Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 12 August 2020, a web forum on human rights entitled "Youth 2020: Global Solidarity, Sustainable Development and Human Rights" was held.

The large-scale international videoconference was organized by the National Center of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Human Rights, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the UN Country Team in Uzbekistan, the OSCE and the Friedrich Ebert Foundation.

Chairman of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan Tanzila Narbaeva read out the message of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to the participants of the Samarkand web forum.

During the forum, which brought together more than a thousand participants from all over the world, an address by UN Secretary General António Guterres was read out, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michel Bachelet and other prominent representatives of authoritative international structures made video appeals.

The forum participants discussed the existing international and regional mechanisms for the protection and promotion of youth rights, as well as opportunities for their improvement.

The subject of keen discussion was the draft UN International Convention on the Rights of Youth, the initiative to develop and adopt which belongs to the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and was put forward by him at the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly. It was noted that this Convention is a document necessary for the world community, which reflects the rights of youth, which must be recognized at the world level.

The forum participants were informed about the creation of Youth Parliaments under the chambers of the Oliy Majlis. It was noted that they are designed to expand the participation of young people in the legislative process, increase their legal literacy, and instill an interest in political knowledge. In particular, this structure under the Senate has 100 active young men and women who are attracted to the discussion of topical issues concerning the interests of the country’s regions.

Members of the youth parliament under the Senate of the Oliy Majlis took an active part in discussing the draft Convention and put forward specific proposals for its completion. In particular, it was proposed to supplement the Convention with separate articles on the education of young people, especially girls, on ensuring the safety of young people, especially in zones of military conflicts.

It should be noted that during the two days of the forum, participants, including members of the Youth Parliament under the Senate, will also discuss the role of youth in the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the UN World Program for Human Rights Education and other topical issues of the global agenda in the context of the main topic forum.