Azad Khusanov
Doctor of Legal Sciences, professor
An important feature of modern Uzbekistan can be seen in the fact that raising human dignity and honor is the main issue. For this, it is necessary to use important tools and methods, among which neighborhood institutions have a special place.
In recent times, the issue of human dignity, raising it high, and establishing a people-friendly state on this basis has become one of the most important issues of the international community. In Hindu philosophy lies the idea that “in order for a person to be valuable, he must first of all be full.” Therefore, since 2017, it has become an important issue to help our citizens to achieve a comfortable lifestyle in our country. This is inextricably linked with the development of the neighborhood institution, which has been a self-governing body until now. It is no exaggeration to say that it is one of the important pillars of the political life of our country.
For our people, the neighborhood has always been a place where a person is born, educated, and receives a ticket to a great life. The neighborhood is not only a cradle of spiritual life, but also a full-fledged institution related to political and economic processes. In addition, the role of the neighborhood is incomparable in the fact that our national customs and traditions have not disappeared for several centuries, and this institution encourages our citizens to preserve national values, to work, and to participate in state administration.
In particular, there are about ten thousand neighborhoods in our country today, and their unique names tell us about history. Because not only the long and glorious history of our nation, socio-political, economic life, cultural heritage is reflected in them, the neighborhood has traveled its own path during this period.
In general, a neighborhood is a set of internal behavior rules, moral and ethical norms among people who live in a certain area and have neighborly relations, which have been formed for a long time.
is a collective system based on customs and traditions, which at the same time embodies the nature of the exercise of power.
After gaining independence, Uzbekistan, joining the ranks of democratic states, along with the development of state administration, paid special attention to the improvement of self-governance, and created the opportunity to organize the sphere of citizens’ self-governance in the neighborhoods.
Article 105 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan, adopted on December 8, 1992, states that assemblies of citizens in towns, villages, and villages, as well as in their neighborhoods and neighborhoods in cities, are self-governing bodies, and they can elect a chairman (elder), the procedure for electing self-governing bodies, organizing their activities and the scope of authority was established by law.
In 1993, in order to increase the role of the neighborhood institute in the society in the social and political life of our country On September 3, the Law “On Self-Governing Bodies of Citizens” was adopted, and according to this normative legal document, that democracy, transparency, social justice, humanitarianism, independence in solving local issues, mutual assistance based on the public are the main principles of the activities of citizens’ self-government bodies, implementation of citizens’ self-government in the entire territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the creation and completion of towns, villages, villages , as well as changing their boundaries, giving them names and changing their names, taking into account the opinion of the relevant bodies of citizens’ self-governance, it was determined in accordance with the procedure provided for by law.
Already, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in his speeches has been emphasizing the comprehensive support of the neighborhood. For example, In the address of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan on December 29, 2020, noting the need to develop a program to increase the influence, development and opportunities of the neighborhood, to improve the material support of the employees of this institution, the main mood of the reforms implemented in our country is first felt in the neighborhoods, in this sense, the neighborhood is the bright face of our society. and noted that it would be correct to say that it is a mirror of his conscience, and that he will follow the path of further development of the New Uzbekistan Neighborhood Institute using its great potential.
In the new version of the Constitution adopted by our people in 2023, the institution of the neighborhood is further strengthened, and according to Article 127, the self-government bodies of the citizens of the neighborhood do not belong to the system of state authorities, and issues of local importance are determined by the interests of citizens, historical characteristics of development, as well as national values, local based on customs and traditions, it was determined that he has the right to decide independently in accordance with the law.
On the basis of the decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated February 18, 2020 "On measures to further support neighborhood institutions to improve the social and spiritual environment in society and bring the system of work with family and women to a new level" on strengthening the institution of the family in the neighborhoods, first of all, to carry out a unified state policy aimed at implementing the idea of "healthy family - healthy society", to organize targeted assistance to restless and troubled families, establishment of research institute "Neighbourhood and Family" on the basis of scientific and practical research center "Family" under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan and educational-methodical and scientific research center "Mahalla", effective implementation of the state policy on supporting women to provide, protect their rights and legal interests, increase their role and activity in the social and political life of the country, efforts to ensure equal rights and opportunities for women and men were carried out at an accelerated pace.
The decree of December 21, 2023 “On measures aimed at increasing the role of neighborhood institutions in society and ensuring their functioning as the first link in solving population problems” became an important source for turning neighborhood institutions into the most popular structure and the most effective tool for citizens.
The main essence of this legal document is provided for in Article 127 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan "The state creates the necessary conditions for the implementation of the activities of self-government bodies of citizens, helps them in the implementation of their powers established by law" aimed at the implementation of the norm, which not only imposes additional tasks on the assembly of citizens of the neighborhood, but also allows it to perform its tasks effectively. Establishment of "Neighborhood Support Councils", "Neighborhood Association" and its subdivisions under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan, "Neighborhood Seven" units, which were established on the basis of the decree, will allow raising the activity of the neighborhood to a higher level. The decree envisages a completely new, efficient system between the neighborhood and the state, and divides the management of the citizens' assembly between the following seven member powers:
1. Neighborhood chairman;
2. Deputy Mayor;
3. Youth leader;
4. Women are activists;
5. Prevention inspector;
6. Social worker;
7. Tax inspector.
Each of these members has a separate function and assumes the perfect management of the existing system. For example, in order to reduce poverty, a social worker identifies families who are in a difficult situation in the neighborhood and there is such a risk, and provides effective support based on their needs. But it is known from life experience that the problem of poverty cannot be solved only by providing social assistance. It is not for nothing that the proverb “A bird cannot be satisfied with what is given by hand” is spoken by our people.
Therefore, these methods are considered the most effective in reducing poverty – the task of ensuring the employment of every citizen, teaching them to engage in entrepreneurship and creating favorable opportunities for them is assigned to the seven neighborhoods.
In particular, in order to improve the standard of living of the population in the relevant area, the neighborhood seven takes the following measures:
– unemployed people who do not have a permanent source of income
vocational and entrepreneurship training and employment provision;
– development of entrepreneurship in the neighborhood, providing loans and subsidies to residents in order to support their entrepreneurial initiatives;
– provide necessary assistance to entrepreneurs for diversification of their activities;
– to assist the population in productive use of farm lands and in the cultivation of appropriate products;
– participation in the preparation of small programs and other projects related to neighborhoods.
It should be said that as a result of the measures being taken today, a number of achievements are being achieved, and in the last two years, 176 thousand legal and 194 thousand individual business entities have been registered with the state. As part of the family entrepreneurship program, preferential loans of 20 trillion soums were allocated for 900,000 projects on the recommendation of the governor’s assistants. More than 123,000 jobs were created for 92,000 small projects created by the mayor’s assistants. In this regard, about one hundred legal and regulatory documents, as well as regulation and development of relevant activities, have been adopted.
In conclusion, it can be noted that the newly revised Constitution of Uzbekistan established the independence of citizens’ self-government bodies from the system of state authorities and created a legal basis for the further development of neighborhood institutions. Solving issues of local importance based on the interests of citizens serves as an important foundation for legal entities operating in this direction.