President: We must learn to live and work amid pandemic

The International Labour Organization has said the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on jobs has been much worse than previously expected. Its latest report showed the number of hours worked globally between April and June was 14% lower than in 2019, which the ILO said is the equivalent of the loss of 400 million jobs. The employment situation is unlikely to recover until 2021. What is the situation in Uzbekistan? During a regular meeting chaired by president Mirziyoyev, devoted to the employment of youth and women, it was announced that over  1.5 million people have lost their jobs amid pandemic in the country.

Some 700 thousand youth and more than 800 thousand women have become unemployed amid lockdown measures imposed during the pandemic.

A presidential decree of June 30 this year has established the Agency for youth affairs, responsible for the implementation of the state youth policy.

It is expected that nearly 450 thousand boys and girls will graduate from secondary schools this year. 70 thousand of them will be able to get a higher education, 85 thousand-professional education. The primary task is to employ them. Some $20 million will be allocated from the Anti-Crisis Fund to assist the employment.

Criticizing shortcomings, Mirziyoyev instructed to identify the real demand in the labour market in terms of each industry and sphere.

The establishment of a Venture Fund under the State Fund for Business Support set to become another important innovation for youth. Nearly $1 million will be transferred to the venture at an incipient stage.

Moreover, the best startup projects will receive grants in the amount up to $20 thousand.  Young entrepreneurs will enjoy free consulting services on legal, accounting, marketing, banking and other issues.

Another issue on the agenda was employment and improving women's social conditions.

Mirziyoyev with regret emphasized that about 20 thousand women in the regions live in difficult conditions. With this in mind, he instructed to create a list of women's business projects for each district and city, and allocate simplified loans and grants within the framework of the women's entrepreneurship program.

Rising numbers of patients infected with Covid-19 was another issue on the agenda at the president`s meeting. According to Mirziyoyev, the whole world today is at war against the invisible enemy.

Every state, every nation that engages in this struggle, takes all measures to protect its country and its population. The most important thing is to establish an iron discipline.

Meanwhile, the country has all the reserves and capabilities to fight this disease. “We must learn to live and work in a pandemic. Because life goes on. It requires that we act intelligently, with patience and unyielding discipline», - Mirziyoyev said.

He gave instructions to revise available testing procedures, to make testing as convenient as possible. The president also gave an order to create a three-month food reserve.