Uzbekistan, the country with the highest population in Central Asia, has given a\u00a0high priority\u00a0to child rights since its independence. Their\u00a0recognition\u00a0of child rights has been\u00a0improving, though not entirely satisfying from a global perspective. Significant problems, such as child labour, still exist and require immediate preventative measures.<\/p>\n
Poverty<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n In Uzbekistan, more than a quarter of the population live under the poverty<\/a>line.\u00a0Urban residents\u00a0are mostly impacted by this poverty, causing a\u00a0massive exodus\u00a0to the countryside. In certain urban\u00a0districts, poverty\u00a0affects nearly\u00a0one\u00a0in every two individuals. As a result, the living conditions\u00a0of children are\u00a0deplorable and in such an environment their rights\u00a0cannot be fully respected.<\/p>\n Right to health<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n The\u00a0infant mortality<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0rate\u00a0is recorded to be 36\u00a0% and it is evident that the rate is indeed high.\u00a0Furthermore, pre and post natal care\u00a0are not sufficiently\u00a0provided to those who are in need.\u00a0 Young mothers get very little support and do not receive adequate knowledge to tend to the health needs of their babies. However, the recent\u00a0vaccination campaign\u00a0against polio is one good example which indicates that Uzbekistan is making efforts to prevent certain diseases.<\/p>\n Child refugees<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n The geographical location\u00a0of Uzbekistan is such that\u00a0many foreigners, especially inhabitants of Kyrgyzstan,\u00a0who are looking for a safer place, tend to make Uzbekistan their refuge. Most of these\u00a0refugees are women\u00a0and children who arrive in the\u00a0host country in a state of total poverty; sometimes even\u00a0without luggage.<\/p>\n Although today\u00a0many of them\u00a0have been able to\u00a0return to their\u00a0homelands,\u00a0some families continue to stay\u00a0in\u00a0refugee camps and live\u00a0their lives totally dependent on humanitarian aid.<\/p>\n Despite the\u00a0important presence\u00a0of many NGOs, these\u00a0camps\u00a0do not offer\u00a0ideal living conditions\u00a0for children. There is very\u00a0little\u00a0shade and the atmosphere is extremely hot. Thus, many\u00a0newborn babies\u00a0fall victim to the\u00a0scorching heat, the main cause of fever,\u00a0dehydration and diarrhoea. They are given\u00a0drinking water<\/a>,\u00a0but unfortunately, it is distributed in\u00a0limited quantities and only used\u00a0for drinking. They use\u00a0tap water to fulfill their other needs\u00a0which\u00a0causes serious health<\/a> and hygiene problems..<\/p>\n In these\u00a0camps, humanitarian aid alone\u00a0cannot\u00a0meet all the needs\u00a0of refugee families. As a result their\u00a0hygiene, health and\u00a0safety\u00a0cannot be duly assured.<\/p>\n Child Labour<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n Uzbekistan has\u00a0ratified the\u00a0conventions on the\u00a0prohibition\u00a0of child labour<\/a>, yet\u00a0the practice is\u00a0far from being\u00a0abolished. In fact, this practice is\u00a0completely\u00a0rooted in\u00a0the traditions in Uzbekistan,\u00a0to the extent that\u00a0child labour\u00a0is integrated into the school system. During\u00a0the harvest season, the government gets\u00a0the school children to work in\u00a0cotton fields.<\/p>\n If they refuse,\u00a0they risk being expelled from school. \u00a0Uzbek children work\u00a0under\u00a0unsatisfactory conditions\u00a0and experience\u00a0hunger, fatigue\u00a0and filthy environments. These children are either paid a meagre sum of money or not\u00a0paid at all.<\/p>\n As a result, their education<\/a>\u00a0is\u00a0interrupted\u00a0in the interest of\u00a0the cotton trade and their health deteriorates\u00a0following the appalling conditions\u00a0under which they work. Uzbekistan\u00a0should take necessary steps against this major problem\u00a0which deprives their children of a considerable part\u00a0of their youth.<\/p>\n Freedom of expression<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Corruption is a reality which is very much day-to-day in Uzbekistan. Harassment,\u00a0torture,\u00a0intimidation\u00a0and imprisonment\u00a0await those\u00a0who speak\u00a0too much. \u00a0As a result the real situation of children in Uzbekistan cannot be identified and due to this fact improving their lives has become an even more difficult task.<\/p>\n Although the\u00a0Uzbek law\u00a0claims to assure the\u00a0freedom\u00a0of expression<\/a>,\u00a0in practice it\u00a0is limited. The media is highly\u00a0controlled,\u00a0government opponents\u00a0or\u00a0human rights activists are often\u00a0threatened,\u00a0and the Government\u00a0is known for its\u00a0strict censorship policy. These\u00a0restrictions\u00a0deprive the children\u00a0of their right to information and\u00a0their right to free expression; this is indeed a complete violation\u00a0of Art.13 of the\u00a0Convention on the Rights\u00a0of the Child.<\/a><\/p>\n Freedom of religion<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n The Uzbek government constantly\u00a0monitors\u00a0certain religious communities\u00a0and limits\u00a0their freedom of religion<\/a>\u00a0to all Uzbeks. Thus,\u00a0simply being a member of\u00a0a religious community which is not officially recognized\u00a0could lead\u00a0to serious consequences. \u00a0Some are imprisoned\u00a0because they\u00a0belong to\u00a0these communities and the government\u00a0does not\u00a0hesitate\u00a0to label\u00a0these individuals\u00a0as extremists; thus justifying\u00a0their condemnation.<\/p>\n Children can also be identified as\u00a0victims of\u00a0this religious intolerance. They could be victims\u00a0of racism or\u00a0victims of degrading treatment,\u00a0but what is evident is that the right\u00a0of the child\u00a0to choose\u00a0his religion\u00a0or his right\u00a0to comment on\u00a0his choice is\u00a0largely obsolete.<\/p>\n Right to Protection<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Every child has the\u00a0right to be protected\u00a0in both the\u00a0family and in\u00a0the national framework.\u00a0Yet, this right\u00a0is not fully assured in Uzbekistan.\u00a0\u00a0Unfortunately, children fall victim to attacks, as many civilians do.<\/p>\n The response\u00a0of the Uzbek authorities to these\u00a0acts of terrorism\u00a0is contrary to\u00a0the protection of the child<\/a>.\u00a0In fact,\u00a0due to various “anti-terrorist operations,”\u00a0many Uzbeks are unlawfully\u00a0arrested and imprisoned.<\/p>\n The response\u00a0of the Uzbek authorities to these\u00a0acts of terrorism\u00a0is contrary to\u00a0the protection of the child.\u00a0In fact,\u00a0due to various “anti-terrorist operations,”\u00a0many Uzbeks are unlawfully\u00a0arrested and imprisoned. Even some\u00a0adolescents\u00a0undergo this fate\u00a0because they are “suspected”\u00a0of helping the\u00a0opposing\u00a0organizations,\u00a0or simply\u00a0because they have\u00a0been abroad\u00a0or\u00a0their parents have been in such situations. Their detention\u00a0is illegal\u00a0and\u00a0the situations that they go through are indeed appalling; no\u00a0trials,\u00a0no legal safeguards. To make matters worse, cases of\u00a0torture and\u00a0harassment have also been revealed on several occasions.<\/p>\n