UNDP assists the Government of Uzbekistan in providing the rural population with improved, affordable and environmentally friendly living conditions. Today, the rural housing sector of Uzbekistan is rapidly developing, which raises the question of transforming it to a more sustainable development pathway that ensures the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. This can be achieved through the introduction of energy-efficient and low-carbon technology among the rural population.

Within the UNDP/GEF and Ministry of Construction joint project "Market Transformation for Sustainable Rural Housing in Uzbekistan" focus group meetings were conducted with women in rural areas of Kushtepa and Yazyavon districts of Fergana region, Guzar and Kasbi districts of Kashkadarya region, Muynak and Tahtakupir districts of Karakalpakstan from 16 May till 25 May, 2019.

The focus group meetings were conducted as part of needs assessment of women in energy efficient technologies, which would provide an opportunity to develop recommendations on introducing certain energy saving technologies in rural households. The recommendations will reflect how energy saving technologies can ease the burden on women, reduce the time they spend on domestic work, and reduce the vulnerability of theirs and their families during the heating season. Also, the recommendations will include possible types and methods of using energy saving technologies that could create comfort in the home and simultaneously save the family budget and thereby improve the living standards of women in rural areas.

The purpose of the focus groups was to identify the technological needs of women living in rural communities for energy-efficient and low-carbon technologies in housing and its infrastructure. In total, 156 women of different social categories were surveyed (school teachers, kindergarten employees, medical personnel, farmers/entrepreneurs, owners of affordable rural houses, housewives) in the three regions: 50 in the Republic of Karakalpakstan, 54 in Kashkadarya and 52 women in the Fergana regions. Based on the survey results, technological needs will be analyzed to identify barriers/constraints that impede utilization of energy efficient and low-carbon technologies by women in rural areas will be identified and recommendations on how to overcome them to improve their living conditions will be formulated.

Current activity was conducted with support of districts’ administrations (khokimiyats) in Fergana and Kashkadarya regions and the Republic of Karakalpakstan, as well as the UN Joint Programme “Building the resilience of communities affected by the Aral Sea disaster through the Multi-p artner Human Security Fund for the Aral Sea” in Karakalpakstan.