The Historical and Social Significance of the Development of the Awards System of the Republic of Uzbekistan at A New Level
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58905/athena.v4i4.825Keywords:
State Awards, Zulfiya State Prize, Recognition PolicyAbstract
This study traces how the state awards system of Uzbekistan was formed after independence and reshaped since 2017. It combines a historical-legal analysis of the 1995 Law “On State Awards,” its 2018 new edition and the acts governing the “Mard O‘g‘lon” State Award and the Zulfiya State Prize with a content analysis of all 140 “Mard O‘g‘lon” recipients officially listed for 2022–2026, coded by primary status under mutually exclusive rules. The 2018 edition codified 34 honorary titles, 11 orders and 4 medals and widened nominating rights. Regional parity was strictly observed, with two awardees from each of the 14 territorial units every year. Learners were the largest group (47.1%), followed by the uniformed services (25.7%), but in 2026 the uniformed services rose to 42.9% and learners fell to 28.6% (χ² = 6.59, df = 2, p = 0.037 versus 2022–2025). In 2018 the Zulfiya Prize doubled its quota from 14 to 28 and widened its age range to 14–30 years. Open publication of recipient lists supports the legitimacy of state recognition, whereas undisclosed selection criteria remain the main gap.
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