Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Thanks to the firm political will of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, an integrated approach to solving existing problems, a number of measures are being taken to combat human trafficking in the country, and these reforms are producing concrete results, which is fully supported by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.

Ashita Mittal, regional representative of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime in Central Asia, emphasized this on 28 July at an international event on the theme “Strengthening national and international partnerships in the field of combating human trafficking”.

This international event was organized by the National Commission to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings and Forced Labor in cooperation with the Ministry of the Interior, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.

During the event, the Chairwoman of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis, Chairperson of the National Commission for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings and Forced Labor Tanzila Narbayeva noted that in recent years, reforms have been carried out in the country under the leadership of the President aimed at strengthening the political and legal foundations of the state and society, further strengthening human rights systems in these processes based on the idea of "New Uzbekistan - a people’s and humane state", serving to ensure the well-being of the people, the construction of New Uzbekistan.

It was noted that the experience of Uzbekistan in combating human trafficking, as well as the activities of the National Commission for Combating Human Trafficking and Forced Labor to eliminate existing problems in this area, received international recognition and full support from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime and a number of international organizations.

Over the past 3 years since the establishment of the National Commission, in order to improve the legislative framework in this direction, based on modern requirements and international standards, about 40 regulatory legal acts have been adopted.

Responsibility for crimes related to human trafficking has been strengthened, criminal liability for child labor and forced labor has been established, a new edition of the Law “On Combating Trafficking in Human Beings” has been adopted, and the procedure for identifying and referral of victims of human trafficking or presumed victims of human trafficking has been defined. A number of international conventions have been ratified.

Also, in order to develop cooperation with the International Labor Organization, the International Organization for Migration, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the US Department of State, the Department of Labor and other international organizations, about 10 road maps have been adopted, the implementation of which is under the constant control of the National Commission.

Speaking at the event, U.S. Deputy Ambassador to Uzbekistan Polites Paul acknowledged that in recent years Uzbekistan has achieved great results in combating human trafficking and forced labor, noted that Uzbekistan has the opportunity to take its position to the highest level in the annual report of the State Department in the near future. USA about human trafficking in the world.

For information, each year the US Department of State publishes a report on human trafficking in the world. It was noted that reports in recent years emphasize that the systematic work carried out under the leadership of the President of Uzbekistan to enhance the honor and dignity of a person, comprehensively protect his rights and interests, combat human trafficking and forced labor has a positive effect.

The event was attended by experts from a number of international organizations, specialists from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, leading experts in this field from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, as well as representatives of law enforcement agencies, as well as a number of state and non-state organizations of the country.

In particular, the participants shared the experience of the Central Asian countries in combating human trafficking, in particular with the use of modern information technologies.

Along with this, an agreement was reached on the permanent organization of such events with the participation of representatives of the states of Central Asia, turning them into a permanent platform for dialogue, organizing these events next year in one of the neighboring states.