Inclusive Online Anti-Corruption Platform Launched for the Deaf Community in Uzbekistan

Tashkent, Uzbekistan, 05 August 2025 — Uzbekistan has launched its first online platform designed to promote anti-corruption awareness among people with hearing impairments: www.s-access.uz. The platform provides access to essential legal information in sign language, supports users in recognizing corruption in everyday situations, and helps develop skills to assess the reliability of information.

The initiative was implemented by the Bukhara Regional Branch of the Society of the Deaf of Uzbekistan as part of the Low-Value Grants programme under the joint project of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) “Strengthening the National Anti-Corruption Ecosystem in Uzbekistan”, funded by the European Union (EU).

The website was created to help people with hearing impairments better understand legal issues related to corruption and apply this knowledge in their everyday lives. The platform features:

• 48 key anti-corruption terms translated into sign language
• Video lessons on citizens’ rights and legal protection mechanisms
• Materials on verifying the reliability of information and countering misinformation
• Interactive videos based on real-life situations

Ruziya Rasulova, Director of the Bukhara Regional Branch of the Society of the Deaf of Uzbekistan, noted: “We work with people with hearing and speech impairments. Many came to us with tears in their eyes because they had been deceived in different areas, for example, they were asked for money but promises were not kept. They didn’t know their rights, and that’s exactly why we decided to create this website: so they can see examples of corruption and learn how to protect themselves. Since the platform was launched, we’ve seen fewer people coming to us with such problems.”

Firuza Badruddinova, a representative of the regional society of the deaf, shared: 

“I used to see the word ‘corruption’ often, but I didn’t quite understand what it meant. Then I experienced it myself when I was enrolling my older daughter in kindergarten; I paid money so she would be accepted. After watching the content on the website, I found out that I didn’t need to pay anything at all. Now I understand what corruption looks like in everyday life, and I tell everyone: know your rights and stand up for them.”

Additionally, as part of the initiative, four discussion sessions were held with the participation of around 100 people from the deaf community in the Bukhara region. During these sessions, participants discussed how to recognize corruption in everyday situations and what legal tools can be used to protect their rights. These meetings helped raise legal awareness and broaden understanding of inclusive approaches to combating corruption. In addition, thanks to media coverage, social media activity, and the distribution of informational materials, the project reached more than 5,000 people.

The platform has become an important step toward building more inclusive anti-corruption education and promoting legal awareness among people with hearing impairments, both in the Bukhara region and beyond.

As part of the joint project of the ACA, the EU, and UNDP, “Strengthening the National Anti-Corruption Ecosystem in Uzbekistan”, eight civil society organizations from Bukhara, Fergana, and Tashkent received low-value grants in 2024. Seven of these initiatives are led by women. Each one focuses on combating corruption in a specific area, from healthcare and social inclusion to environmental protection and digital accessibility.