On World Children’s Day, UNICEF and partners have made a bold call for reforms that will offer alternative ways of justice for children than detention and only resort to detention as a last resort in Uzbekistan.
This call was made at a round table hosted by the National Human Rights Center of Uzbekistan, Children’s Ombudsperson, and UNICEF with the participation of deputies of the Legislative Chamber and members of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis, representatives of state bodies, civil society institutions, and international organizations.
The Round table aimed to furnish and promote international standards on the administration of justice for children in Uzbekistan. The round table raised awareness about how reforms can make justice fairer and safer for children.
“As part of the constitutional reforms carried out, new progressive norms aimed at strengthening the guarantees of ensuring the rights and interests of the child were introduced into the Basic Law of our country. Also, national legislation is being harmonized with international norms on children's rights”, said Mr. Akmal Saidov, Director, National Human Rights Center of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
Currently, children in Uzbekistan face the same types of punishment as adults, including fines, community service, and even detention. In many countries, laws allow children who have committed offenses to receive support instead of entering the justice system, helping them to rebuild their lives and reintegrate into society.
“UNICEF believes that children involved in legal cases – as victims, witnesses, or those accused of a crime – need justice systems that protect their well-being, not systems designed for adults”, said Ms. Regina Castillo, UNICEF Representative in Uzbekistan.
The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has recommended that Uzbekistan introduce options such as counseling, mediation, and community service instead of detention. Right now, Uzbekistan’s legal system has only limited alternatives for children.
“It’s important to have options other than detention,” said Ms. Renate Winter, an international judge and former Chairperson of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. “Detention should be a last resort, used only when absolutely necessary, and must be reviewed regularly.”
Participants at the Round Table shared ideas for how to introduce these community-based options into Uzbekistan's national legislation, with a focus on ensuring the effective implementation of these reforms in practice.
“We advocate for effective child-friendly justice systems that enable children to feel safe in various situations of conflict with the law or when their rights are violated. This approach, built on the best interests of the child, allows for detention only in the rarest of cases”, said Ms. Surayyo Rahmonova, Child Rights Ombudsperson.
