Gender and Law in Uzbekistan: From Pre-Soviet Patriarchy to Post-Soviet Reforms

This study is devoted to the analysis of the formation of gender equality in Uzbekistan within historical, political, and socio-legal contexts. The paper examines the legal status of women in the pre-Soviet period, based on the norms of Sharia and adat, the policies of equality and socialist modernization during the Soviet era, as well as the post-Soviet reforms aimed at ensuring women’s rights in an independent state. Special attention is given to Uzbekistan’s accession to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the process of adapting international standards to national legislation, and the gap between the formal recognition of rights and their implementation in practice. The study also analyzes women’s participation in political, economic, and social life, as well as the barriers they face, particularly in rural areas. The results of the research contribute to identifying current challenges on the path to achieving gender equality and to formulating practical recommendations for overcoming them in legal and institutional dimensions.