Uzbekistan
The Uzbekistan-Columbia Center for Advancing Community Strengths and Social Wellbeing (UCC), in collaboration with the National Agency for Social Protection (NASP) of Uzbekistan and UNICEF Uzbekistan, is preparing to pilot an adapted version of the WINGS intervention to strengthen support for women affected by or at risk of gender-based violence. The pilot will focus on vulnerable women, including young women from low-income families and underserved communities, women living with HIV, and those at risk of or affected by sexual violence.
Where and How WINGS is Implemented
The WINGS intervention has been culturally adapted to the context of Uzbekistan and translated into Uzbek for women who have received a protection order but have not accessed IPV or other social services. In January 2026, the National Association of Social Protection in partnership with Columbia School of Social Work launched a pilot of the adapted WINGS in: Tashkent city, Andijan region, Navoi region, and Khorezm region. This pilot includes both a web-based version and case manager version of WINGS that have been delivered in a range of organizational settings, including “Inson” Social Service Centers, Women’s Centers, and NGOs
Impact Highlights
28 specialists were trained, including:
- Social workers
- Psychologists
- NGO “Ona Uyi” staff
The training focused on:
- Using WINGS tools to assess IPV risk
- Developing individualized safety plans
- Facilitating appropriate referrals to services
Innovation: Screening questions for depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder and linkage to mental health services were integrated into the WINGS
Challenges
- Women not comfortable accessing IPV services
- Stigma and fear of disclosing violence
- Limited resources in some regions
- Need for quality control and supervision
- Ensuring confidentiality and participant safety
CONTACT
Lyudmila Eduardovna Kim
lk2313@columbia.edu
More information forthcoming from the Uzbekistan–Columbia Center for Advancing Community Strengths and Social Wellbeing (UCC)