5th SAMARKAND FORUM ON HUMAN RIGHTS: GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR DIGNITY, EQUALITY AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

On September 28, 2026, the 5th Samarkand Forum on Human Rights was held in Tashkent under the theme “60 Years of the International Covenants on Human Rights and 40 Years of the Declaration on the Right to Development: Global Partnership for Dignity, Equality and Sustainable Development.” The international forum was organized by the National Center for Human Rights of the Republic of Uzbekistan under the auspices of the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan and in cooperation with international organizations.

The event marked the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the International Covenants on Human Rights, the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development, and the 30th anniversary of the National Human Rights Center of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The Forum provided an important platform for expanding international dialogue, sharing experience, discussing effective mechanisms for implementing international commitments, and seeking joint solutions to pressing global challenges.

The opening ceremony was moderated by Akmal Saidov, Director of the National Center for Human Rights of the Republic of Uzbekistan. An address by President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to the participants of the Forum was presented during the ceremony. Tanzila Narbayeva, Chairperson of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and Nuriddin Ismoilov, Speaker of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis, also delivered welcoming remarks.

The ceremony also featured speeches and messages from Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights; Mirjana Spoljaric, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross; Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization; Maria Telalian, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights; and Sabine Machl, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Uzbekistan.

One of the central events of the Forum was the panel discussion entitled “International Covenants on Human Rights, the Right to Development and Global Solidarity: A New Perspective in the Face of Contemporary Challenges.” Participants discussed the development of the international human rights protection system, the universality and interdependence of human rights and freedoms, the right to development, sustainable development and global inequality, the consequences of climate change, as well as responses to conflicts and humanitarian crises.

The Forum was also attended by Changrok Soh, member and former Chair of the UN Committee; Elina Steinerte, Vice-Chair of the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture on National Preventive Mechanisms; Margaret Satterthwaite, UN Special Rapporteur on Independence of Judges and Lawyers; Christophe Kamp, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities; Nurlan Yermekbayev, Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation; as well as Lina Zhang, Sergey Lebedev, Evgeniya Paramonova, Kadir Yaman, Klaus Beck, Nick Hartmann, and other representatives of international organizations.

A special anniversary panel was dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the National Human Rights Center of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Under the theme “From International Commitments to Effective Implementation: The Role of National Mechanisms for Human Rights Implementation,” experts discussed the work of national institutions, the implementation of recommendations issued by UN treaty bodies and the Universal Periodic Review, interagency cooperation, monitoring, and the digitalization of reporting processes.

The Republican Center for the Study of Public Opinion “Ijtimoiy Fikr” was represented at the Forum by Nigina Khayrullayevna Rakhimova, Director of the Center, and Mansur Sherikbayevich Seitov, Deputy Director for Applied Research. As part of the event, Nigina Rakhimova, on behalf of the team of the “Ijtimoiy Fikr” Center, congratulated the National Center for Human Rights of the Republic of Uzbekistan on the 30th anniversary of its establishment. The congratulatory message highlighted the significant role of the National Center in protecting human rights and freedoms, introducing international standards into national practice, strengthening the legal awareness and culture of the population, and developing international cooperation in the field of human rights.

Particular attention was also given to the long-standing cooperation between the National Center for Human Rights of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Republican Center for the Study of Public Opinion “Ijtimoiy Fikr”. This cooperation plays an important role in studying public opinion on human rights, assessing the level of legal awareness among the population, analysing social attitudes, and identifying citizens’ views on the protection and realization of their rights and freedoms.

The 5th Samarkand Forum on Human Rights became a significant international platform for dialogue and the exchange of experience among national and international institutions, the expert community, and representatives of civil society.

The discussions held during the Forum once again highlighted that the protection of human rights and freedoms is closely linked to social and economic transformation, demographic processes, technological development, and emerging global challenges, while human dignity, equality, and sustainable development remain key principles of international cooperation.