Women victims of violence will now be provided with legal aid at the state's expense

2 hours ago

In Uzbekistan, it has been established that individuals who have suffered from harassment and violence will be provided with legal aid at the state's expense.

According to the law signed by the President, victims who have applied to inquiry, preliminary investigation bodies, or courts due to harassment and violence committed against them, as provided for in the Law "On Protection of Women from Harassment and Violence," have received the right to obtain legal aid at the state's expense.

Women who have suffered from harassment and violence, as well as their minor children, will be provided with legal aid at the state's expense in the following cases:

recovery of alimony;

recovery of additional expenses for the maintenance of children;

moving into a dwelling, declaring the loss of the right to use a dwelling, and eviction;

establishment of paternity or deprivation of parental rights;

determining the child's place of residence;

establishing the procedure for visiting a child;

divorce;

division of property;

reclaiming property from another person's unlawful possession;

compensation for damage caused to property;

reinstatement to work;

recovery of wages.

The law also establishes that women and their minor children placed in the regional Centers for Rehabilitation and Adaptation of Women under the National Agency for Social Protection are exempt from paying state fees for the issuance of duplicate marriage and birth certificates, respectively.

In Uzbekistan, a victim of harassment and violence can be placed in a special center for a period of up to 6 months. The procedure for placing a victim of harassment and violence in a special center and discharging them from it is determined by the Cabinet of Ministers.

This law follows the presidential decree signed in March "On additional organizational and legal measures to strengthen the protection of the rights of women and children and to prevent cases of harassment and violence against them." It stipulates that starting from April 1, 2026, the installation of an SOS application on the phones of women victims of violence will be launched.