determine the future life of our children and grandchildren.

Tomorrow’s demand will not be the same as today. We have already entered the era of new technologies.

We can no longer make our kids IT specialists with yesterday’s templates. All this requires a modern approach from us. Moreover, the majority of young people today are very interested in modern technologies.

Considering all this, the need was noted for opening at least one school in each district of IT courses, creating another 100 training centers for digital technologies and training 20,000 young men and women in entrepreneurship and information technology.

This means that we have entered a new era when support for young people will be not only in words, but also in deeds. There is no turning back.

Zulaykho Akramova,

Deputy of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis.