Tashkent Seminar Highlights Public Role in Environmental Decision-Making
Human rights bodies and NGO associations in Tashkent held a seminar for non-governmental organizations on shadow reporting and public participation in environmental governance.
A training seminar held in Tashkent on August 28, 2026, emphasized the public's role in environmental decision-making and the preparation of shadow reports under international human rights treaties. The event was organized by the National Center for Human Rights of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the National Association of Non-Governmental Non-Profit Organizations of Uzbekistan.
The workshop, hosted at the Human Rights House, brought together approximately 30 representatives from various NGOs across the country, including both central leadership and regional branch officers of the Association.
This seminar was conducted in accordance with the roadmap for implementing the fifth phase of the World Programme for Human Rights Education in Uzbekistan, which was approved by Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. PKM-91 on March 3, 2026.
Opening remarks were delivered by Akmal Saidov, Director of the National Center for Human Rights; Kamoliddin Ishankhodjayev, Chairman of the Board of the National Association of NGOs; and Erkin Isakulov, Human Rights Advisor at the Regional Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) for Central Asia.
Speakers highlighted the importance of structured collaboration between state authorities and civil society institutions to advance ongoing human rights reforms. Saidov specifically mentioned the country's action plan commemorating the 60th anniversary of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, situating the workshop within these broader commitments.
Addressing the constitutional framework, Saidov referenced the updated 2023 Constitution, which formally incorporated Chapter XIII to define the legal status and role of civil society institutions. He noted that under the "Uzbekistan — 2030" Strategy, the country continues to fulfill its international obligations, having ratified 11 core UN human rights treaties and submitted 52 national reports to treaty bodies to date.
A key topic of discussion was the role of non-governmental entities in international monitoring. Data presented at the seminar indicated that over 140 international and national NGOs, including 22 operating within Uzbekistan, have prepared alternative reports for UN committees. Arthur Yatsevich, OHCHR Human Rights Advisor, led a practical session, providing methodology on international monitoring tools and standard practices for shadow report development.
The second part of the seminar focused on the implementation principles of the Aarhus Convention. A representative from the National Committee of Uzbekistan on Ecology and Climate Change outlined the convention's three core pillars: public access to environmental information, public participation in environmental decision-making processes, and access to justice in environmental matters.
At the conclusion of the workshop, NGO representatives received practical guidance on drafting alternative human rights submissions and recommendations for applying Aarhus Convention principles in local governance. Final proposals are to be submitted to relevant state agencies.