A recent World Bank study has found that government efforts to expand access to pre-school care in Uzbekistan are helping more women join the workforce. However, the report shows that the main reason women are entering the labor market is economic pressure, not career ambitions.
The study, titled Working for Yourself or for Your Kids? Childcare Expansion Policy in Uzbekistan, looked at how easier access to childcare affects female employment. It found that while many women now have more freedom to work, most are driven by the rising cost of raising children.
“Women are entering the workforce not just because they can, but because they must,” the report stated. “This is less about personal fulfillment and more about making ends meet.”
The report also highlighted that although around 75 percent of Uzbek households include extended family members—often with two or more working-age women—70 percent of these homes still had no women in formal employment. Cultural and structural barriers have long limited women’s participation in the labor market.
In 2018, the Uzbek government began a major push to improve pre-school availability. At the time, only 25 percent of children aged 3 to 7 were enrolled in daycare, one of the lowest rates globally. By 2022, that number had jumped to 63 percent. As a result, the female labor force participation rate rose by 12 percent—a notable increase in a country where women have traditionally faced major employment challenges.
Importantly, the policy’s impact has extended beyond mothers. The study found that having access to childcare allowed other women in multi-generational households, such as sisters-in-law and grandmothers, to consider working outside the home. “By sharing caregiving duties more evenly, the policy has opened up job opportunities for all working-age women in the household,” the authors wrote.
However, the labor market remains tight, and many women still struggle to find stable employment despite their willingness to work.
The researchers also noted an unexpected finding: for many families, sending children to preschool is seen as a long-term investment in their future. As a result, women often take jobs just to afford daycare expenses. In many cases, a large portion of their earnings goes directly toward childcare.
“The biggest impact on women’s employment is seen in families that deeply value education,” the study said. “For these women, working is not just about balancing job and home life—it’s about helping their children succeed.”
