Private-sector maternity benefit recipients nearly double in Uzbekistan after reforms

Uzbekistan disbursed UZS 772 billion in maternity benefits to more than 66,000 women during the first six months of 2026. Nodir Musliddinov, head of the State Social Insurance Fund, revealed these figures during an open dialogue organized in collaboration with the Confederation of Employers of Uzbekistan and the National Agency for Social Protection.

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The allocation shows a notable distribution between public and private employment sectors. Public sector employees accounted for 55,000 of the recipients, representing 83% of the total, while the private sector saw 11,000 women receive support. Payments specifically for women in the private sector totaled UZS 163 billion. This segment has shown substantial growth; compared to the same period last year, the number of private-sector recipients nearly doubled, rising from 6,000 to 11,000 individuals.

The surge in private-sector participation follows the implementation of new maternity benefit calculation rules that took effect on January 1, 2026. Under the updated policy, private-sector employees gained the right to receive a sum equal to four times their average monthly salary from the previous year – matching the benefits previously reserved primarily for state employees. The State Social Insurance Fund now covers these expenses, ensuring financial parity across both sectors.

Building on these reforms, the system underwent further standardization on July 1, 2026. From that date, the State Social Insurance Fund began centralizing the payment of temporary disability benefits for employees in both the public and private sectors, ensuring that all such disbursements follow the same regulatory procedure.