A conference has taken place in the capital city of Tashkent on interaction between the National Centre of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Human Rights and nongovernmental noncommercial organizations (NGOs) in the sphere of human rights protection.

Deputies of the legislative chamber and members of the Senate of the Supreme Assembly of the Republic of Uzbekistan, officers of the law-enforcement agencies and courts and representatives from ecological NGOs, children’s [rights] NGOs and women’s NGOs as well as from scientific establishments and law education establishments attended the conference.

It was noted that during the years of independence, the principle "From a strong state to strong civil society" was widely being put into practice at the initiative of President Islam Karimov as modernization processes continued in the country.

Currently, there are more than 5,000 public associations of citizens and nongovernmental noncommercial organizations operating in the country. Many of them have their own regional and local representative offices and have rights and duties that make it possible for them to take an active part in the reform of society.

The task of paying even closer attention to human rights protection as specified in the Year of Social Security programme places responsibility not only on the state but also on society, including nongovernmental noncommercial organizations. Specifically, it is necessary to orient NGOs activities in this area towards conducting constant public monitoring over the observance of social and other human rights by state agencies and officials of any rank.

At the conference, reports were heard on priority areas of cooperation between agencies specializing in human rights protection such as the National Centre for Human Rights, Supreme Assembly Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) and NGOs, on trade unions’ participation in ensuring citizens’ labour rights and on the role of women’s NGOs in protection of women’s rights.

Participants in the event thoroughly discussed issues of improving forms and methods of interaction as well as a mechanism for constant exchanges of opinions, consultation and coordination of actions relating to human rights protection.