The payment for labor does not discriminate against gender and age. Rather, it is determined in accordance with the occupied position. Traditionally women are employed in the social and service sectors such as education and health sectors where salaries are comparatively low. Gender-positive development is mostly visible in large cities. In the urban areas, especially Tashkent, the services and financial sectors offer employment opportunities to women as well as to men.
Maternity leave and special allowances are provided for female employees.
However, the restructuring and privatization of state enterprises has caused weakening of the social benefits provided to employees, including women. About half of the workers officially registered in 1999 as unemployed were women. Human Development 20. In terms of human development indicators, Uzbekistan compares favorably with other countries at similar levels of per capita income. During the Soviet socialist regime, health and education coverage was expanded to virtually all the population.