Photo: xs.uz
Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has called for greater public awareness of the importance of prenuptial agreements, which help protect the rights of spouses and prevent families from falling into financial hardship in the event of divorce. The president made the statement at a meeting on improving the mahalla (community) system, according to his press secretary, Sherzod Asadov.
The issue’s urgency was underscored by the statistics Mirziyoyev presented: since the beginning of this year, around 32,000 couples have divorced, and 16,000 parents are evading alimony payments. There have also been cases in which families were left with unpaid debts after divorce.
Mirziyoyev also drew attention to the negative consequences of marriages between close relatives and early marriages, stressing that these phenomena should concern everyone — regional and city administrators (hokims), community leaders (“mahalla sevens”), elders, and the public at large.
He emphasized that young people must be taught that marriage is not only a conscious choice but also a serious responsibility toward one’s spouse and children.
Debates over prenuptial agreements have been ongoing in Uzbekistan for several years. Legal experts and notaries frequently publish materials highlighting the benefits of such contracts, often noting that one spouse is left with nothing after divorce. They argue that signing and notarizing a prenuptial agreement in advance — outlining the property rights and obligations of both partners — helps prevent future disputes.
In 2019, Gulnora Ishanhanova of the Oila (“Family”) Center proposed amending the Family Code to make prenuptial agreements mandatory. She argued that such a measure would help resolve not only property disputes but also issues of mutual responsibility for the care and upbringing of children.
The country’s Notarial Chamber has also actively promoted prenuptial agreements. In 2022, it ran a campaign titled “Prenuptial Agreement — a Guarantee of Property Rights”, during which lawyers explained the advantages of such contracts, particularly to young people.
That same year, experts reported that in the first half of 2022, only 2,560 prenuptial agreements were signed in Uzbekistan, while 90,543 marriages were registered — meaning that less than 3% of couples formalized a contract.
