INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISMS FOR SUPPORTING WOMEN'S ENTREPRENEURSHIP AS A TOOL FOR POVERTY REDUCTION: THE CASE OF UZBEKISTAN

Abstract

Women's entrepreneurship is increasingly recognized as one of the most effective instruments for reducing poverty, particularly in transition economies with strong informal sectors. This thesis examines the institutional mechanisms — legal, financial, and organizational — through which the state and development partners support women's entrepreneurship in Uzbekistan, and assesses their contribution to poverty reduction. Using a comparative and descriptive-analytical approach based on national legal acts, statistical data, and reports of international financial institutions, the study identifies gaps between the declared policy framework and its practical implementation, particularly regarding access to finance, business training, and the enabling regulatory environment. The findings indicate that fragmented coordination among state programs, banks, and international donor initiatives reduces the overall poverty-reduction effect of otherwise well-designed support mechanisms. The thesis proposes a coordination framework aimed at aligning institutional efforts to increase the poverty-reduction impact of women's entrepreneurship policy in Uzbekistan.