On April 22, 2024, Uzbekistan’s population reached 37 million. Just to recall, we surpassed the 36 million mark on December 8, 2022. Remarkably, in 1 year and 4 months, we have increased by another million.

Is the Population Growth in Uzbekistan a Problem or an Opportunity?

• For example, if the number of births in previous years was around 700-800 thousand, from 2018 to the present, it has been between 920 thousand and 960 thousand. This impacts social sector facilities. For instance, take the number of children entering schools. In previous years, about 700 thousand or 680 thousand children were enrolled in the first grade, whereas in the coming years, this number is expected to exceed 900 thousand. One of the main reasons for this is the high birth rate, – said Muhabbat Ahmedova, an employee of the Institute of Macroeconomic and Regional Research. – It should be noted that the issue of aging, which has become a global problem, is not yet observed in Uzbekistan. According to our forecasts, it will not be observed for the next 10 years. However, the share of the population above the working age is gradually increasing. This, of course, will significantly impact the pension fund. Additionally, the healthcare system, the increase in the number of social workers, the expansion of pension funds, and overall, the need to review the current pension system will be necessary. In short, population growth requires investments in human capital. I can’t say that population growth is bad. Policies need to be adjusted accordingly. I believe that a large population is a wealth for society and the republic.

Is It Time for Family Planning?

Experts say that demographic processes are influenced not only by objective factors but also by marital and family relationships and individual desires. Today, we can see that young people are consciously planning their families. Moreover, changes in the number of marriages and divorces also affect the birth rate. Issues such as housing problems in young families, changing living locations, and the broad involvement of women in social production are among the main factors leading to a decline in the birth rate. Proper family planning is crucial to providing all necessary material and non-material benefits for children, including quality education, food, and housing.

Laziza Sherova, Correspondent of “Uzbekistan Voice”.