Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 2-3 June 2021, a Parliamentary Forum is being held on the theme "The role of Parliament in protecting and promoting human rights: Strengthening the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities and combating torture."

The forum was organized by the National Center for Human Rights of the Republic of Uzbekistan (NCHR) together with the Parliamentary Commission on Compliance with International Human Rights Obligations of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Regional Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the United Nations Development Program in Uzbekistan (UNDP) and the Inter-Parliamentary union (MPS).

The two-day forum is aimed at strengthening the capacity of the Parliamentary Commission to comply with international human rights obligations of the Republic of Uzbekistan. During it, international and national experts share best practices of interaction with the Human Rights Council and UN treaty bodies, implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and strengthening the capacity of the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM).

The Forum addresses three main components: parliamentary participation in the work of the UN system in the field of human rights; the benefits of ratifying the CRPD; eradication of torture by ratifying the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT).

As noted by the First Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Director of the National Center of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Human Rights Akmal Saidov, the Parliamentary Commission for Compliance with International Human Rights Obligations of the Republic of Uzbekistan was formed on 25 September 2020 in accordance with the recommendations of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

The Parliamentary Commission is called upon to promote compliance with the country’s international obligations in the field of human rights and the implementation of the National Strategy of the Republic of Uzbekistan in the field of human rights.

The formation of a new Parliamentary Commission with an exclusive mandate in the field of human rights is a powerful political signal demonstrating Uzbekistan’s commitment to its international human rights obligations. This contributes to:

- firstly, further strengthening the role of parliament and increasing its effectiveness in the implementation of parliamentary control in the implementation of the country’s international obligations in the field of human rights;

- secondly, improving parliamentary coordination of national human rights policy, strengthening interaction and consultation with the parliamentary Ombudsman, national human rights institutions and representatives of civil society on human rights issues;

- third, the intensification of international and inter-parliamentary cooperation of the parliament in the field of human rights, in particular, participation in the work of the UN treaty bodies, the structures of the IPU on human rights.

Akmal Saidov emphasized that the national, regional and international initiatives put forward by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the 75th session of the UN General Assembly are fully supported by the general public of the country and the world community. This is evidence that Uzbekistan, which is confidently following the path of national development set by the head of state, has at the same time acquired an increasingly growing role and prestige in the international arena.

On 29 May, at a meeting of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis, the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On Ratification of the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (New York, December 13, 2006)", developed by the National Center for Human Rights, was discussed and approved.

The ratification of this Convention will create additional guarantees in Uzbekistan for ensuring the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities, will serve as a guideline for improving legislation, and will also strengthen the responsibility of state bodies in terms of social protection of persons with disabilities and ensuring equal opportunities for them.

Also A. Saidov noted that in the framework of the implementation of the international obligations of the Republic of Uzbekistan, as well as the recommendations of the statutory and treaty bodies of the UN, the country pays priority attention to the implementation of measures to combat torture. In particular, consultations were held with the participation of European experts (OSCE / ODIHR, the British Embassy) to further improve the definition of “torture” in criminal law, and create a national preventive mechanism for the prevention of torture.

The parliament of Uzbekistan plays a significant role in promoting the issue of ensuring human rights, including the right to freedom from torture.

“Today we see that the Republic of Uzbekistan is expanding its cooperation with the UN Human Rights Council and is moving towards the ratification and implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture. We welcome the strengthening of the role of Parliament in the field of human rights and call for wider involvement of civil society in this process,” stressed Richard Komenda, OHCHR Regional Representative for Central Asia.