Tashkent and The Hague has held an online roundtable discussion.

Tashkent and The Hague has held an online roundtable discussion on issues of the effective participation of national minorities in public life of Uzbekistan.

According to the National Human Rights Centre of Uzbekistan, the event focused on the Lund recommendations on the effective participation of national minorities in public life of Uzbekistan, basic principles and best practices.

The event was organized by the National Human Rights Centre of Uzbekistan together with the office of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities and the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan.

The event was attended by members of the chambers of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, representatives of ministries and agencies, law enforcement agencies, civil society institutions and non-governmental organizations.

Welcoming remarks were made by the Director of the National Human Rights Centre Akmal Saidov, Director of the office of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Christophe Kamp, OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, Ambassador John MacGregor.

It was noted that the Lund Recommendations on the Effective. Participation of National Minorities in Public Life is one of the most important political documents of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities. The main purpose of the recommendations is to encourage and support the OSCE participating States in taking concrete measures to ensure the effective participation of ethnic communities in the decision-making process, in particular in decisions that affect them.

International experience in these issues was considered during the presentations of speakers. During five sessions of the roundtable discussion, the participants discussed the principles of the effective participation in public life in the context of integration of different societies, issues of ensuring diversity through effective participation in cultural and religious life, an inclusive approach to socio-economic participation, opportunities and obstacles for participation of women of national minorities.

UzA