The Central Bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan hosted the first meeting of the working group on improving financial inclusion for people with disabilities, attended by experts from commercial banks
The meeting was held as part of the implementation of the National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS) for 2025–2030, as well as the roadmap developed in collaboration with the National Agency for Social Protection under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The primary objective of the meeting was to launch a joint effort to develop unified recommendations for financial institutions, aimed at fostering a more inclusive financial environment and expanding access to banking services for people with disabilities.
During the discussions, the participants examined existing barriers for people with disabilities in accessing banking services, as well as a potential timeline for developing recommendations. Special attention was paid to adapting banking products to the needs of this population group, taking into account the capabilities of commercial bank branch networks, applying fintech solutions, and studying the best practices of foreign banks in inclusive banking.
The Central Bank has conducted an initial assessment of financial inclusion for people with disabilities at commercial banks. The monitoring results showed that most banks have only created basic conditions for physical infrastructure accessibility, while specialized banking products and services for this population segment are virtually absent.
The meeting concluded by defining future areas of work and key approaches for developing recommendations, as well as agreeing on the subsequent stages of their preparation.
The development of these recommendations will be aimed at creating a more accessible and inclusive financial system that provides equal opportunities for people with disabilities.
