Article

Children, the topic of their dignity for any person, even when he is far from politics, will continue to be more important and attentive than anything else in the world. That's why, when I took up the position of Children's Ombudsman, I was full of thoughts about whether I was ready to work in this particular, sensitive area, to see if I could handle this job.

One of the main areas of our activity is the problems of parenting styles. A lot of issues depend on how children are brought up in the country. The saddest thing is that when it comes to parenting, violence is back on the agenda.

Why? Because it is deeply ingrained in the mentality of our society not to consider a child as a separate person. Historically, the value of a child as a person, as the owner of personal, social and other rights, has not been taken into account in principle. As a result of this thinking, our attitude towards the child is formed, a verb that manifests itself in the fact that we do not try to hear him, do not allow him to make even important decisions for his fate on his own, starting from the choice associated with his most basic needs.

Unfortunately, violence in various forms is still an important element of education and is still taken for granted in society, and in the course of our activities we come across a lot of evidence confirming this. Children continue to be deprived of their rights in the most familiar social environment for them – at home, at school, among loved ones. Of course, this is a global problem. It is important to note that not only in Asia, but also in some European countries, violence is seen as a necessary effective means of raising children.

However, serious paradigm shifts are taking place in Uzbekistan on this issue today. Remember that the topic of violence in education and upbringing is taboo, and it was not accepted to talk about it, domestic violence was without it, disguised by mentality and traditions. But now we are not only talking about this, but also giving a clear signal to society: the rights of the child are protected by the law and the state.

Another difficult problem in our reality is early marriage. Unfortunately, due to the traditions and historical mentality of our region, this phenomenon in our society, although rare, still persists.

What is the reason? The reasons are the same as 100 years ago. In fact, it is the instinct of parents to marry their daughter to a good place and provide her with a comfortable and stable life. Yes, 1 century ago, in social and historical terms, such a situation was justified. The girls had no other way of life but to get married early. But times are very different now.: girls have very wide opportunities for education, profession, self-realization and creativity. It is necessary to change the views formed under the influence of various traditions and motives.

A girl has the same dignity as a boy! He has the right to learn and develop. Obviously, marriage is also an important stage in his life, but he must go to it consciously so that his parents and society do not put pressure on him. Early marriage actually opens the way to violence again. Only a girl who is ready to get married and serve her husband will not find an opportunity to work on herself, develop as a person, or as a professional. As a result, a woman is subjected to all kinds of violence at the same time.

But I must say that everything starts with economic violence, that is, with this form of subordination. An independent profession is difficult to limit the rights of a girl who can deal with measles, deal with herself. Therefore, the focus should be on educating girls not only in traditional professions, but also in the exact and natural sciences. Serious work is currently underway in the country on this issue. For example, Stem education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) is a model that combines natural sciences and engineering sciences.

When it comes to violence, unfortunately, sexual violence against minors should also be mentioned, since the Children's Ombudsman takes a firm position on this issue.

In this regard, we work closely with all bodies of the legal system. In each case of sexual crimes against children, we are provided with written information, we participate in court proceedings and can take the initiative to protest against the verdict in the interests of children.

As you know, Uzbekistan has tightened the penalties applied to minors for any form of sexual crimes. The register of persons who committed such crimes began to be maintained from October 2023, and even after serving their sentence, children will be prohibited from entering educational institutions. Of course, the fight against this problem requires a wide range of measures.

Today, we are systematically working with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the Ministry of Preschool and School Education of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Prosecutor General's Office and other interested organizations to inform children and their parents about threats and risks, including sexual violence. Currently, visual educational materials are being distributed in schools explaining what sexual violence is, how to behave when faced with such a situation, and where to turn.

There is a contradictory attitude towards sex education in our society. For some reason, many people think that this leads to a violation of the upbringing of the child. In my opinion, it is necessary to gradually include this lesson in the school curriculum as an optional, rather than optional, taking into account various individual aspects and recommend its choice to parents.

Suraya Rakhmonova,

Commissioner of the Oliy Majlis for the Rights of the Child (Children's Ombudsman)