UNDP jointly with national and regional partners works on raising awareness on women entrepreneurship, encouraging women to be more active by providing skills and resources, strengthening the role of women in the governance and increasing women's representation in all spheres.

In Karakalpakstan, within the Joint Programme aimed at building resilience of communities affected by the Aral Sea disaster (through the Multi-Partner Human Security Trust Fund for the Aral Sea), UNDP Uzbekistan has funded the launch of 27 inclusive business projects, that created 123 new jobs (49% women) and organized the trainings of 690 rural women on the basis of Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) on reproductive health and entrepreneurship skills.

- In 2018 my enterprise - “Rano-Sheber” received a financial support from the UN Joint Programme to purchase innovative quilting equipment to process camel wool for bedding, greeting belts, jackets and hats. Today we produce environmentally friendly bed linen. Moreover, camel wool has special characteristics. For instance, it is said to be a pain relief for backache and warm cover during the cold weather, - says Ms. Ulbolsin Annabaeva, entrepreneur from Takhtakupir district.

In order to share the lessons learned, exchange the best practices on the development of women's entrepreneurship in tourism and handicraft sectors in rural areas of Karakalpakstan and to identify solutions for urgent problems of social entrepreneurship in the Central Asian region Ms. Ulbolsin Annabaeva is representing the country at the Regional Women's Business Forum and Expo 2019 entitled “SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP THROUGH SUPPORT OF WOMEN'S ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN RURAL AREAS IN CENTRAL ASIA” that is being held on 1-2 November 2019 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

These days Ulbolsin opa is sharing her experience with colleagues from all over the Central Asia and gets new ideas from those who also work in the sphere of tourism and handicraft sectors development in rural areas of the region. In future her enterprise would serve as extension service center for local women and girls to enhance their skills on wool processing. Currently 3 women are employed there on permanent basis.

UNDP in Uzbekistan works to promote gender equality and empowering women and girls to help economic growth and development in the country.