On 21 April,the SRSG for Central Asia and Head of UNRCCA, Kaha Imnadze, participated in the first meeting of the Central Asia Women Leaders’ Caucus (CAWLC) convened under the Chairpersonship of the Republic of Uzbekistan in 2026.
Held online and moderated by the Chairperson of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Ms. Tanzila Narbaeva, the meeting brought together members of the Caucus from all Central Asian states. It also marked the first participation in a Caucus meeting by the Azerbaijani side, represented by the Chair of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ms. Sahiba Gafarova. Her participation reflected the growing role of Azerbaijan in regional cooperation processes, following the landmark decision adopted at the Seventh Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia in Tashkent in November 2025 on the full participation of the Republic of Azerbaijan in that format.
The meeting marked the beginning of a new cycle of chairpersonships within the platform, following the completion of the first full round of leadership by all five Central Asian states since the Caucus was established in 2021.
The discussion focused on reviewing the development of the Caucus over the past five years and identifying priorities for its next phase. In this context, Uzbekistan presented the Women Leaders’ Caucus Plan of Action for 2026, setting out key directions for future regional cooperation.
In his remarks, SRSG Kaha Imnadze welcomed the start of Uzbekistan’s chairpersonship and encouraged the Caucus to build on the progress achieved thus far. He called for continued prioritization of the Women, Peace and Security agenda, stronger regional advocacy for the women and girls of Afghanistan, and closer linkages between the Caucus’s work and broader regional integration and peacebuilding processes, including the Fergana Process.
The meeting marked the start of a new phase in the development of the Women Leaders’ Caucus, with a renewed focus on consolidating its role as a platform for regional dialogue, policy coordination, and joint action on gender equality and women’s leadership in Central Asia.
UNRCCA reaffirmed its continued support to the Women Leaders’ Caucus as a key regional mechanism contributing to inclusive governance, preventive diplomacy, and sustainable peace.
