Central Asian countries will begin protecting children together

On 11 September, at Uzbekistan’s initiative, the first forum of children’s rights commissioners from Central Asian countries was held in Tashkent with support from the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and participation from the European Network of Children’s Ombudsmen, which is currently chaired by the Ombudsmen of Norway, Croatia, and Finland.

The purpose of the event was to establish an effective regional platform for dialogue and interaction among the children’s rights commissioners of Central Asian countries. This will encourage the exchange of experience in protecting children’s rights, finding optimal solutions to shared problems, developing unified approaches to counter regional and transnational threats and challenges, and strengthening the capacity of children’s ombudsman institutions in Central Asia.

The political will and joint efforts of Central Asia’s leaders aim to create a stable, cooperative, and developing region. The Regional Platform of Children’s Ombudsmen will embody this unity and shared responsibility for the well-being of children — the present and future of our region, — said Uzbekistan’s Children’s Ombudsman Surayyo Rahmonova.

Forum participants discuss ways to integrate efforts and international initiatives into national strategies and plans aimed at safeguarding children’s rights, as well as enhancing the capacity of the institutions of the Central Asian countries’ children’s rights commissioners. Particular attention is given to the prospects for the development of interregional and international cooperation between children’s ombudsmen.

Protecting children’s rights is not only a legal obligation outlined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, but also a moral duty that shapes the kind of society we are creating. When countries cooperate and institutions join forces, the benefits for children increase exponentially, — said Rechina Castigio, UNICEF Representative in Uzbekistan.

The next forum is scheduled to be held in Kazakhstan in 2026.

Earlier, it was reported that Uzbekistan would review Korea’s experience in protecting women and children from violence. The country has already examined Finland’s practice.