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2019/2020 SITUATION ANALYSIS OF CHILDREN IN UZBEKISTAN SITUATION ANALYSIS OF CHILDREN IN UZBEKISTAN All rights reserved © UNICEF 2019 Published by United Nations Children’s Fund in Uzbekistan Tashkent, Uzbekistan All photo credits: © UNICEF Uzbekistan For further information, please contact: 16, Sharof Rashidov Street Tashkent, Uzbekistan Email: [email protected] website: www.unicef.uz SITUATION ANALYSIS OF CHILDREN IN UZBEKISTAN FOREWORD MUNIR MAMMADZADE UNICEF REPRESENTATIVE In 2019, the world celebrated the 30th an informed and substantive overview Anniversary of the Convention on the of the country situation, particularly of Rights of the Child. The Convention is children and women. the most widely ratified international In this regard, the comprehensive human rights treaty, and it has Analysis of the Situation of Children in significantly changed the way children Uzbekistan was developed to identify are viewed and treated globally. Under critical priorities, as well as the new the Convention children seen as human emerging issues to further advance beings with a distinct set of rights and children rights in Uzbekistan. I believe not just as passive objects of care. that this document will also contribute As a State Party to the Convention and inform the development of the since 1994, Uzbekistan has committed National Strategy 2030 that should be itself to realizing the rights of all based on “Leaving no one behind” children, including the rights to survival, principle of the 2030 Agenda and education, dignity and protection from leading Uzbekistan to the attainment all forms of violence and discrimination. of the Sustainable Development Goals The Government of Uzbekistan has with a particular focus and investment launched comprehensive social in human capital development and and economic reforms and plans to wellbeing of children. undertake comprehensive measures The analysis of the situation of children to advance children’s rights. There is in Uzbekistan was conducted with a growing recognition of the fact that the engagement of key stakeholders, all such efforts must be grounded on including representatives of line 4 FOREWORD ministries, CSOs, academia, donors has also shown that there is still an and the private sector. The analysis unfinished agenda when it comes to is benefited from a number of key equitable attainment of the rights of publications commissioned by UNICEF girls and boys to survival, development, and partners and from a wide range education, social security, protection of governmental and international and participation. In this regard, on statistical and policy sources as well as behalf of UNICEF, let me re-confirm from academic peer reviewed journals. our commitment to supporting The findings have confirmed that the Government and all partners Uzbekistan has made considerable in advancing children’s rights in progress in the realization of the Uzbekistan. rights of children in the country. It 5 FOREWORD FOREWORD ALIYA YUNUSOVA COMMISSIONER FOR CHILDREN’S RIGHTS Ensuring the best interests of the child of the problems and their causes. remains the main priority in the state Situational analysis of children in policy of Uzbekistan in order to protect Uzbekistan, prepared by UNICEF, the rights, freedoms and interests of focuses primarily on assessing the the child. situation with realization of child Uzbekistan has made significant rights in Uzbekistan and identifies progress in protecting and advancing existing vulnerabilities and inequities the child rights in the country. The for children of the country. Particular Republic of Uzbekistan has ratified the attention is paid to the rights of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, child to survival and development, Optional Protocols to the Convention education, social protection, child on the Rights of the Child on the Sale protection and participation in life of a of Children, Child Prostitution and society. Child Pornography, as well as On the Despite major reforms underway, the Involvement of Children in Armed education system in Uzbekistan needs Conflicts. The main provisions of the further strengthening to achieve Convention and Optional Protocols are optimal results in terms of education adopted in the Law of the Republic quality and social inclusion. of Uzbekistan «On guarantees of the The effectiveness of social protection rights of the child». system reform largely depends on the Undoubtedly, success in improving the reform of social benefits, improving situation of the children in Uzbekistan provision and access to social services depends on a detailed understanding and enhancing the system of social work. 6 FOREWORD In Uzbekistan, important reforms of children and youth in the life of have begun in the child protection society. system in order to protect children Uzbekistan, like many other countries from violence, exploitation and abuse today, faces a number of new by strengthening the national legal challenges that will require special framework, increasing legal literacy attention and a close monitoring in among the population. The use of the future. This is the demographic the systematic child labor in cotton situation in the education sector, harvesting has been discontinued. including preschool education; Particular attention is paid to the widespread use of Internet and issues of de-institutionalization of access to social media, which can children with the aim of reducing and present both new opportunities preventing the placement of children and challenges for the well-being left without parental care as well as of children; new and growing children with disabilities in residential health threats, such as coronavirus institutions. (COVID-19) pandemic, which has It is necessary to strengthen the dramatically changed the life of practice and mechanisms of involving population; trafficking in children; the children and youth in decision- minors who have left the child making that affect their lives and care or are deprived of liberty and development of policies at national who are in need of assistance and and local levels, which will expand reintegration into a society. the opportunities for participation There is no doubt that the family 7 FOREWORD as a social institution and the first Committee on the Rights of the Child, protective environment for a child is of to expand ongoing reform agenda to great importance for the child survival, advance child rights in Uzbekistan, development, education, protection promote alignment of national and social security. legislation with international child Recommendations developed by rights standards and further support UNICEF within the framework implementation of reforms in the best of current Situational analysis of interests of the children. children in Uzbekistan, will help to I would like to thank UNICEF comprehensively assess the situation Uzbekistan for the Situational analysis with realization of child rights in of children in Uzbekistan report, Uzbekistan in line with provisions of fruitful cooperation and support the UN Convention on the Rights of the provided to ensure the realization of Child and recommendations of the UN the rights of every child. 8 FOREWORD ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Core report team: The Situation Analysis Committee, Ministry of Employment was written by Anna Nordenmark and Labour Relations, MP of Oliy Majlis, Severinsson, Senior International Supreme Court, Committee of Women. Advisor on Social Policies and Sector The consultation with civil society was Reform, Senior Associate from attended by the following organizations: Maestral International - a leading global Development Strategy Center, consultancy firm working on children’s “Yuksalish” Nationwide Movement, rights and social policy sector reforms SOS Children’s Village, “ITA FAKT” worldwide. She was supported by private research center, “EKSPERT Farrukh Irnazarov, national consultant. FIKRI” private research center, National University of Uzbekistan, Consultations and validation: The National Human Rights Center, Human situation analysis was informed from a Rights Ombudsman office, National consultative and participatory process. Association of Electronic Mass Media, Several consultations took place Westminster International University between June and August 2019. The in Tashkent. Amongst international consultation and validation meetings agencies, the World Bank, UNDP, with state bodies was attended by the USAID / US Embassy Public Affairs following agencies: Ministry of Public section, Asian Development Bank, Education, General Prosecutor’s Office, United Nations Office on Drugs and General Prosecutor’s Academy, Ministry Crime (UNODC), European Union (EU), of Pre-School Education, National Agency World Health Organization (WHO) took of Project Management, Pediatrics part in the consultation process and Scientific and Research Center, Ministry contributed with documents to inform of Health, Oila Center, State Statistics the Situation Analysis. 9 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Oversight and guidance: The present by Ms. Zhanar Sagimbayeva, Head of update of the Situation Analysis M&E section, Mr. Zokir Nazarov, Child is the result of a collaborative and Rights Monitoring Specialist, and Ms. consultative process led by the Komolakhon Rakhmanova, M&E Officer. Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) The program staff in the Uzbekistan section of UNICEF Uzbekistan. Special country office provided peer review thanks go to Mr. Sasha Graumann, of the thematic chapters, guided the UNICEF Representative, and Mr. Afshin work on the