Forced Sterilization of Women in Uzbekistan

Forced Sterilization of Women in Uzbekistan examines an alleged government sterilization program and reveals a pattern of ongoing, systematic forced sterilizations that have affected tens of thousands of women and have intensified in recent years.

The report’s testimonial evidence indicates that for the past 13 years the Uzbek government has carried out a sterilization program that is a centrally regulated policy with the apparent aim of controlling population growth.

The report’s main conclusions include:

• In Uzbekistan, all women of reproductive age who have delivered two or more children are potential targets of the program.
• Medical professionals are under pressure to perform the sterilizations as the authoritarian government holds doctors and nurses responsible for fulfilling quotas set by health administrators.
• While the international community cannot be held responsible for the forced sterilization program, its close cooperation with officials in the sphere of reproductive health and its reluctance to challenge the government's denials about forced sterilization have implicitly allowed the government to continue the practice.