Our joint submission outlines the challenges in the implementation of international norms and standards and the legislation of Uzbekistan in addressing gender-based violence against women and girls, particularly domestic and sexual violence. The submission also provides recommendations to the members of the Human Rights Council for consideration for its follow-up on the preceding review.
Shortly after we submitted this submission, Uzbekistan adopted the new law against gender-based violence, which came into force in April 2023. Equality Now welcomed the adoption of this law, which conveys to society that violence against women and children is unacceptable. It reflected some of our recommendations, but there is still room for further changes to ensure better protection for women and girls in Uzbekistan.
As a result of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), the Uzbek authorities have committed to make further efforts to combat all forms of violence against women and girls and provide more support to survivors. We welcome the Uzbek authorities’ acceptance of the recommendations given to them and will continue our work to help the authorities enforce them.
These actions align with the issues raised and recommendations from Equality Now’s joint submission for UPR in collaboration with eight partners in Uzbekistan sent to the UN in April 2023.
Uzbekistan Pledges Action on Gender-Based Violence
Updated: June 2024
As a result of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), the Uzbek authorities have committed to make further efforts to combat all forms of violence against women and girls and provide more support to survivors. We welcome the Uzbek authorities’ acceptance of the recommendations given to them and will continue our work to help the authorities enforce them.
These actions align with the issues raised and recommendations from Equality Now’s joint submission for UPR in collaboration with eight partners in Uzbekistan sent to the UN in April 2023.
Working Towards Change: Key Steps Forward
Among the principal recommendations accepted by Uzbekistan are
- Including marital rape as a specific offense in the Criminal Code;
- Eliminating the exception to the minimum age for marriage;
- Enforcement of the prohibition of child marriage;
- Ratifying new human rights treaties to ensure better protection from violence against women and girls
“We welcome that other states made very specific recommendations to Uzbekistan and that Uzbekistan accepted these recommendations, including to make further efforts to combat all forms of VAW. Also, it is very promising that Uzbekistan committed to ratifying new international treaties such as the Istanbul Convention and Optional Protocols to several UN Conventions which, if ratified by Uzbekistan, will allow individuals to submit individual complaints against Uzbekistan to CEDAW, CRC, CRPD, and CESCR,” underlines Equality Now’s Eurasia Legal Advisor Dariana Gryaznova.
The UPR is a unique UN mechanism that calls for each UN Member State to undergo a peer review of its human rights records every 4.5 years. Uzbekistan’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) took place in November 2023. The UPR allows civil society to provide alternative reports on the human rights situation in the country. During the review, the country’s authorities report on measures taken to improve the human rights situation. Other states make recommendations to the country on how to improve the human rights situation.
Civil Society Collaboration: Driving Change for Uzbek Women
In April 2023, Uzbek civil society organizations “NIHOL” Initiative’s Development and Supporting Centre, NGO Civic Initiatives Support Centre, Centre for Scientific, Social, and Humanitarian Initiatives Oila, The Institute for Democracy and Human Rights, NGO “Millennium”, NGO “Istiqbolli Avlod” joined forces with “Equality Now” and submitted a detailed report on the situation of gender-based violence against women and girls in Uzbekistan, with a specific focus on sexual and domestic violence.
Shortly after we submitted our report, Uzbekistan made legal amendments to protect the rights of women and girls better. We welcomed the adoption of this law, which sends a message to society that violence against women and children is unacceptable. The law reflects some of our recommendations, but there is still room for further changes to ensure access to justice and support services for women and girls in Uzbekistan.
“Every step counts in addressing the challenges of combating gender-based violence. We have made great progress. But there is still much work to be done to end gender-based violence,” says Shirin Rashidova, the head of “NIHOL” Initiative’s Development and Supporting Centre.
During the review of Uzbekistan in November 2023, representatives of other states voiced a large number of our recommendations, and the Uzbek authorities took the commitment to implement them. On 22 March 2024, the 55th session of the UN Human Rights Council adopted the final outcome of the review of Uzbekistan.
Read the report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review to find the full list of recommendations accepted by Uzbekistan.