Care and attention for children is a guarantee of the future of our national development

The Constitution of the new edition, adopted in the referendum held in our country on April 30, 2023, laid down the political and legal foundations for the implementation of the new Uzbekistan strategy, setting the priorities for the further development of the state and society at a historically important stage of national statehood development. 

In our Constitution, among the most important issues in all aspects of the life of society, the task of ensuring the rights and freedoms and legitimate interests of the child was also expressed. In particular, according to our general law, any forms of child labor that threaten the health, safety, morality, mental and physical development of the child, including those that prevent education, were prohibited. 
Also, for the first time in educational organizations, the provision of inclusive education and upbringing for children with special educational needs was specially strengthened. Most notably, a number of new chapters were introduced into the Constitution, in which the status of children was further enhanced. In particular, it was established that parents and their replacement persons are obliged to take care of their children until adulthood, to be educated, educated, healthy, full-fledged and comprehensively matured. 
In our general law, the state and society are also reflected in the fact that orphans, feed, raise children whose parents are deprived of their guardianship, ensure their education, healthy, full-fledged and comprehensive maturation. It is specially established that it is the obligation of the state to ensure and protect the rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of the child, to create the best conditions for its full-fledged development, physical, mental and cultural.
It is no coincidence that a lot of attention is paid to caring for children, constant support, protection of their rights at the level of Public Policy. Because in our country, children are valued as the followers of our lives, future successors, are an invaluable treasure of the country. If the necessary conditions are created for the education of children, the acquisition of a profession and the realization of their aspirations, they will have a forward drive, an effort. These innovations, embodied in our Constitution, serve to ensure that our children are matured in all respects as a healthy, hurtful generation.
In Uzbekistan, step-by-step, systematic work is carried out to ensure the implementation of international documents aimed at protecting the rights of the child and laws adopted on this basis. Analysis shows that since 2017, the activities of the state in this regard have changed radically. Now the reforms are focused on the implementation in practice of the principle" human interest is above all". 
In particular, in order to ensure the reliable protection of children's rights, freedoms and legitimate interests, the post of Deputy Human Rights representative (Ombudsman) of the Supreme Assembly — representative for the rights of the child was terminated and the Institute of the representative for the rights of the child (children's Ombudsman) of the Supreme Assembly was established separately. The representative for the rights of the child was also given the authority to prevent the deprivation of parental care of children, to monitor the observance of the rights of the child in the activities of state bodies and other organizations, specialized educational institutions and educational colonies. 
Today in our life there are problematic cases associated with violations of children's rights. Sometimes even children's own loved ones can act contrary to their interests, children can be abused by their loved ones. In such a situation, it is established that the child has the right to independently apply to the guardianship and guardianship authority, as well as other state bodies, asking for the protection of his rights and legitimate interests. In this case, the appeal is not allowed to be left without consideration due to the fact that the child does not have full treatment capacity.  
In addition, our laws establish that when any issue is resolved in the family, the child has the right to express his opinion, to speak in the process of any court hearing or administrative discussion. In this case, the authorities and officials authorized to make decisions are obliged to consider the child's opinion, regardless of age, and make decisions based on the child's most dominant interests when solving issues related to the child's interests.
In April this year, the law"on amendments and additions to certain legislation of the Republic of Uzbekistan in connection with the further improvement of the system of reliable protection of the rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of women and children" was adopted, further strengthening the rights and freedoms of the child. This law is significant in that it is aimed at radically improving the institutional and legal framework for the reliable protection of women and children's rights, freedoms, legitimate interests from harassment and violence, preventing uncontrolled and violations among children, and providing state support for children with disabilities and deprived of parental care.
The decree of the president of the Republic of Uzbekistan "on may 8, 2023"on the first-line measures for the implementation of the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan in the new edition" was adopted in order to carry out our Constitution in the new edition unconditionally and fully, to realize the priority principles enshrined in it in harmony with the glorious idea of New Uzbekistan, to establish the activities of
It recommended that the House of Commons adopt the draft law "on the representative of the Supreme Assembly of the Republic of Uzbekistan for the rights of the child"in order to ensure and protect the rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of the child, to create suitable conditions for the full development of the child physically, mentally and culturally. In this regard, the bill "on the representative for the rights of the child (children's Ombudsman)"by a group of Deputies of the Legislative Assembly on the basis of the right to legislative initiative was introduced into the legislative chamber and received conceptual approval at the first reading by deputies.
In this draft law, the status of the representative for the rights of the child, his rights, obligations, duties and powers, interaction with state bodies, including law enforcement agencies, civil society institutions are established. The Commissioner for the rights of the child is provided with the powers to ensure parliamentary control over the observance of the rights and freedoms of the child by state bodies and all officials, and the representative for the rights of the child shall exercise his powers independently and not subject to state bodies and officials. 
Currently, this bill is being prepared for a second reading by the committee of democratic institutions, non-governmental organizations and citizens ' self-government bodies of the legislative chamber. We are confident that as a result of the adoption of this law, the guarantees of protecting the rights and freedoms and legitimate interests of the child in Uzbekistan will increase. The representative for the rights of the child serves to establish effective parliamentary control over the activities of the relevant organizations responsible for realizing the constitutional rights of the child and ensuring them in practice within the framework of the authority granted to him by law.

Shuhrat Bafoev,
House of Commons Legislative Assembly
Democratic institutions, non-governmental organizations and 
chairman of the committee of citizens ' self-governing bodies