Tashkent Hosts International Conference on Human Rights in Digital Era

Tashkent was the venue for the international conference "Human Rights in Conditions of Digital Transformation: Modern Approaches." This event was a collaborative effort between the Authorized Person of the Oliy Majlis for Human Rights (Ombudsman), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.

The conference, which coincided with the 35th anniversary of Uzbekistan's independence, brought together ombudspersons from over 25 nations. Also in attendance were representatives from national human rights institutions, international organizations, parliamentarians, and civil society groups.

Tanzila Narbaeva, Chairperson of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis, inaugurated the conference. She highlighted that while digital transformation offers social and administrative advantages, it also presents fundamental obstacles to human rights protection. Narbaeva outlined critical national objectives, including safeguarding personal data, ensuring responsible implementation of artificial intelligence, combating online harassment and discrimination, and guaranteeing fair access to digital public services for all segments of the population.

The conference was structured into three distinct thematic sessions, which focused on:

Attendees underscored the importance of integrating human rights principles into the development and application of digital technologies, alongside enhancing the oversight function of national human rights institutions.

The conference concluded with the signing of various bilateral and multilateral agreements aimed at bolstering institutional collaboration. The most significant outcome of the forum was the adoption of the Tashkent Declaration. This declaration sets forth common international principles for protecting human rights in the digital age, promoting digital inclusion, and refining legal frameworks for online personal data privacy.