Samarkand Forum: Discussion of New Challenges in the Field of Human Rights

Samarkand Forum: Discussion of New Challenges in the Field of Human Rights

The V Samarkand Human Rights Forum is taking place in Uzbekistan on the theme "60th Anniversary of the International Covenants on Human Rights and 40th Anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development: Global Partnership for Human Dignity, Equality and Sustainable Development."

The forum is timed to coincide with a number of jubilee dates. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development, and the 20th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. In addition, the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the National Center of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Human Rights is being celebrated.

"I came to Uzbekistan primarily to congratulate my colleagues on the thirtieth anniversary of the establishment of the Human Rights Center. As part of the visit, I also wanted to present the activities of the CIS Human Rights Commission — one of the youngest bodies of the Commonwealth, which has been operating for only its third year and brings together representatives of seven states. During this time, a certain working experience has already been formed: a constructive dialogue has taken place, and a number of thematic reports have been prepared, which, in my opinion, may also be of interest to representatives of international organizations. To date, six meetings of the Commission have taken place, the seventh is being prepared, and so far there has not been a single issue on which the member states failed to work out a common decision and a unified approach. This is very important for the further development of cooperation. Annually, the Commission submits a report to the Council of CIS Heads of State. Our main goal is the unification of approaches in the field of human rights across the Commonwealth space, including from the perspective of improving the regulatory framework, exchanging best practices, and monitoring the implementation of human rights," noted Evgeniya Paramonova, Chairperson of the CIS Human Rights Commission.

More than 200 representatives are participating in the forum's work in offline and online formats: 10 international and 8 regional organizations, 8 national human rights institutions of foreign countries, over 30 leading national and foreign human rights experts, research centers, civil society, media, and business circles of international, regional, foreign, and national organizations.

"Trust in the international human rights system is strengthened primarily by the results that a person feels in their daily life. The Samarkand Forum is designed to become a platform where international commitments are transformed into practical solutions," noted Tanzila Narbaeva, Chairperson of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, in her welcoming speech.

The forum participants worked in seven parallel sessions. At the center of the discussion were the rights to education and healthcare, decent work and social protection, reduction of poverty and inequality, the role of international cooperation and financial institutions in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, and the protection of cultural property in armed conflicts. Demographic changes, including population aging, issues of investment in education, healthcare, and human capital, gender equality, and many other topics were also considered.

A special emphasis was placed on the new challenges of modern times.

"Today, in the global space, we observe many contradictory conflict situations that violate international treaties. Along with traditional risks, modern times dictate new challenges. First and foremost, these are cybersecurity issues and the rapid development of artificial intelligence. On the one hand, AI opens up broad opportunities, but on the other hand, the question arises: how will its evolution affect basic human rights? The leadership of Uzbekistan has always advocated for ethical cybersecurity rules to be clearly formulated and implemented in the global space to protect every citizen. No less urgent remain the issues of environmental and climate security. Climate change directly affects human livelihoods and includes four key interconnected components: energy, food, water, and environmental security. Today, international partnership is being actively established in this direction. However, we must not only adopt international documents but also promptly implement their progressive norms into our national legislation," noted Dilorom Fayzieva, Deputy Chairperson of the Committee on International Affairs of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

In the context of global challenges facing humanity, one of the most urgent tasks is the improvement of the universal system of human rights protection, taking into account modern realities.

"Within the framework of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia — CICA, we are actively engaged in human rights issues in the context of the human dimension, and Uzbekistan is the coordinating country for this area. Over recent years, Uzbekistan has made a significant contribution to the development of the human dimension and has organized a number of events dedicated to the protection of human rights. Within our organization, new cooperation mechanisms are also being created, in particular, the Council on Women's Affairs, and a network of leading universities is developing, uniting state higher education institutions. In these areas, a great deal of work is being carried out with special attention to human rights protection, empowering women and girls, and involving youth. Special attention is paid to problems arising in the context of climate change and other global processes. We have already begun to include these topics in the relevant confidence-building measures events within CICA," emphasized Zhang Ling, Deputy Secretary General of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA).

The Samarkand Human Rights Forum is held biennially and has already established itself as a unique dialogue platform for discussing topical issues in various areas of human rights and searching for effective solutions.

The forum was organized by the National Center of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Human Rights jointly with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the OSCE, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the International Center for Development and Justice.