The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, in cooperation with the Authorized Person of the Oliy Majlis (National Parliament) of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Human Rights (Ombudsman), as well as the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Uzbekistan on Thursday (February 23) co-hosted the International Conference titled “Interaction and Cooperation in the Field of Reliable Protection of Human Rights and Freedoms’’ in Uzbekistan’s historic city of Samarkand, OSCE reports.
Reportedly, the Conference was opened by Ombudsman Ms. Feruza Eshmatova, followed by high-level speakers including Ms. Tanzila Narbaeva, Chairperson of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis, Mr. Akmal Saidov, First Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis, Ms. Matilda Dimovska, Resident Representative of UNDP Uzbekistan, Mr. Stephen Nix, Senior Regional Director for Eurasia at the International Republican Institute; and Mr. Hans-Ullrich Ihm, Acting OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan.
During their opening remarks, speakers highlighted the crucial role of the Ombudsman in protecting the country’s democratic progress and the human rights of Uzbekistan’s citizens.
The Conference provided a platform to discuss national and international mechanisms for protecting the rights of women and youth, the Ombudsman’s interaction with state bodies and representatives of civil society, and compliance with international standards in ensuring the rights of persons with disabilities as well as of persons held in places of detention and with limited freedom of movement.
Government officials of Uzbekistan and representatives of national human rights institutions from several OSCE participating States and two OSCE Partners for Cooperation participated in the event, including online.
Hans-Ullrich Ihm, the Acting OSCE Project Co-ordinator, underscoring the fruitful cooperation with the Ombudsman, assured that the OSCE would continue to provide expert and technical assistance to improve the protection of human rights in the country and looks forward to strengthening cooperation in this field.
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