Samarkand Global Conference: Youth economic rights, violence prevention, and promoting open dialogue
On the first day of the 12th Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Samarkand, three sessions covered youth rights, the digital space, and climate change. The following day, three additional sessions were conducted as part of the international event.
At the session on “Advancing youth economic rights and employment in an uncertain future”, participants noted that economic changes and new labor market demands require creating decent jobs for young people, providing fair working conditions, and strengthening social protection.
The presentations emphasized safeguarding young people’s right to decent work and broadening their access to fair wages and social protections.
The role of parliaments in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals was examined. Discussions focused on how parliaments are working to promote decent work, reduce inequality, and foster inclusive economic growth, along with upcoming responsibilities.
In conclusion, the discussion led to proposals to safeguard young people’s economic rights, secure their employment, and promote equal opportunities for all.
During the session on “Ensuring political rights and ending violence against women and youth”, the discussion covered gender equality, youth involvement in decision-making, and ways to amplify their voice in representative institutions.
The latest IPU report on youth involvement in national parliaments was presented. It highlights that equal access to political processes is a vital indicator of democracy. Specifically, engaging young people and women in decision-making is essential to safeguard their interests, promote social inclusivity, and address contemporary challenges effectively.
Views were exchanged on international best practices for promoting a zero-tolerance approach to all forms of violence against women and youth, enhancing victim protection mechanisms, and strengthening legal safeguards.
Following the session, participants proposed measures to fully safeguard the political rights of youth and women, promote their active participation in parliaments and other representative institutions, and strengthen effective measures to prevent violence.
Parallel sessions were held as both training sessions and open conferences.
The WYDE training focused on preventing and eliminating violence against women, improving effective policy and legislative mechanisms in this area, the role of parliaments, and strengthening cooperation among stakeholders.
In the open conference format, working groups were formed around initiatives proposed by parliamentary representatives. Young parliament members, whose topics were chosen, participated as session moderators to guide the discussions.
This open dialogue platform enabled young parliamentarians to share experiences from their countries and parliaments, propose new ideas and initiatives, and collaborate on developing common solutions.
N. Abduraimova, photos by A. Isroilov, UzA
