The participants of the event called for “quick and decisive action” to pass the draft law, which envisages the development and implementation of multidisciplinary services to prevent and combat violence. Adoption of the document is expected to strengthen legal protection for children and improve support systems such as family counseling, psychosocial support, life skills training, and safe housing.
A recent multi-indicator survey conducted by UNICEF showed that two-thirds (62%) of children aged 1 to 14 years in Uzbekistan were exposed to violent upbringing methods (physical punishment, psychological aggression), and 33% of girls aged 15-19 years believed that the husband had the right to beat his wife.
Tanzila Narbayeva (center) and Shakhnoza Mirziyoyeva (right). Photo: UNICEF.
In the nine months of 2023, 1,240 cases of violence against minors were recorded in Uzbekistan, of which 417 were sexual violence, Shakhnoza Mirziyoyeva, the first deputy director of the National Agency for Social Protection under the President, said in her speech.
“It is terrible that cases of domestic violence are increasing. Imagine that in nine months of this year, 166 cases of violence against children by relatives, including relatives, were recorded. Unfortunately, even official statistics do not allow an objective assessment of the scale. The truth is worse than that,” she said.
“Abused children of usually do not report that they have been abused. Often they remain silent about the situation due to fear, shame or family loyalty. Especially if the abuser is one of the closest people to the child,” Shakhnoza Mirziyoyeva said.
She said that even if the school and family are aware of cases of violence against children, people still look at the fate of the child with indifference and do not report it to guardianship authorities or law enforcement agencies.
A spokeswoman for the Social Security Agency added that with increased access to the internet, child abuse is taking on new forms, such as cyberbullying and online sexual exploitation, with “scary and often life-changing” consequences.
“Also, I would like to draw the attention of law enforcement agencies to the need to strengthen prevention of violence, improve response measures and work with abusers. We should stop turning a blind eye to this problem,” Shakhnoza Mirziyoyeva said. “We want to break the silence on this pressing issue and change the attitude in society,” she added.
The first deputy director of the agency listed the aspects that, in her opinion, should be reflected in the draft law on protection of children from violence:
