Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- This year marks the 30th anniversary of the fruitful and multifaceted cooperation between Uzbekistan and the UN, which began on 2 March 1992.

Our state is faithful to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other major international treaties and strictly fulfills its obligations. 

On 24 October 1993, a UN office was opened in Tashkent. More than ten programs, funds and UN agencies operate in Uzbekistan, including the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the Population Fund (UNFPA), the Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Office on Drugs and Crime, the Joint Program on HIV / AIDS, the gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Uzbekistan, being a full member of the UN, demonstrates its commitment to the principle of equality, cooperation, multilateralism and protection of the international political system. In recent years, he has been actively initiating ideas for the peaceful settlement of international conflicts, the prevention of new global armed clashes, the establishment of cooperation between countries, global dialogue, global action and the protection of human rights around the world.

The Republic actively participates in the activities of the organization and a number of its specialized structures. Permanent missions of Uzbekistan to the UN operate in New York (USA), with the UN Office and other international organizations in Geneva (Switzerland) and at the UN Office in Vienna (Austria).

Over the past few years, along with UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Uzbekistan has been visited by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al-Hussein, Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief Ahmed Shahid, Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers Diego Garcia-Sayan and the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights while countering terrorism, Fionnuala Ni Aolain. Our state has carried out a large-scale implementation of international standards in the field of human rights in the life of society, the consciousness of citizens and civil servants.

The international community gave a positive assessment to the activities carried out in the country aimed at developing national indicators for the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Uzbekistan, in cooperation with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, was one of the few countries to prepare and submit its main basic document in the field of human rights, which is currently used as a guide by all UN human rights structures.

The Action Plan was also approved - a "road map" for the development of cooperation with the organization and its specialized agencies, covering 17 areas. It also includes foreign policy initiatives of the head of our state, proposals to ensure regional security and stability. At the same time, opinions were put forward on achieving economic sustainability in the current conditions. Implementation of new programs in the areas of social protection, healthcare and education is envisaged.

Within the framework of the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly in September 2017, the head of our state put forward important international initiatives, including the organization of the permanent Samarkand Forum on Human Rights and the development of the UN International Convention on the Rights of Youth.

On 22-23 November 2018, Samarkand hosted the Asian Forum “Results of the 70th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Challenges of the Time and Reality”, which was attended by representatives of about 20 international organizations and experts from more than 30 countries of the world. At the same time, the Samarkand Declaration on Human Rights was adopted, already on February 6, 2019, approved by the UN General Assembly as an official document of the 73rd session.

On 12-13 August 2020, the Samarkand web forum "Youth 2020: global solidarity, sustainable development and human rights" was held. The Samarkand Resolution of the same name was adopted as an official UN document.

As part of the participation of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the 75th session of the UN General Assembly, the head of state proposed a number of initiatives to deepen cooperation between Uzbekistan and the UN, including the following proposals in the field of human rights:

- to develop, under the auspices of the UN, an International Code of Voluntary Obligations of States during a Pandemic;

- adopt a special resolution of the UN General Assembly on enhancing the role of parliaments in achieving the SDGs and ensuring human rights.

Speaking at the 76th session of the UN General Assembly, the President of Uzbekistan also put forward the following initiatives:

- Uzbekistan in 2022 in the Aral Sea zone, namely in the city of Nukus, in cooperation with the UN, intends to hold a high-level international forum on "green" energy;

- Tashkent supports the adoption of the Global Biodiversity Framework in the near future and is ready to host one of the meetings of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in our country;

- It was proposed to hold the Sixth UN Environment Assembly at a high level in 2023 in Uzbekistan under the auspices of the UN.

For the first time in the history of a sovereign country, the National Strategy of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Human Rights and the "road map" were adopted, providing for the implementation of 78 specific measures. Its purpose is to determine the main tasks and directions for the implementation of the consistently pursued state policy of Uzbekistan to ensure human rights and freedoms, as well as to ensure that the republic enters the top 50 countries in the world according to international ratings and indices in the field of human rights and freedoms (rule of law, quality of rule-making, government efficiency, freedom of speech and information, combating crime and corruption, business environment, global competitiveness, innovative development, and others).

Relevant national institutions have been significantly strengthened: the National Center of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Human Rights, the Ombudsman Institute under the Parliament, the institutes of children’s and business ombudsman have been re-established. At the same time, legislation is being improved in the country, taking into account the priority areas of socio-economic development, generally recognized international standards and obligations in the field of human rights, as well as the recommendations of the statutory bodies and treaty committees of the UN.

Uzbekistan is one of the founding members of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC). The Republic participated in the negotiations and approval of a set of measures for the institution-building of the most important global human rights mechanism and is currently supporting efforts aimed at its further strengthening. And as a testament to the commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights, our state, in accordance with the internal democratic process, decided to nominate its candidacy for the HRC.

In the elections, which took place in New York on 13 October, delegates to the UN General Assembly elected 15 new members of the HRC for a three-year term starting from 1 January 2021.

For the first time in the history of national statehood, Uzbekistan was elected to the HRC membership: 169 countries out of 193 UN member states voted for our country.

The UN Human Rights Council, monitoring the situation in this area around the world, makes recommendations to heads of state. And each country that is a member of this international body should be an example in this direction. Uzbekistan, awarded recognition and included in the HRC, is serious about the responsible fulfillment of the necessary obligations.

Thus, the election of Uzbekistan to the Council is a kind of expression of the high recognition of the world community, support for the implementation of the country’s new foreign policy, including in the field of further comprehensive development of cooperation with international organizations and foreign countries.

Recognizing the central and non-alternative role of the UN in solving the most important issues of the modern world, Uzbekistan is trying to actively contribute to the current mission of this organization and over 30 years of its membership in this structure, our country has made a huge contribution to maintaining international peace and security, for which it has earned wide international recognition.

Oybek Ahmadov

Assistant of Director of the National Center

Republic of Uzbekistan on human rights