Uzbekistan steps up efforts to repatriate children left without parental care abroad

The repatriation efforts were carried out in collaboration with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Health. In early October, four more children, three from Turkey and one from Russia, were brought back to Uzbekistan.

Upon their return, the National Agency for Social Protection took swift action to ensure the children's placement with their families or close relatives. Two children were formally returned to their parents, while one was placed under the guardianship of an aunt. For the fourth child, authorities are evaluating the situation, with plans to assign temporary guardianship to close relatives until the mother returns from Russia.

In total, 89 Uzbek minors have been returned to their homeland this year, 34 of them during the months of August and September. These children are being provided with essential social services at "Inson" social service centers near their places of residence. Both the children and their families are receiving psychological and legal assistance as part of these services.