The Regional Community of Practice – participatory forums for UNDP staff, where experiences are shared and ideas are exchanged with the purpose of interactive learning and developing capacities in a particular field. The forums are held each year in various parts of the world.

The Regional Community of Practice is jointly organized by UNDP Country Office in Uzbekistan and UNDP Bratislava Regional Centre for Europe and CIS countries.

The main aim of the CoPs is to discuss common emerging issues, challenges, best practices, latest trends and achievements in the area of human development and disability issues. This event would be a great opportunity for Uzbekistan to showcase achievements of joint UNDP/Government of Uzbekistan projects, as well as to demonstrate tourism potential and cultural wealth of the country.

Acting UNDP Resident Representative Jaco Cilliers said this year is an anniversary of PWD CoP. Since 2008 UNDP and other UN agencies have significantly strengthened their efforts to promote human rights, social protection, employability and take fresh approach to social inclusion of PWDs.

“In September 2008 UNDP joined hands with the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population of the Republic of Uzbekistan (MLSPP) to support the government in implementation of the new policy. The project ACCESS: Promoting Accessibility, Civic Consciousness, Employment, and Social Support for Persons with Disabilities (PWD) was launched. Since then UNDP Uzbekistan has actively been involved in promotion of rights of PWD, now in the frame of the second project with project “Inclusive Employment and Social Partnership”. As a result, a lot of changes have been taking place not only in country policies and their application but also, what is important, inside the Country Office”, he added.

The participants of the forum will consider issues related to support of people with disabilities, best projects and practices in the Eurasian region on fighting stigma, prejudices and negative stereotypes against people with the disabilities, ensuring equal rights and accessible environment for their activities, as well as innovation tools for their rehabilitation, including information-computer technologies.

The session of the Regional Community of Practice titled “Rights of the Persons with Disabilities – New Trends and Challenges in Development” will be attended by the UNDP specialists from Austria, Belarus, Croatia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Serbia, Slovenia, United States, Tajikistan, Turkey, and Uzbekistan.

Representatives of the UNDP will familiarize with the activities of the social enterprises in Tashkent city on 25-25 September and Samarkand on 26 September, where people with disabilities are working. It is planned to adopt Tashkent action plan.