Certain rituals to be banned at weddings and family events

The weddings, family celebrations, ceremonies, and other similar events will now be placed under strict control in accordance with established regulations in Uzbekistan, the Committee on Family and Women reported.

According to the government resolution adopted on September 16 this year, titled ’’On measures to ensure the effective use of food waste generated in public catering enterprises, reduce its negative impact on the environment, and prevent excessive waste,’’ the years 2026–2030 have been declared the ’’period of urgent food security.’’ During this period, systematic measures will be taken to ensure the population has access to sufficient and high-quality food products and to prevent excessive waste.

Under the resolution, a plan of measures for implementing the ’’Rational consumption’’ program has been approved. Accordingly:

Weddings, family celebrations, and other ceremonies must be conducted in accordance with the regulations approved by the joint decision of the Council of the Legislative Chamber and the Senate of the Oliy Majlis on September 14, 2019.

According to these regulations, family events may host up to 200 guests, while the traditional plov ceremony held in connection with such events may include up to 250 participants.

At double weddings and community gatherings (hashar), up to 250 guests may attend, while the related plov ceremony may host up to 300 participants.

The regulations also prohibit the organization of additional rituals and shows that are alien to national traditions, contrary to moral norms, or that require excessive time and expenses. These include, in particular:

• Customs such as ’’kuyov navkari’’ (groom’s companion), ’’chorlar’’, ’’ota ko‘rdi’’ (meeting the groom’s father), ’’sep yoydi’’ (displaying the dowry), ’’quda chaqirdi’’ (inviting in-laws), ’’kuyov chaqirdi’’ (groom’s gathering), ’’kelin chaqirdi’’ (bride’s gathering), and ’’tog‘ora yuborish’’ (sending a dish) are prohibited.
• Likewise, excessive practices related to funerals and mourning ceremonies, including ’’yetti’’ (seventh-day gathering), ’’payshanbalik’’ (Thursday gathering), ’’yakshanbalik’’ (Sunday gathering), ’’yigirma’’ (twentieth-day gathering), ’’qirq’’ (fortieth-day gathering), ’’hayit’’ (holiday commemoration), ’’yil oshi’’ (one-year remembrance meal), as well as distributing money (pul tarqatish) or cloth (mato ulashish), are also banned.

On September 14, 2019, the Council of the Legislative Chamber and the Senate Council of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan adopted a joint resolution ’’On further improving the system for regulating weddings, family celebrations, ceremonies, and events.’’ The resolution approved the Regulation on holding weddings, family celebrations, ceremonies, and other events. The regulation contains a special clause prohibiting ostentation, extravagance, and wastefulness. Nevertheless, lavish weddings remain widespread, with some officials themselves setting a ’’model’’ for such practices.

It is worth noting that the Presidential decree ’’On measures to effectively organize the implementation of priority tasks aimed at further improving the anti-corruption system’’ was adopted on April 21 of this year.