Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 14 December 2021, a regional consultative meeting was held on the theme "Parliamentarians for children: Analysis of cooperation, progress and new opportunities for promoting and protecting the interests of children and youth."

It was attended by members of national parliaments, the Interparliamentary Union, the European Parliament, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly, youth parliaments and experts on the protection of the rights of the child.

The event, organized with the aim of expanding and systematizing UNICEF’s cooperation and partnership with parliamentarians, as well as drawing the attention of legislators to the urgent needs of children and youth, became a platform for the exchange of experience and knowledge in order to achieve goals for children and youth in Europe and Central Asia.

The event was attended by the Chairman of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis Tanzila Narbaeva.

It was noted that in the context of COVID-19, the regional consultation is of current importance.

The head of the upper house of the parliament of Uzbekistan informed the participants about the work to ensure the rights and interests of youth and children in Uzbekistan.

In particular, it was noted that the share of deputies under the age of 30 in Uzbekistan is more than 6 percent. Members of the Youth Parliament are assigned to members of the Senate, and a school for representatives of the Youth Parliament has been established in local Kengashes. By the decision of the Senate, a rating system for assessing the implementation of state youth policy in the regions was introduced.

The work on the development of educational institutions, improving the legal framework, providing housing for orphans and children, organizing the "Mehr" operations left without parental care, as well as taking measures to eradicate all forms of forced and child labor were noted.

In addition, the Senate will constantly monitor the work on deinstitutionalization of "Orphanages", which is being carried out jointly with UNICEF, placing orphans and children left without parental care in institutions close to family and family conditions.

During the meeting, Chairman of the Senate Committee of the Oliy Majlis on Youth, Culture and Sports B. Sayfullaev also made a speech. 

It was noted that several national commissions operate at the head of the Chairperson of the Senate T. Narbaeva. In particular, the activities of the Parliamentary Commission for monitoring the implementation of national goals and objectives in the field of sustainable development of the Republic of Uzbekistan for the period up to 2030 and the National Commission on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings and Forced Labor directly affects the discussed issues of the meeting.

Members of parliament, traveling to the regions, study the implementation of the Law "On State Youth Policy".

During the plenary sessions, issues of parliamentary control, state funding for children, interaction of parliaments with children and youth, human rights protection, inclusiveness, coordination, partnership and others were considered.