FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES IN UZBEKISTAN: A POLICY EVALUATION PLAN

Uzbekistan's economy has experienced rapid growth, with the national poverty rate declining from 11% to 8.9% in 2024. However, many households—particularly in remote areas—continue to face food insecurity. Earlier social protection programs were discontinued due to inefficiencies and weak implementation. This paper proposes an evaluation plan for a new financial assistance program for low-income families administered by the National Agency for Social Protection (NASP), designed to support vulnerable populations and reform previous approaches. The program uses the Single Registry for social protection to determine eligibility and involves key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Economy and Finance, banks, makhalla institutions, and beneficiaries. The evaluation adopts non-experimental and quasi-experimental designs, applying mixed methods to assess program efficiency, adequacy of financial support, household food security, and child nutrition outcomes. Data sources include administrative databases, surveys, interviews, and budget analysis.