For the first time in history, Uzbekistan’s representative has been elected to join the UN Human Rights Committee. Academician Akmal Saidov, director of the National Center for Human Rights, became a member of the committee for 2025−2028, Dunyo information agency reported.
Elections for nine Human Rights Committee members for a three-year term were held at the United Nations headquarters at UN headquarters in New York City within the framework of the 40th session of the member states to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) on 29 May.
Along with Uzbekistan, representatives of 16 states, including Burundi, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Georgia, India, Lithuania, Morocco, Paraguay, Republic of Korea, North Macedonia, South Africa, Spain, and Togo, claimed seats on the committee.
According to the results of the secret ballot, the candidate from Uzbekistan received the largest number of votes of the ICCPR member states. Uzbekistan has become the first to join this UN body among Central Asian countries.
The UN noted specific milestones achieved by Uzbekistan, such as “eradicating child and forced labor, combating domestic violence, broadening rights of women and girls, ensuring gender equality, improving the circumstances of vulnerable segments of the population, as well as an open dialogue on all issues on the UN human rights agenda,” Dunyo notes.
“Uzbekistan's election to this authoritative conventional body will contribute to the demonstration of our country’s commitment to ensuring and protecting human rights through constructive interaction with international human rights organizations, as well as allow us to actively participate in decision-making processes, and share best practices in this field,” the report said.
The Human Rights Committee is a UN body of independent experts that monitors implementation of the ICCPR by the States states. With 173 states parties to the pact, Uzbekistan joined this international document in 1995. The Committee’s work is aimed at ensuring full respect for all civil and political human rights.
In the fall of 2020, Uzbekistan was first elected to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for 2021−2023.
In November 2021, Uzbekistan’s permanent representative to the UN in Geneva Ulugbek Lapasov was approved for the position of one of the four vice-chairpersons of the HRC for 2022.
