Abdukadirova S., lives in the Bektemir district of Tashkent region, and applied to the "Mehr Ko'zda" centre for a consultation. Mother of four children, she was unemployed at that time and was in a difficult financial situation. Her childhood was difficult, with a numerous family and not enough money to buy shoes for everyone. As a child, she dreamed of becoming a designer, of being a businesswoman, of having a business and producing high-quality and cheap leather shoes. However, Abdukadirova S. then got married early and had 4 children, enduring domestic violence and other abuses at the hands of her husband's relatives. Moreover, with her husband earning very little, the family was struggling economically, without enough money to provide for themselves.

Abdukadirova tried to find a job, but without proper qualifications she could not get decent work. To earn extra income, she worked in wealthy people’s homes, washing dishes, mopping floors in café and as a maid. She then came to "Mehr Ko'zda" centre for help to realise her dream. She met several times with a business consultant, learning how to market research, how to pay her taxes, and how to get a loan. Armed with this new knowledge, she decided to enter the small grants competition organised within the EU funded project “Strengthening Civil Society to Advance Women’s Rights through Advocacy, Protection and Empowerment in Uzbekistan”, implemented by ACTED from January 2020 to December 2021 in Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara and Fergana regions.

In close collaboration with the business consultant, she prepared a detailed business plan for the production of leather shoes, conducting market research with the beneficiaries, studying prices of goods, equipment, budget etc. Once the business plan was drafted and approved, Sevara Abdukadirova's dream came true.

I am the happiest person in the world! You must believe in miracles!, - she says.

She received all necessary equipment, raw materials, and other products and is now running an entrepreneurial activity under the status of "self-employed" and produces high quality men's leather shoes at an affordable price for the people. There are already wholesale buyers, and a family business; her husband works with her and their children assist them. Her mother-in-law, despite her age, also contributes to the production.

In order to improve the environment and protect the violence-affected women to advance women’s rights and women’s empowerment the European Union has funded the ACTED project on Strengthening Civil Society to Advance Women’s Rights through Advocacy, Protection and Empowerment. As the result of the project 2500 violence affected women in rural and remote communities; 125 violence-affected women from Fergana region enrolled in a reintegration programme; 600 girls from rural areas received support.

Education and professional skills development play a fundamental role in achieving gender equality. 2023 has been announced as the European Year of Skills. At the same time, it is also important to create favorable conditions where there is no place for any form of violence for the education and acquisition of these skills by girls and women.

#StopVAWG #EndGBV #EuropeanYearofSkills