THE ROLE OF YOUTH IN THE SOCIAL AND POLITICAL LIFE OF SOCIETY AND THE OPPORTUNITIES PROVIDED TO THEM

Khudoyqulova Shahzoda Sherali qizi
Student of the Faculty of History, Karshi State University

Annotation: This article discusses the attention and opportunities our state provides to women, young people with disabilities, and socially vulnerable groups, in order to ensure that the youth of our society grow into healthy, educated, hardworking, and independent-minded individuals.

Keywords: Society, youth, neighborhood, state, gender equality, authority, women, leader.

Today, youth have become an integral part of shaping state governance, influencing the country’s domestic and foreign policy, and participating in its activities. The role of young people in the relationship between the state and society is significantly increasing. This is also true in Uzbekistan, where the indicator continues to grow.

The President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, stated:
“We will continue the state policy on youth without any deviation and with full determination. Not only will we continue it, but we will also raise this policy to the highest level required by today’s era as our top priority. We will mobilize all the power and resources of our state and society so that our youth can think independently, possess high intellectual and moral potential, and become people who do not lag behind their peers in any field on a global scale, and live a happy life.”
[Mirziyoyev Sh.M. We Will Build a Free, Prosperous, and Democratic Uzbekistan Together. Tashkent: “Uzbekistan”, 2016, p.14]

This statement is a clear example of the great attention paid to youth. Since the future, development, and progress of a country are in the hands of young people, it is necessary to first refer to the international concepts and definitions of youth.

In different countries, the age range defining youth varies. For example, in the USA and Japan, individuals aged 13–14 to 29–30 are considered youth; in Bulgaria, it is from 15 to 29; in Russia, from 15 to 30. In Germany, “younger youth” are 14–18 years old, and “older youth” are 18–27 years old. In the Republic of Uzbekistan, according to Article 3 of the Law “On State Youth Policy,” individuals aged 14 to 30 fall into the youth category.
[http://blog.xabar.uz/post/yoshlar-orasida-huquqiy-savodxonlikni-oshirishda-huquqiy-ta-lim]

From this, we can understand that young people make up a large portion of our society’s population. When discussing youth, it is important to highlight the opportunities provided for them. In Uzbekistan, broad opportunities are provided to increase the role of youth and nurture them as important figures for the country’s future. One example is the democratic reforms introduced into the management system of the mahalla (neighborhood) institution.

New management mechanisms for working with youth have been introduced, a vertical system for youth engagement has been created, youth issues are addressed directly in neighborhoods, and efforts are being made to improve the effectiveness of educational, moral, and upbringing activities in educational institutions.

According to the Presidential Decree “On Measures to Radically Improve the System of Working with Youth in Neighborhoods” (PQ-92, January 19, 2022) [https://lex.uz/uz/docs/-5831865], the position of youth leader was introduced in every neighborhood. Youth leaders are responsible for forming the “Youth Balance,” collecting necessary information about young people in the “Youth Register” and “Youth Portal” electronic platforms, and overseeing various youth support programs.

Based on the recommendations of youth leaders, different forms of assistance are provided, such as:

• One-time financial aid of up to 4 times the base calculation amount for low-income youth.
• Monthly rent subsidies of up to 3 times the base calculation amount for up to 12 months for socially vulnerable young families.
• Subsidies of up to 50 times the base calculation amount to cover up to 50% of tuition fees for talented but socially vulnerable students in vocational and higher education institutions.
• Subsidies of up to 4 times the base calculation amount to cover the cost of driving courses for socially vulnerable youth in state and non-state educational institutions.

A large portion of youth-oriented opportunities are allocated specifically to women. According to the Presidential Decree “On Accelerating Systematic Support for Families and Women” (PF-87, March 7, 2022) [https://lex.uz/docs/-5899498], reforms are being implemented to protect women’s rights and legal interests, increase their economic, social, and political activity, ensure their health, provide vocational training and employment, involve them in entrepreneurship, support women in need, and ensure gender equality, in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

In the education system, many opportunities are also being created. For example, socially active youth are given special privileges in admission to higher education institutions. The Presidential Grant is awarded to the top 200 applicants with the highest entrance exam scores in state higher education institutions. Education loans are provided for students studying on a contract basis, and 35% of tuition fees are covered for students who have completed military service or are socially active.

The introduction of the “Youth Register” to ensure the employment of unemployed youth has taken youth policy to a new level. Thousands of unemployed youth aged 18–30 in need of social, economic, and psychological support have been included in the register, and funds have been allocated through “Youth Funds” to solve their problems locally.

Healthy, educated, experienced, and forward-thinking youth are the greatest driving force for positive changes in society. As the First President of Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov, stated:
“The future of our Motherland, the well-being of our people, and the country’s prestige in the international arena depend primarily on how our children grow up, what kind of people they become, and how they enter life. We must never forget this absolute truth.”
[Islam Karimov. High Spirituality is an Invincible Force. Tashkent: “Ma’naviyat”, 2008]

Among the opportunities provided to youth, special attention is given to people with disabilities. According to the Presidential Decree “On Additional Measures to Improve the System of Supporting Persons with Disabilities” (PQ-74, February 27, 2023) [https://www.lex.uz/docs/6391378], privileges are granted such as priority access to public services for persons with disabilities and their caregivers, strengthening their legal guarantees, and improving the system of providing legal assistance to them.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev noted:
“Building a New Uzbekistan is not just a wish or a subjective process, but an objective necessity based on deep historical foundations, the current political, legal, socio-economic, and moral-cultural realities of our country, and the age-old aspirations of our people. On this path, we must fully mobilize the knowledge, potential, and capabilities of our citizens, who are the main driving force of our reforms. Only then will our country become a strong, prosperous, and respected state in the world, as our people have dreamed of.”
[Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The Development Strategy of New Uzbekistan. Tashkent: “Uzbekistan”, 2022]

Conclusion: Indeed, the attention and opportunities given to youth are among the strongest factors motivating us to move forward. If every young person knows how to use these opportunities wisely, they will undoubtedly grow into qualified specialists contributing greatly to the country’s development.

The continuous improvements and facilities in the education system are a source of pride. They aim to raise initiative-taking, intelligent young people, and to instill in them a sense of pride for living in a fully developed country.

Not only in education but also in other fields, youth are being supported. For example, loans are provided for young people to start their own businesses, vocational training is offered, and unemployed youth are assisted in finding jobs.

Significant attention is also given to sports, with our athletes raising our national flag high in international competitions and Olympic Games, proving the success of the country’s sports system.

It is also worth noting that young people with disabilities are given equal opportunities, and many have achieved great success in sports, arts, education, business, and leadership. Despite physical limitations, they have healthy minds, hearts, and spirits, and the state works to ensure they can contribute to society just like any other citizen.

From this, it is clear that our state maintains equal opportunities for all citizens, regardless of whether they are healthy or have disabilities. This not only pleases us as youth but also motivates us to work harder for our country.