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Day: July 28, 2025
A government official in Uzbekistan has been dismissed following the circulation of a video showing him with a female subordinate sitting on his lap during an online meeting. The footage, which went viral on social media, prompted a public backlash, with the Ministry of Employment and Labor issuing a statement describing the incident as a “violation of the ethics of a civil servant.”
The dismissal of the head of the district department of employment and poverty reduction in Samarkand was confirmed by the ministry. The woman in the video, reportedly an assistant at the agency, has not been publicly named and is believed to have resigned voluntarily.
The incident has sparked a broader discussion about workplace conduct, gender dynamics, and women’s rights in Uzbekistan, where traditional norms continue to influence professional and personal life.
Gender and Power in the Uzbek Workplace
In recent years, Uzbekistan has made significant progress regarding the participation of women in public life. Women currently hold about 32 seats in the 150-member Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis (national parliament). However, their visibility in executive positions and technical fields remains limited.
In Uzbekistan, only 35.4 % of the population aged between 15–64 in the labor force are women, and they earn about 34 % less than men. The World Bank estimates that equal participation and wages could boost the country’s GDP by 29 % and lift over 700,000 people out of poverty.
The government has introduced various reforms aimed at improving gender equality, including protections against domestic violence, promoting women’s entrepreneurship, and gender budgeting initiatives. However, critics argue that these measures are often symbolic or inconsistently enforced.
Cultural Taboo and Social Media
The lap-sitting video has sparked a wave of internet commentary from both men and women in Uzbekistan, where public discussions of gender roles are often muted. Some saw the video as a clear example of workplace harassment and power imbalance, while others downplayed its significance or blamed the woman involved.
Observers argue that the case highlights deeper structural issues within Uzbek institutions, where entrenched gender hierarchies and informal power dynamics often go unchallenged. In many areas of public and private life, the country remains deeply patriarchal, and whilst public discourse around consent, professional boundaries, and gender equality is growing, it remains nascent.
A Moment for Change?
The government’s decisive response to the video may signal a growing awareness of public expectations and international scrutiny. For activists and reformers, the hope is that this moment can serve as more than a spectacle and lead to more conversations about power, professionalism, and the role of women in modern Uzbekistan.
As one widely shared comment on Telegram put it: “It’s not about the lap. It’s about who gets to sit at the table.”
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Belgian Swimmers Set National Records at World Aquatics Championships
At the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, Florine Gaspard and Lucas Henveaux both achieved record-breaking performances in their events.
Gaspard advanced to the semi-finals of the women’s 100 m breaststroke with a time of 1:06.89, surpassing the previous Belgian record of 1:06.97 established by Fanny Lecluyse in 2019. The 23-year-old’s performance ranked her 14th overall in the heats and marked her first swim under 1:07 in the current year. The semi-finals for the top 16 swimmers are scheduled for later today, reports 24brussels.
Henveaux set a new personal best in the men’s 200 m freestyle, clocking in at 1:46.03, which is just one hundredth of a second faster than his previous record set during the Paris Olympics last summer. Now 24 years old, Henveaux recorded the seventh fastest time in the heats and will compete in the semi-finals later today, with the final taking place on Tuesday. He was unable to progress past the heats in the 400 m freestyle event held on Sunday.
Roos Vanotterdijk is also set to compete in the women’s 100 m butterfly final this afternoon, having made it through to the semi-finals of the 100 m backstroke.
The World Aquatics Championships, which cover all aquatic disciplines, are ongoing in Singapore from July 11 to August 3, with the swimming events scheduled from July 27 to August 3.
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State parliament sits next week and Ward has not yet said whether he intends to appeal Friday’s convictions. The MP has also not indicated whether he might resign from parliament and did not respond to questions from Guardian Australia.
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The maths prodigy turned songwriter and performer granted permission for the public to use his lyrics in any format free of charge in 2020.