OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan continues its series of activities in support of the rights of persons with disabilities
The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan co-organized two events on 2 and 3 December 2020 in blended formats in the field of the rights of persons with disabilities. The discussion on the first day focused on the ratification by the Republic of Uzbekistan of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Representatives from both chambers of Parliament and international experts from Estonia, Latvia and Kazakhstan attended the event.
On the second day, a roundtable discussion was held dedicated to the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on the theme “Building Back Better: Toward a disability-inclusive, accessible and sustainable post COVID-19 in Uzbekistan”.
The event on 3 December was co-organized with the Association of People with Disability of Uzbekistan, the non-governmental organization Sharoit Plus, the UZReport TV company, the Zamin International Foundation, the United Nations in Uzbekistan, and the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights' Regional Office for Central Asia.
John MacGregor, Head of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, recalled the OSCE commitments in the sphere of the rights of persons with disabilities and referred to the 1991 Moscow Document, in which participating States made a decision to ensure protection of the human rights of persons with disabilities and to take steps to ensure the equal opportunity of such persons to participate fully in the life of their society, among other things.
“Today, it is not the first event, where we discuss the possible ratification by the Republic of Uzbekistan of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities. We should acknowledge certain progress of the host Government in this regard, but still there is a way ahead. The organization of this event is a clear evidence of the firm approach of Uzbekistan to safeguard the human rights of people with disabilities,” MacGregor said.
The activities are part of the OSCE project “Support to the Promotion and Protection of the rights of persons with disabilities of Uzbekistan”.