COMMITTEE ON RIGHTS OF CHILD STARTS CONSIDERATION OF INITIAL REPORT OF UZBEKISTAN

CRC
28th session
9 October 2001
Morning


The Committee on the Rights of the Child this morning started its consideration of an initial report from Uzbekistan on how that country was complying with the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Introducing the report, Tanzilya Narbayeva, Head of the Secretariat on Social Protection of the Family, Maternity and Children of Uzbekistan, said that her country considered it very important that children grow up enjoying full mental and physical health. For that reason a number of actions had been taken by the Government and the implementation of the provisions of the Convention were on the priority agenda.

Ms. Narbayeva said that legislation had been enacted aimed at the implementation of the provisions of the Convention while a parliamentary committee continued to study a number of draft laws designed to protect and promote the rights of women and children.

The Committee Experts queried the one-member Uzbekistan delegation on such issues as the role of the “mahallya” system; the power of the ombudsman; the activities of the national human rights centre; how the Government was preparing for a possible refugee influx from Afghanistan because of the current bombardment of that country; the freedom of expression of the Tajiks, who constituted 4.8 per cent of the Uzbek population; why the books in Tajik language were destroyed; if the use of corporal punishment was monitored; about alleged cases of ill-treatment, torture and killings by law-enforcement agents; and the impact on children of the "crackdown on Islamic fanaticism" carried out by the Government, among other things.

Uzbekistan is among the 191 States parties to the Convention and as such it is obligated to submit periodic reports to the Committee on its activities aimed at implementing the provisions of the treaty.

When the Committee reconvenes at 3 p.m., it will conclude its consideration of the report of Uzbekistan.


Report of Uzbekistan

The initial report, which is contained in CRC/C/41/Add.8, enumerates the legislative and administrative measures undertaken by the State in order to give effect to the provisions of the Convention. It says that the population numbers 24.2 million persons and is composed of 120 different nations and nationalities, with 77.2 per cent of the population being Uzbeks.

The report notes that the educational level in Uzbekistan is reasonably high. Currently, of every 1,000 persons in employment, 986 have higher or specialized education. There are more than 60 higher education establishments in Uzbekistan. One in four people working in the national economy has received a higher or specialized education.

It further says that the safeguarding, development and protection of children in the country, including protection of their rights, freedoms and lawful interests, are strictly monitored by the State. Considerable progress has been made in upholding the rights of children. This is particularly evident in sports, where youth teams from Uzbekistan are among the best in the continent in such sports as football, boxing, karate, wrestling and chess.

Large families and extended families, with three or four generations living under the same roof, are common in Uzbekistan, the report notes. The State and society provide particular care for orphans and disabled children, and considerable efforts and expenditure are devoted to ensuring their normal emotional, mental, psychological and physical development. Although, by force of national customs and traditions, Uzbek families are highly unlikely to abandon their children and orphans are usually adopted by relatives, the period 1995-1999 still saw a 5.4 per cent rise in the number of children and adolescents who were deprived of parental care.

The report says that due account has been taken of traditional systems used in Uzbekistan to control the raising of children. Measures have been elaborated to revive these systems as a means of supporting large families, which have been hardest hit by the transition from the semi-patriarchal system to the market economy. One of these traditional systems is the “mahallya” -- a community of several families or households unified on a territorial basis. The mahallya, which functions as the organ of authority, channels assistance to needy large families and performs the traditional function of monitoring the education and upbringing of the younger generation. In addition, a special Mahallya Foundation has been established, whose responsibilities also include promoting conditions for the development of children.

It was noted that vigorous efforts are being made in Uzbekistan to provide support for children deprived of a family environment. Extensive work is being conducted in this area by the international non-governmental organization foundation Soglom Avlod Uchun. With support from this foundation and on its initiative, a system of SOS children's villages is being set up in Uzbekistan, with a view to building and equipping children's villages for orphans, which will be fully funded by the international association SOS Kinderdorf International. The first such village has already been built in the capital city Tashkent and was officially opened in July 1999.

Citizens shall not be subject to any coercion in determining their attitude to religion, and in deciding whether or not to profess any faith, to participate in worship, religious rites and ceremonies and to receive religious education. Minors may not be recruited by religious organizations nor may they be taught religion against their will or the will of their parents.


Introduction of Report

TANZILYA NARBAYEVA, Head of the Secretariat on Social Protection of the Family, Maternity and Children of Uzbekistan, said that her country considered it very important that children grow enjoying full mental and physical health. For that reason a number of actions had been taken by the Government. The implementation of the provisions of the Convention were on the priority agenda.

Ms. Narbayeva said that legislation had been enacted which was aimed at the implementation of the provisions of the Convention. A parliamentary committee had also been studying a number of draft laws designed to protect and promote the rights of women and children.

A new department on the Social Protection of the Family, Maternity and Children had been established to promote child rights, Ms. Narbayeva continued to say. In addition, with the involvement of non-governmental organizations, a number of organs had been created in order to intensify activities in the field of child rights. At present, there were at least 50 non-governmental organizations operating in the country. Before independence, not a single NGO existed.

In addition, complementary policies have been carried out in the fields of health and education, Ms. Narbayeva said. Since the application of measures in the field of health care, the rate of infant mortality had been reduced. The number of incidents involving measles had also decreased; and there had not been any reports on polio.

The way in which programmes were implemented for children by the Government had been exemplary, Ms. Narbayeva said. In addition, the Government had created an award to be granted to persons who devoted their time and knowledge to the protection and promotion of child rights. That measure had incited many persons to carry out voluntary contributions towards child rights.

Ms. Narbayeva said that to promote the implementation of the Convention, a presidential order was adopted in December 1998 on the elaboration of a programme of measures to strengthen the role of women in the family and in society. A national commission had also been set up to elaborate a programme of measures to strengthen the role of women. The programme envisaged activities to improve the legal framework for protecting the interests of women, motherhood and childhood in order to set in place conditions to strengthen the health of mothers and children.


Consideration of Report

At the beginning of their consideration of the initial report of Uzbekistan, the Committee members raised a number of question within the main topics of general principles of the implementation of the Convention and the definition to the child. They asked, among other things, about the function and composition of the mahallya system; the role of the committee created under the office of the ombudsman, and if it had a monitoring function in the implementation of the provisions of the Convention; the role of the national human rights centre, and its linkage with the office of the ombudsman; Government subsidies; and the impact on Uzbek children of the possible influx of refugees from Afghanistan following the current war situation in the region.

Responding to the questions, the delegate said that the mahallya was a unique traditional system in Uzbekistan which regrouped families so that they worked in close collaboration with local authorities. Whenever there were anti-social attitudes within the society involving children and adolescents, the mahallya intervened to correct the situation in collaboration with the parents of the children. It also provided moral and material support to the vulnerable families in the society. Government social assistance to low-income families was also channelled through the members of the mahallya. Government subsidies were provided to large families whose income was low.

In addition, the Government supported the local administrative authorities known as mahallyas and the population that they served in raising the social, economic, and cultural levels, and enriching national traditions and customs, the delegate said. There were more than 9,600 mahallyas working in the country, headed by council chairmen.

The Uzbek ombudsman received complaints from all citizens, particularly from children, the representative said. He monitored the compatibility of the health and educational facilities and if they were in line with the exigencies of the Convention. The ombudsman also worked closely with the national human rights centre and the komolot movement, a non-governmental organization working in the field of child rights. The ombudsman could also launch his own investigation based on complaints received from individuals.

The parliament -- Oliy Majlis -- had a number of social committees that made propositions on a number of issues, the delegate said. They also visited sites where social actions were carried out and monitored whether or not their suggestions were implemented. The parliament as a whole coordinated its activities with the executive with regard to the implementation of the provisions of the Convention.

If a teenager wanted to work from the age of 16 years, there were no restrictions, the delegate said. However, only 13 hours of work a week was allowed to the minor who wished to work. Generally, children under 18 years should go through a medical examination before they started working.

In the early days of independence, the Government provided free medical care and free education, the delegate said. However, the private sector was now growing, including privately owned clinics where patients paid to be treated. The Government had issued a number of licences to medical doctors who wished to practice privately.

Asked if the Government health service was not weakened because of the abdication of medical doctors to the private sector, the delegate said that the Government had continued to develop its health care service on a free-of-charge basis; it still attracted people with low incomes.

Ms. Narbayeva said that the situation in Afghanistan was a worrying one, especially concerning the possible influx of refugees. However, the Government of Uzbekistan would do all it could in order to cope with the situation. Although Uzbekistan was not a State party to the 1951 Geneva Convention Relating to Refugee Status, it had, in the past, provided all the necessary requirements to support refugees coming from neighbouring States. Refugee children had been provided with education and health care facilities.

The Committee Experts continued to raise questions under the main cluster of the general principles; civil rights and freedoms; and family environment and alternative care. The Experts, among other things, asked the delegate on the freedom of expression of the Tajiks, who constituted 4.8 per cent of the Uzbek population; why books in the Tajik language were destroyed; if the use of corporal punishment was monitored; about alleged cases of ill-treatment, torture and killings by law-enforcement agents; the impact on children of the campaign of the "crackdown on Islamic fanaticism" carried out by the Government; the care provided to young persons to stop them from committing suicide; protection of children in institutions from sexual exploitation; why there were two kinds of passports in the country; and the modalities involving adoption and the right of adopted children to know their biological parents.

In response to the questions, Ms. Narbayeva said that there was only one form of citizenship in the country and there was only one kind of passport for all. Passports could be issued to children from the age of 16. After independence, the Government had issued its own green-coloured passport on the basis of Uzbek nationality which had gradually replaced the former red-coloured Soviet passport.



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