As part of a broad discussion of constitutional reforms, the National Center for Human Rights of the Republic of Uzbekistan, together with the UNICEF in Uzbekistan, held a roundtable discussion on “Provisions on the rights of the child in the constitutions of the world”.

The Director of the National Center for Human Rights Akmal Saidov and the UNICEF Representative in Uzbekistan Munir Mammadzade addressed the event.

According to the National Center of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Human Rights, the participants of the roundtable discussion highly appreciated the proposal of the President of the country Shavkat Mirziyoyev on the need to enshrine the idea of​​ “Uzbekistan – a social state” in the Constitution. Such a proposal was announced by the Head of the state on June 20 at a meeting with members of the Constitutional Commission.

The initiatives of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan on the protection of families, children and youth received special support from the participants of the roundtable discussion, in particular, “the care of the state for men and women, families and children, youth and the elderly, persons with disabilities – all people, whether in the country or abroad, shall be enshrined in the Constitution”.

Mr. Saidov noted that for Uzbekistan, where 40 percent of the population is children, ensuring and protecting their rights in all respects is of fundamental importance.

At the meeting, a comparative analysis of enshrining provisions on the rights of the child in the constitutions of 47 states was presented. Conor O'Mahony, Special Rapporteur of the Government of Ireland on Child Protection, made a presentation on this topic.

The Commissioner of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan for the Rights of the Child (Children’s Ombudsman) Aliya Yunusova made proposals to include provisions on the rights of the child in the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The event was attended by members of the Senate and deputies of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, representatives of the Supreme Court, the Prosecutor General’s Office, the Ministry of Preschool Education, the Ministry of Public Education of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Institute of State and Law under the Academy of Sciences of the country, the Center for Sustainable Development, the National Center for Human Rights.

The participants made specific proposals for further steps in securing the provisions on the rights of the child in the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Nazokat Usmanova, UzA