Uzbekistan - Living Standards Assessment : Policies to Improve Living Standards, Volume 1. Summary Report

Since independence, Uzbekistan has followed a distinct economic strategy, entailing gradual transformation of the economy, while emphasizing social stability. The "Uzbek Model" of development has focused on developing industrial and manufacturing capacity in a predominantly agricultural economy, using direct and substantial state guidance. An important objective of the strategy has been to raise living standards and expand employment opportunities, while protecting vulnerable groups against abject poverty. Has this approach alleviated the problems of poverty inherited by the country? This report provides the first national level picture of living standards in Uzbekistan since independence. It has three main goals: (i) to examine the current status of living standards in Uzbekistan (ii) to identify key challenges and constraints to improving living standards, and (iii) to suggest priority policy actions that are needed for broad based improvements in living standards in the country. The report was prepared in close collaboration with a working group from the Government of Uzbekistan, to ensure the relevance of the findings and to build capacity for analytical evaluation of living standards using household survey data. The report is based on the recently improved and nationally representative Family Budget Survey (FBS) (2000/01) carried out by the Uzbek statistical authorities. Since 2000/01 was the first year of implementation of the revised nationally representative survey, the new survey is considered by the Statistical Authorities to be a pilot. This is also the first time the data have been used for poverty analysis, and the exercise has yielded important feedback for further strengthening the survey. Despite these important caveats, the FBS does provide the first comprehensive information on living standards in the country, and represents the best available information at this time. Results that appear to contradict conventional wisdom cannot be rejected a priori, since they represent the responses of about 10,000 households. They must be verified with future rounds of the survey as well as special studies. In addition to the FBS, the report uses other sources of information, including surveys of firms, farms, institutions and individuals, as well as administrative data. The study also uses international evidence to compare and contrast Uzbekistan's living standards and policy outcomes relative to other countries, including CEE (Central and Eastern European) countries and other CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) countries. This report comprises two volumes. This first volume provides a summary of the findings and key policy recommendations of the report, preceded first by a brief overview of the key messages. The second volume contains the more detailed technical analysis on which this first volume is based.

Bibliographic Details

Main Author:	World Bank
Language:	English en_US
Published:	Washington, DC 2003-05
Subjects:	ACCESS TO INFORMATION, AGING, AGRICULTURAL EMPLOYMENT, AGRICULTURAL GROWTH, AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY, AGRICULTURAL SECTOR, ANNUAL GROWTH, AVAILABLE DATA, BASIC EDUCATION, BLACK MARKET, CHRONIC ILLNESS, CHRONIC ILLNESSES, CIVIL SOCIETY, CLIMATE, CUMULATIVE GROWTH, CURRENCY UNIT, DISTRIBUTIONAL IMPACT, DONOR COMMUNITY, ECONOMIC GROWTH, ECONOMIC POLICY, ECONOMIC REFORMS, EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT, EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS, EMPLOYMENT, ENROLLMENT RATIO, EXCHANGE RATE, EXCHANGE RATES, EXPENDITURES, EXTREME POVERTY, FAMILIES, FARMS, FINANCIAL SECTOR, FINANCIAL SUPPORT, FOOD CONSUMPTION, FOOD EXPENDITURES, FOOD POVERTY LINE, FOREIGN EXCHANGE, GENDER GAPS, GINI COEFFICIENT, GROWTH RATES, HARD BUDGET CONSTRAINTS, HEADCOUNT INDEX, HEALTH CARE, HEALTH EXPENDITURES, HEALTH INDICATORS, HEALTH OUTCOMES, HEALTH SECTOR, HEALTH SERVICES, HEALTH STATUS, HEALTH SURVEY, HOSPITALS, HOUSEHOLD INCOME, HOUSEHOLD SURVEY, HOUSEHOLD SURVEY RESULTS, HOUSEHOLD WELFARE, HOUSING, HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SECTOR UNIT, ILLITERACY, INCOME, INCOME INEQUALITY, INCOME LEVELS, INCOME POVERTY, INCOME QUINTILES, INDUSTRIAL SECTOR, INFANT MORTALITY, INFECTIOUS DISEASES, INFLATION, INFORMAL ECONOMY, INFORMAL EMPLOYMENT, INFORMAL SECTOR, INFORMAL SECTOR EMPLOYMENT, INSURANCE, INTERVENTION, LABOR FORCE, LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION, LABOR MARKET, LABOR PRODUCTIVITY, LAND REFORMS, LIFE EXPECTANCY, LIVING STANDARDS, LONG-TERM DEVELOPMENT, LOW POVERTY RATE, MACROECONOMIC STABILITY, MALNUTRITION, MATERIAL WELL-BEING, MEASURING POVERTY, MINIMUM WAGE, MORBIDITY, MORTALITY, NATIONAL ACCOUNTS, NATIONAL AVERAGE, NON-FARM EMPLOYMENT, NON-INCOME DIMENSIONS, NON-POOR HOUSEHOLDS, NUTRITION, NUTRITION STATUS, NUTRITIONAL STATUS, OPPORTUNITY COSTS, PENSION SYSTEM, PER CAPITA INCOME, POLICY ACTIONS, POLICY LEVEL, POOR HOUSEHOLDS, POOR PEOPLE, POOR POPULATION, POPULATION SHARE, POVERTY ANALYSIS, POVERTY LINE, POVERTY MEASUREMENT, POVERTY MONITORING, POVERTY RATE, POVERTY RATES, POVERTY REDUCTION, PRIMARY HEALTH CARE, PRIVATE SECTOR, PRODUCERS, PRODUCTIVITY, PRODUCTIVITY GROWTH, PROMOTING GROWTH, PUBLIC EDUCATION, PUBLIC SECTOR, PUBLIC SERVICE, PUBLIC SERVICES, PUBLIC SPENDING, PURCHASING POWER, PURCHASING POWER PARITY, REPRESENTATIVE SURVEY, RESOURCE ALLOCATION, RETIREMENT, RURAL AREAS, RURAL HOUSEHOLDS, RURAL POOR, RURAL POPULATION, RURAL POVERTY, SAFETY, SAFETY NET, SAVINGS, SECTOR ACTIVITY, SECTOR REFORMS, SOCIAL ASSISTANCE, SOCIAL COSTS, SOCIAL INSURANCE, SOCIAL POLICIES, SOCIAL PROTECTION, SOCIAL PROTECTION PROGRAMS, SOCIAL SERVICES, STATE ENTERPRISES, STATE INTERVENTION, STRUCTURAL REFORMS, TASK TEAM LEADER, TAX COLLECTION, TAXATION, TRANSITION COUNTRIES, UNEMPLOYMENT, URBAN POOR, VULNERABLE GROUPS, WAGES, WATER RESOURCES, WATER SUPPLY, WORKERS, WORKING POOR, YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT STANDARD OF LIVING; EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES; POLICY ANALYSIS; ANALYTICAL METHODS; HOUSEHOLD SURVEYS; SURVEY DATA; POVERTY ANALYSIS; HOUSEHOLD WELFARE INDICATORS; POVERTY MEASURES; RURAL POVERTY; UNDEREMPLOYMENT; WAGE LEVELS; HIGHER EDUCATION; RETIREMENT POLICY; VULNERABLE GROUPS; EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT; SOCIAL PROTECTION SYSTEMS; RISK MITIGATION; SMALL & MEDIUM SCALE ENTERPRISES; AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY; EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES; POVERTY MONITORING,
Online Access:	http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2003/05/2383879/uzbekistan-living-standards-assessment-policies-improve-living-standards-vol-1-2-summary-report https://hdl.handle.net/10986/14825
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