Observing the activities of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis, one encounters interesting situations. Some draft laws are returned to the legislators several times in the first reading, while others cause great discussions in each reading and pass to the next stage under long debates and exchanges of opinions. However, some laws are sent to the Senate after three readings in one sitting.

A pivotal moment unfolded during the draft law discussion at the following Legislative Chamber meeting. This law, which proposes amendments and additions to certain legislative acts of the Republic of Uzbekistan, is a crucial step towards strengthening protection measures against family (domestic) violence.

So why?

According to the World Health Organization, every third woman in the world is physically abused by her partner. In 38 percent of women’s deaths due to harassment and violence, the husband or cohabitant is to blame.

Of the 894 crimes related to family (domestic) violence committed in our country between 2023 and May this year, 55.6 percent, that is, 506, were terminated due to the reconciliation of the parties, while the remaining 44.4 percent, that is, 388, were punished by the court. At the same time, it is no secret that the improvement of legal mechanisms for protecting children from family violence has become one of the agenda items in our society today.

Although the current norm provides for criminal responsibility for committing family (domestic) violence against a spouse or other persons living together in the family, it does not provide for responsibility for committing these actions against a child.

The draft law envisages the addition of Article 126-1 of the Criminal Code on family (domestic) violence with responsibility for committing family (domestic) violence against a child.

Also, the procedure for supplementing Article 59-2 of the Code of Administrative Responsibility and Article 126-1 of the Criminal Code with responsibility for committing family (domestic) violence against a child and the procedure for submitting an application for conciliation in criminal cases related to family (domestic) violence, not during the investigation and preliminary investigation stages, but during the trial, is being introduced.

It is determined that a petition for reconciliation in criminal cases of family (domestic) violence can be submitted only during the trial, at any stage, but before the court enters the consultation room.

The Code of Administrative Responsibility specifies responsibility for family (domestic) violence against a child.

It was noted that the adoption of the draft law would not only serve to comprehensively, thoroughly, and objectively consider criminal cases related to family (domestic) violence, but also significantly improve the effectiveness of preventing children and women from encountering harassment and violence. This, in turn, would enhance the spiritual and moral environment in families and elevate the position of our country in the international indexes of women’s rights, a matter of great national pride.

So, the draft passed three readings and was sent to the Senate.

A person who observes this can conclude. Therefore, people’s representatives – MPs also support laws essential for society, like water and air, and cannot be delayed.

We are responsible for youth

On the same day, at the initiative of the Committee on Democratic Institutions, NGOs and Civil Society Institutions, the Director of the Youth Affairs Agency of the Republic of Uzbekistan A. Sadullayev’s information “On the ongoing work on the implementation of measures aimed at legal and social protection of young people, as well as ensuring their employment” was also heard.

In the following years, about 200 legislative documents were adopted in Uzbekistan to create the legal basis of the state policy on youth.

Tasks aimed at guaranteeing the rights and interests of young people, organizing their social and legal protection, ensuring their employment, and creating the conditions for them to find their place in life were defined.

According to the information, starting from 2021, to effectively solve the problems of young people and provide them with social support, a completely new system – “Youth Registry” – was introduced. To digitize the system and ensure targeted delivery of social assistance, the “yoshlardaftari.uz” electronic platform was launched. The analyses of 25 ministries and agencies were integrated with the electronic platform, and lists of young people needing social protection were created.

Through the “Youth Registry”, it became possible to solve the social and economic problems of representatives of this layer directly in mahallas. The period of consideration of appeals was reduced from 30 to 5 days, and the number of types of assistance provided was increased to 30.

In addition, the agency’s Director noted that one of the priority tasks of youth leaders is to work with young men and women who have left for temporary work in foreign countries. Through house-to-house correspondence work, 268,000 young people from abroad have been formed, and permanent communication has been established with them.

Within the framework of the “Future Professions” project, 1 thousand 38 young people with disabilities were trained for free in training courses on modern professions, information technologies, and foreign languages.

At the parliament’s hearing, the deputies drew attention to problems waiting to be solved by permanently employing highly educated young people, obtaining educational loans for talented young people, and retraining our brothers and sisters who cannot find their way.

Anvarkhon TEMIROV, member of the PDPU faction:

– Within our country, we can support young people in every way, but some young men and women live abroad. In your information, you said that communication was established with more than 268,000 such young people. The Agency does not disclose what assistance is provided to the youth there. Also, the information you mentioned is from last November. Can you tell me what has been done to date?

The agency Director told the deputy that jobs are offered to young people who earn less than $1,000 in our country. Besides, the allocation of land for self-employment and employment this year helped about 33,000 of our young people return to their motherland.

During the parliamentary hearing, which was rich in questions and answers, the deputies made several proposals and recommendations to protect young people’s legal and social rights and ensure their employment.

Entrusting the issue of youth, who comprise a considerable part of our country’s population, to a single Agency makes it challenging to achieve the expected result. So, we should at least care about and support our children and loved ones. We are all responsible for Uzbekistan’s youth. Only then can we hope that our future in the hands of young people will be better than today.

Prepared by Ahmad QURBONOV.

«O’zbekiston Ovozi» (Voice of Uzbekistan), 17.07.2023, No.28