Uzbekistan co-hosted a discussion on the universality of human rights in Geneva
A side event on “Universality of Human Rights in Different Regions and Contemporary Challenges” was held in Geneva on the sidelines of the 62nd session of the UN Human Rights Council. The event was organized with the participation of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and regional human rights systems. The Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan was one of the co-organizers.
Other co-organizers included the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the Council of Europe, the African Union, the Organization of American States, and the Committee on the Arab Charter on Human Rights.
The event took the form of a panel discussion dedicated to reaffirming the universality, indivisibility, and interdependence of human rights amid geopolitical tensions, selective interpretation of norms, and the narrowing of civic space.
Participants emphasized that universality does not imply uniformity: universal standards gain legitimacy and effectiveness through their implementation across diverse legal systems and institutional traditions, while regional mechanisms serve as “bridges” between the global system and national realities.
The experience of the Republic of Uzbekistan, which has consistently implemented large-scale reforms in human rights protection, strengthening national institutions, and developing constructive cooperation with international and regional human rights mechanisms, was highlighted as a successful example of the practical implementation of universal international standards.
UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Awa Dabo reaffirmed that the universality of human rights is the foundation of the international human rights system, enshrined in the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action. She noted OHCHR’s role as a link between the global and regional systems and cautioned against tendencies toward fragmentation and the relativization of universal norms.
N.Usmanova, UzA
