NCHR: Enhancing the Role of Women in Peace and Security

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 26-27 September 2022, an international round table was held in Bukhara on the topic: "The Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda and its relationship with human rights."

The event was organized by the National Center for Human Rights of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Commission for Ensuring Gender Equality of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Senate Committee of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Women and Gender Equality with the assistance of the OSCE Project Coordinator in Uzbekistan and the OSCE Program Office in Dushanbe.

Representatives of civil society, such as NGOs "Oydin Nur" and "Barkaror Khayot" were invited to participate in the event.

On 31 October  2000, Resolution 1325 of the UN Security Council “Women, Peace and Security” was adopted, which for the first time at this level recognized the role of women in ensuring peace and security.

The resolution calls for greater involvement of women in greater participation in peace negotiations to resolve conflicts, as well as for an increase in the number of women in leadership positions at the national and regional levels. The document obliges all participants to protect women’s rights, prevent gender-based violence, and promote women’s participation in public and political life, as well as in the security sector.

Participants were provided with information on international and regional experience in the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in the OSCE region, the relationship of human rights with an integrated approach to ensuring security. The topic was covered by international experts of the OSCE Secretariat in Vienna, the OSCE ODIHR, the UN Women Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia.

As the First Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Director of the National Center for Human Rights Akmal Saidov noted during the round table, “Uzbekistan fully shares the conviction that it is impossible to achieve sustainable development without ensuring respect for human rights, gender issues and maintaining peace and security".

He stressed that "one of the main pillars of the New Uzbekistan Development Strategy is to increase the role of women in the socio-political life of the country and further expand the powers of women in solving the most important tasks of domestic and foreign policy."

During the meeting, acting Head of the Office of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in the country of Hans Ullrich Ihm expressed their readiness to provide Uzbekistan with all the necessary support for the implementation of the National Action Plan for the Implementation of Resolution 1325 and for the exchange of international experience in the field of its implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

“Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but also a necessary basis for achieving peace, security and sustainable development. Only together we can overcome all the challenges and trials, build a peaceful future for our women and children,” Malika Kadyrkhanova, Chairman of the Committee on Women and Gender Equality of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic, emphasized in her speech.

During the "round table" the final draft of the National Action Plan of the Republic of Uzbekistan on the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 "Women, Peace and Security" was presented.

The participants were also presented with the Strategy for achieving gender equality in the Republic of Uzbekistan in 2020-2030, the measures taken in the country to ensure favorable conditions for the access of women, including victims of gender-based violence, to justice.

As part of the regional initiative, meetings were organized for representatives of the Republic of Tajikistan with the judiciary, law enforcement officers, the department of family and women’s affairs to exchange positive practices on preventing violence against women and socio-economic support for vulnerable categories of the population. A visit to the Monocenter "Ishga Markhamat" was organized.

As a result of the round table, the participants developed proposals for the creation of a regional platform for the exchange of experience at the regional level in the field of promoting UN Security Council Resolution 1325.