MAHALLA: CAPACITY BUILDING, CREDIBILITY BOOSTING, PERFECTION

The ‘Mahalla’ Republican Charity Foundation, the establishment of which was supported by the decrees of the President and a resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers in 1992, plays a special role in the improvement of the system of citizens’ self-government bodies.

The documents have contributed to strengthening of logistical capacity of citizens’ self-government bodies, defined the ways and principles of their development, created institutional and legal framework for the full functioning of local communities. They clearly reflect the role of communities as an important tool for building the civil society in the country, protection of democratic values, human rights and freedoms, and legitimate interests of people.

Today, based on the principles of legality, transparency, social justice, and humanity, the Mahalla Foundation operates in all regions of the country to disseminate the best practices of the best citizens’ assemblies, develop civil society through the promotion of further expansion of public control over the activity of state bodies, as well as render social support of the population, transform local communities in centers of development of private entrepreneurship and family business. Generally, built on the ideas of humanism, local communities promote the further development of Uzbekistan and welfare of people.

In furtherance of strengthening of logistical capacity of citizens’ self-government bodies, nearly 1,600 office buildings of citizens’ assemblies were repaired in the past five years, 367 were overhauled, and more than 350 buildings of citizens’ assemblies were reconstructed to standard design projects, and 216 new buildings were put into operation.

As a result of large-scale organizational and legal measures, a system of local communities has turned into a unique structure that has no counterparts in the world. Strong foundations have been built to ensure strenuous involvement of citizens’ self-government bodies in the process of enhancement of socio-political and socio-economic reforms.

Meanwhile, in view of the current requirements for the construction of civil society in our country, there is a need to further streamline citizens’ self-government bodies. The Decree of the President of Uzbekistan ‘On measures to further streamline the institution of mahalla’ of February 3, 2017, settles the organizational and legal measures on enhancing the role of citizens’ self-government bodies to ensure effective solution of the issues of local importance, exercise the right for merging into an association that would represent the common interests of citizens’ assemblies, strengthen their logistical capacity, as well as ensure interaction with state authorities and civil society institutions.

The document defines the following priority directions of further improvement of the institution of mahalla: strengthening the role of citizens’ self-government bodies in society, turning them into local offices of real assistance to people; further enhancement of the credibility of mahallas in creation of an atmosphere of mutual respect and social cohesion, preservation and development of national and universal values; strengthening of interaction with governmental and nongovernmental organizations in the education of young people, social support of vulnerable strata and representatives of the older generation; expansion of their involvement in ensuring public order and safety, early warning of offenses, strengthening of respect for the law in citizens; introduction of effective mechanisms to protect the rights and legitimate interests of citizens.

The document also enshrines the Republican Council on Coordination of Citizens’ Self-Government Bodies as a legal entity in the form of an association of citizens’ assemblies, as well as provincial councils in regions, districts and municipalities as its structural divisions.

A separate regulation assigns the first deputy chairmen of the Republican Council and regional councils also as chairmen of the Republican Board, territorial divisions and branches of Mahalla Foundation respectively, in order to ensure the effective fulfillment of the tasks entrusted to councils, strengthen logistical capacity of citizens’ self-government bodies, and make the funding of socio-economic programs effective.

It is envisaged integrate representatives of state authorities and officials of the ministries of finance, internal affairs, labor, public education, health, public youth movement Kamolot, Nuroniy Foundation, Women’s Committee, other governmental and nongovernmental organizations and their territorial structures in collegiate bodies of councils on a voluntary basis, in order to enhance the interaction of citizens’ self-government bodies with the state and social structures in addressing social issues.

To ensure the effective implementation of the tasks entrusted to self-government bodies, the Council of Citizens’ Assemblies will engage deputy chairmen of citizens’ assemblies (advisors to the chairman of citizens’ assemblies on the elderly and veterans, and on youth affairs), local prevention inspectors, heads of educational institutions and rural health units (family polyclinics). It is also envisaged that they will present quarterly performance reports to citizens’ assemblies.

The Decree has approved a program of integrated measures, which provides for the implementation of 37 specific measures to further streamline the activity of the councils and support citizens’ self-government bodies.

Ministries and agencies are assigned with drafting regulatory legal acts that envisage the interaction of citizens’ assemblies with district (municipal) employment promotion centers, law enforcement agencies and financial institutions, educational institutions and health authorities.

In order to ensure the independence of citizens’ assemblies in addressing local problems and elimination of unnecessary links in the self-government system, it is planned to transform citizens’ assemblies of the villages and settlements, which incorporate communities, into citizens’ assemblies of communities through their incorporation and separation.

Territorial programs for 2017-2021 will focus on strengthening the logistical capacity of the self-government bodies, establishment of children’s playgrounds, public service facilities. Also, measures The buildings of ‘Community Center’ complexes in the regions and cities will have a standard design.

It is envisaged to institute a badge ‘Mahalla Iftihori’, which will be awarded to enterprising citizens and representatives of public organizations for a worthy contribution to the implementation of the tasks entrusted to self-government bodies.

The measures under the Decree and the Program of Integrated Measures will contribute to the effective implementation of the tasks entrusted to citizens’ self-government bodies, coordination of their activities, and further strengthening of their interaction with government agencies and civil society institutions.

Citizens’ self-government bodies have an important mission of educating the youth, helping them to acquire modern knowledge and professions, prevention of early marriages and family conflicts. They do a big job in ensuring stable social and spiritual atmosphere, formation of healthy and harmoniously developed generation, education in the spirit of respect for national traditions and values, organization of interesting leisure.

Parent Universities under citizens’ assemblies regularly conduct training workshops and awareness-raising activities to raise legal, moral and spiritual knowledge of parents, contributing to the timely solution of urgent problems. Establishment of various interest clubs, including sports and professional ones, in the communities, colleges and educational institutions, provides the meaningful leisure for the younger generation. Youth centers of social services in all regions of the republic provide computer literacy, English language, music, dance, knitting and cooking classes mainly to children fr om low-income families, young persons with disabilities, as well as maladjusted youth.

Jointly with the Ministry of Public Education, children’s music and art schools open ensembles for talented students.

‘Diligent Girls’ clubs are organized in all communities. They are chiefly aimed at cultivation of healthy lifestyles in girls, drawing their interest in beautification of their homes, communities, clean environment, promoting environmental and health culture. The clubs are also aimed at the prevention of early marriages among underage youths. It is noteworthy that they cover girls from each street, each high-rise house. The girls get prepared for family life, enhance their legal and medical culture. Family doctors, teachers, psychologists of local schools, colleges and high schools, women with a great life experience and skills help advisors of citizens’ assemblies with the organization of the clubs and work with young people.

These days, the ‘Mahalla’ Public Charity Foundation is holding regional stages of the competition ‘Mahalla in My Life’.

The competition is held among the ninth graders of general education schools, vocational colleges and academic lyceums, located on the territory of citizens’ assemblies. The creative competition plays an important role in enhancing the spirituality of our young people, in bringing up the younger generation in the spirit of patriotism and respect for national values. This year, the district and city stages of the competition covered more than 8,600 teams, or over 34,000 boys and girls.

17 teams competed in the Andijan regional stage of the competition. The participants demonstrated their knowledge of the history of the mahalla, talked about its role in the education of young people, in strengthening of cooperation on ‘Family-Community-Educational Institution’ strategy, answered the questions about the legal acts with regard to citizens’ assemblies, but most importantly, they wrote essays on ‘Mahalla in My Life’.

A Yuksalish team of Buloqboshi district won the first prize.

The Kashkadarya regional stage of the competition brought together 14 teams. Boys and girls demonstrated their skills and knowledge about the history of the institution of mahalla in Uzbekistan, the national idea, the foundations of spirituality.

“The competition has become not just a knowledge and skills test for young people, but it is also a platform for free expression of ideas, a celebration of friendship,” said the chief specialist of the Kashkadarya regional branch of the Mahalla Foundation Ms. Ravshanova. “The interest in it is huge. 665 teams of 2,660 boys and girls participated in the qualifying rounds of the competition.”

A team of citizens’ assembly of Bogibahor mahalla of Shahrisabz district won the competition.

All Uzbekistanis are residents of local communities. There are obvious changes and specific practical content in their activities. They bring up such noble qualities as mutual respect, peace and patriotism.

Today, they perform such functions as targeted social support of the population, promotion of small business and private entrepreneurship with the focus on family business, home-based work and handicrafts, implementation of public control over the activities of government.

These are not just words, enshrined in the law. For example, the O’rikzor Mahalla of Uchtepa district of the capital incorporates 50 small businesses, including sewing shops, hairdressers, clothes and food shops, cafeterias, pharmacies, shoe shops, leisure places for older people. The citizens’ assembly provides good services to meet the everyday needs of the people.

The citizens’s assembly carries out public control over the implementation of laws and other acts of legislation of the respective territory, including the provision of quality public services, compliance with construction and maintenance regulations for yards and adjoining areas, land use and protection. Mahalla provides recommendations for weddings and other family events, organizes financial aid to low-income families jointly with state and economic management bodies, banks, NGOs.

Such powers help to cover with social assistance all population strata, each person. This is a unique system, which is inherent in our mentality and statehood. No one is left neglected.

International experts repeatedly recognized the outcomes of the strong social policy, which is one of the principles of the ‘Uzbek development model’, the importance and the role of the institution of mahalla in its implementation.

In 2015, the Mahalla Foundation helped persons with disabilities and orphans to obtain hundreds of millions of soums to pay for study contracts. The ward of Angren ‘Mehribonlik’ mercy home № 34 Sardora Saidahmedova is among them. Today, she studies at the Tashkent State Law University. Sardora sets high goals and reaches them, as an example of excellent study and initiative for her peers.

During national holidays, local communities organize distribution of gifts to poor and socially vulnerable persons, free holidays in summer camps for children from low-income families.

There are the people in each community, who experienced care and attention of mahalla in difficult moments of their life, which aroused their confidence in the future. A healthy spiritual atmosphere reigns in citizens’ assemblies. Every family, every citizen is committed to contribute to the improvement of the native community.

It is strengthened by regular events that are aimed at the establishment of the values that are passed on from generation to generation ​​- respect for the elderly, care for the young, maintenance of vigilance as an important factor for peace, protection of youths from the impact of various negative phenomena.

Mahalla is a sacred abode. It is the place wh ere we share joys and sorrows. Peace and tranquility in a community gives safely to our lives, fills them with joyful moments. It is an important factor for the consent, unity and generosity in the community, the further prosperity of the country. There is a big sense behind the saying “Homeland begins with mahalla”.

(As part of the social order of the Oliy Majlis Public Fund for Support of NGOs and Other Civil Society Institutions).

Good Response to Urgent Problems
Dilshoda Mirzajanova,
Deputy Chairperson of the Mahalla Foundation:

In 2017, which was declared the Year of the Dialogue with the People and Human Interests, local communities are assigned a special part in addressing the tasks of the government program. The Presidential Decree defined five priority areas to raise the work on improvement of the institution of mahalla to the higher level.

In particular, it is planned to institute an executive board of councils on coordination of citizens’ self-government bodies. From now and on, the Republican Council is given the status of a legal entity in the form of an association of citizens’ assemblies.

Under the Decree, territorial councils will be established in all regions to coordinate the activities of citizens’ self-government bodies as structural units of the Republican Council. The first deputy chairmen of the Republican and regional councils will be simultaneously chair the Mahalla Foundation and its subdivisions.

The Decree and its comprehensive measures will enable civil society institutions to successfully address pressing problems, working with governmental and nongovernmental organizations.

Expanding Cooperation
Bekzod Artykov,
Member of the Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis:

Our people have many good traditions. For example, residents of local communities altogether make a significant contribution to the common goal during mass cleaning campaigns and other events. Partnership produces benefit. The Decree on improvement of local communities stipulates measures on further expansion of cooperation of citizens’ assemblies with governmental and nongovernmental organizations. The document has identified the ways of cooperation on growing the youths spiritually developed and physically healthy individuals, ensuring their employment, protection from ideological threats, social support of vulnerable groups, the older generation.

There is one more important point. The Decree envisages the establishment of ‘Community Center’ complexes in Karakalpakstan, regions, cities and districts by December 1, 2018, and standard design buildings of citizens’ assemblies, equipped with furniture, computer equipment, and communication facilities – by December 1, 2021. That would create favorable conditions for residents and for the staff of assemblies. Most importantly, that would significantly increase the authority of this unique structure.

Eliminate the Backlog of Problems
Gauvhar Muhamedjanova,
Advisor to the Chairman of Mustaqillik mahalla, Mirzo-Ulugbek district of Tashkent:

There are all the opportunities in Uzbekistan for overall development of citizens’ self-government bodies, organization of their work on raising the political consciousness of citizens, employment of young people and women, support for socially vulnerable segments of the population in accordance with modern requirements. The acivities on ensuring stable spiritual and moral climate in families, upbringing of healthy generation, are very important.

The Presidential Decree provides an effective solution to this issue. The Republican and territorial councils introduce the post of deputy chairman on the youth, religious and educational matters, the elderly and veterans affairs. This kind of classification of areas and introduction of new posts is expected to increase the efficiency and quality of work. They would tackle the locally accumulated problems.

The Most Active to Be Awarded
Ravshan Turaev,
Chairman of citizens’ assembly at Tong mahalla, Yashnobod district of the capital:

Every resident of the community is responsible for and interested in its development. Representatives of different professions, age, governmental and nongovernmental organizations are actively involved in the activities of our mahalla. The Decree envisages incentives for such citizens. In particular, the initiative citizens and representatives of public organizations will be awarded the badge ‘Mahalla Iftihori’ for a worthy contribution to the implementation of objectives of self-government bodies."

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