- Abortion legal status
- Legal
- Emergency number
- 112
Updated September 2026 · Sources cited: clairesfootsteps.com, tripwaffle.com
Good to know
Good to Know
- If you're assaulted in Tashkent, the fastest routes to help are calling 102 (police) or 112 (universal line, works even without a SIM or balance); expect the operator to speak Uzbek or Russian, not English.
- Emergency contraception (the 'morning-after pill') is sold over-the-counter at pharmacies in Tashkent without a prescription — you can pick it off the shelf and take it to the counter like any other item.
- Regular birth control pills are also pharmacy-accessible, but an IUD requires a clinic visit with a gynecologist for insertion; neither is covered by Uzbekistan's social security system, so budget for out-of-pocket cost.
- Uzbekistan's national domestic/gender-violence support system (Inson centers, the 1146 helpline, and the 1259 anti-violence-against-women line) is a genuine institutional network, not just an NGO hotline — expanded nationwide under a 2024 government regulation.
- Abortion is legal and has long been broadly accessible in Uzbekistan, but it can only be performed at public/government medical facilities — private clinics (including the international, expat-oriented ones) are legally barred from performing abortions or deliveries, so this isn't a service you can get at a typical private expat clinic.
- Medication abortion (the pill-based method) is reportedly not officially registered in the country, so if abortion is needed, it is likely to be a surgical procedure at a state hospital rather than a pharmacy-based option.
- Private clinics like Dr. Steinke Clinic, Eurosun Healthcare, Tashkent International Clinic, and the Israeli Medical Center (IMC) are reasonable options for routine gynecological checkups, ultrasounds, and consultations, but for abortion or childbirth care you'd be routed to a public hospital such as the Republican Specialized Scientific and Practical Medical Center of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
- English-language capability varies by clinic — international-facing private clinics are more likely to have English-speaking staff than the public referral hospitals.
Street, Night and Taxi Safety
Street Harassment
Solo women in Tashkent are generally not targeted for aggressive harassment, but staring, curious questions, and occasional unwanted attention from men happen, especially in busier markets. One traveler account describes being called out with the word "deboychka" (girl) by men in the upper level of Chorsu Bazaar, which felt mildly aggressive even though the term is often just used to get someone's attention. Persistent catcalling or men "annoyingly offering their services or products" is also reported as an occasional nuisance rather than a frequent threat.
Walking Alone at Night
Central, well-lit districts and main pedestrian zones in Tashkent are generally considered calm and fine to walk through in the evening, and locals being out late tends to keep these streets active. Quieter side streets, parks, and outer residential areas feel less comfortable after dark, and solo walking after midnight outside busy zones is described as less advisable. Poor street lighting in some areas has also been noted as a factor that makes walking alone at night feel riskier.
Taxis and Ride-hailing
Registered taxis or ride-hailing apps are consistently described as the safer choice over hailing an unmarked car directly off the street, and this advice applies specifically to women travelers. Yandex Go is the dominant ride-hailing app used in Tashkent (Uber does not operate in Uzbekistan), and it shows the fare upfront and lets a rider verify the driver's plate and identity in the app before getting in. A documented risk at Tashkent airport is unofficial drivers aggressively approaching foreign arrivals and quoting wildly inflated fares, so arranging a ride through the app or an official taxi stand rather than accepting a street tout is the recommended approach.
Dress and Attention in Conservative Areas
Dressing modestly (covering shoulders, avoiding very short hemlines) is commonly recommended to reduce unwanted staring or attention in markets and less touristy neighborhoods, since cultural norms outside the modern center remain fairly conservative. This matters particularly in places like Chorsu Bazaar's older sections, where one solo traveler account noted being the only women on an upper floor and drawing more attention than in central, cosmopolitan areas.
Precautions That Sources Recommend
Beyond preferring app-based taxis, commonly repeated practical tips include sticking to well-lit main streets after dark, keeping valuables minimal and out of sight in crowded places and bazaars, and having a hostel or hotel arrange a car directly if arriving somewhere unfamiliar. Having at least basic Russian (since English is not widely spoken outside the main tourist sites) is also flagged as useful for a woman navigating the city alone, particularly if asking for help is needed.
Abortion Law And OB-GYN
Abortion Law
- Legal Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Who Can Access
- Girls under 14 can access abortion, though minors under 14 require parental or adult consent per some sources. The woman herself is never criminally liable for terminating a pregnancy under Uzbek law, regardless of circumstance.
- Abortion Time Limits
- Abortion is available on request up to 12 weeks of pregnancy. Beyond that, sources diverge somewhat: some indicate it remains permitted up to 22 weeks for social/economic reasons, fetal impairment, or rape, and without a stated time limit if the pregnancy endangers the woman's life or health or in cases of serious medical contraindications.
- Where Its Performed
- Abortion (like childbirth) can legally only be performed at government/public medical facilities in Uzbekistan — private clinics are barred from performing abortions or deliveries, a restriction the government has said is partly meant to prevent illegal birth/death documentation and child trafficking. A private clinic that illegally performs an abortion risks losing its license.
- Medication Abortion Note
- Abortion pills (medication abortion) are reportedly not officially registered in Uzbekistan, meaning a pill-based abortion may not be readily available even though surgical abortion is legal.
- Practical Note For Visitors
- Because abortion is restricted to public hospitals, a foreign visitor/nomad seeking this service would need to go through the state medical system rather than a private/expat-oriented clinic, which may involve more bureaucracy and less English-language support than at Tashkent's private international clinics.
OB-GYN Options In Tashkent
Mirzo Ulugbek District
- Name
- Republican Specialized Scientific and Practical Medical Center of Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Type
- Public/government specialist referral hospital — the main state OB/GYN center
- Notes
- As a public facility, this is the type of institution where legally-mandated services like abortion and childbirth are actually carried out, per Uzbek law restricting those procedures to government providers.
Dr. Steinke Clinic
- Area
- Mirabad district (Sumbula street) — central Tashkent
- Type
- Private gynecology clinic
- Notes
- Offers gynecological diagnostics/treatment (colposcopy, pessary placement, PRP therapy) but as a private clinic cannot perform abortion or deliveries under Uzbek law.
Eurosun Healthcare
- Area
- Shaykhontakhur district (Navoi street) — central Tashkent
- Type
- Private clinic with gynecology services
- Notes
- General gynecology consultations; private clinic, so subject to the same abortion/delivery restriction as other non-state facilities.
Tashkent International Clinic
- Area
- Tashkent (exact district not confirmed in research)
- Type
- Private international clinic
- Notes
- Markets itself toward expats/international patients and lists obstetrics-and-gynecology among its services; exact address not verified at the time of research.
Israeli Medical Center for Reproductive Medicine and Family Health (IMC)
- Area
- Tashkent (exact district not confirmed in research)
- Type
- Private reproductive medicine / IVF clinic
- Notes
- Specializes in reproductive medicine and fertility (IVF), also offers general gynecologist consultations.
Embassy Support
British Embassy Tashkent
- Number
- +998 78 120-15-00
- Notes
- UK guidance states embassy staff will respond in an empathetic, non-judgmental way to British nationals reporting assault.
U.S. Embassy Tashkent — Victims of Crime Resource Page
- Phone
- +998 71 120-5450
- Address
- 3 Moyqorghon Street, 5th Block, Yunusobod District, 100093 Tashkent
Contraception Access
Emergency Contraception
- Availability
- Available over-the-counter at pharmacies without a prescription; levonorgestrel (LNG) brands such as Escapelle, Postinor, and Rely-X are sold openly on pharmacy shelves rather than kept behind the counter.
- Legal Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Prescription Required
- No
- Notes
- Prescription was required for some LNG brands (e.g. Escapelle) between 2013–2015, but this was changed and OTC access now applies broadly.
- Pricing Confidence Note
- Reliable, current (2026) per-pill pricing in soums could not be confirmed from a live pharmacy source; omitted rather than estimated.
Regular Hormonal Contraception
- Pill And IUD Availability
- Combined oral contraceptive pills and IUDs are included in Uzbekistan's national family-planning guidelines and are accessed through pharmacies (pills) and gynecology/family-planning clinics (IUD insertion), though neither EC nor routine contraception is reimbursed by social security.
- Cost Note
- Specific current-year clinic/pharmacy pricing for pills, IUDs, or implants in Tashkent could not be verified at the time of research and is therefore omitted rather than estimated.
- Implant Availability Note
- Contraceptive implant availability specific to Tashkent clinics could not be independently confirmed; treat as uncertain rather than assumed available.
Assault And Domestic Violence Hotlines
Ministry of Internal Affairs Hotline on Violence Against Women
- Number
- 1259
- Notes
- UK government guidance for British nationals lists this as a dedicated violence-against-women line.
1146
- Name
- Republican Centre for the Rehabilitation and Adaptation of Victims of Violence helpline
- Notes
- Also referred to as the national 'trust' line; provides legal, psychological and referral support.
Inson Social Service Centers
- Number
- Accessible via 1146 or local police/social worker referral
- Notes
- Nationwide network expanded under a June 2024 Administrative Regulation to assist women and minors affected by domestic violence, including restraining orders, shelter relocation, and mandated 24-hour response to complaints.
Tashkent City Internal Affairs Department
- Number
- +998 71 232-30-40 / +998 71 232-40-50
- Notes
- Direct city-level police contact listed by the UK government for assault reporting in Tashkent.
Language Note
Hotline and police operators in Tashkent may not speak English, so calling with the help of an Uzbek or Russian speaker is strongly advised.
Emergency Numbers
- Police
- 102
- Ambulance
- 103
- Universal Emergency Line
- 112 (works even with no SIM/no balance)
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this women's health & safety research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Tashkent
Data last updated September 2026 · Verify anything important.