Candidacy of the Republic of Uzbekistan for election to the United Nations Huma Rights Council for 2021-2023

POSITION PAPER
Uzbekistan is firmly committed to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and strictly accomplishes its international obligations on human rights. The Human Rights Council is the main intergovernmental body on human rights, and Uzbekistan is well placed to make an important contribution to upholding human rights and the values of the United Nations on regional and global level.
The Republic of Uzbekistan is a founding member of the Human Rights Council. It had the honour to participate in the negotiations and approval of measures for institutional formation of major global human rights machinery, and currently supports the efforts aimed at further strengthening it.
Membership of the Human Rights Council bestows both privileges and obligations on Member States. General Assembly Resolution A/RES/60/251 requires that members of the Council uphold the highest standards in the promotion and protection of human rights. Consistent with the expectations of Council membership, Uzbekistan has been prioritizing its contribution to human rights promotion and protection regionally and globally.
Uzbekistan’s Voluntary Pledges
Uzbekistan’s candidacy for the Human Rights Council means that its human rights record will now be the subject of increased international scrutiny. General Assembly Resolution A/RES/60/251 encourages candidates to make voluntary pledges and commitments about their intended conduct as members of the Human Rights Council.
Committed to its international human rights obligations, Uzbekistan sees its tasks as follows:

• Promote the inclusion of aspects of the protection and promotion of human rights as a guiding principle in the processes being promoted within the United Nations system;
• Continue to support all efforts aimed at ensuring an effective response by the international community to global human rights violations, by taking measures to prevent and early response;
• Promote constructive engagement, dialogue and cooperation with concerned States in addressing “situations of concern” in the Human Rights Council;
• Encourage a spirit of cooperation within the framework of the Human Rights Council, based on the principles of mutual respect and dialogue, free from politicization and double standards;
• Promote the cooperation of the Human Rights Council with national human rights institutions, non-governmental organizations and civil society, parliaments, the private sector and other international organizations;
• Participate actively in global initiatives and discussions on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; Intensify the process of developing and approving guidelines for the operation of national reporting mechanisms and follow-up to determine the status of these mechanisms at the national level. Uzbekistan’s commitment to the protection of human rights is integrated into all spheres of foreign policy and cooperation for development. Uzbekistan firmly upholds human rights and fundamental freedoms in its bilateral and multilateral relations, including within the framework of the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and other international forums. Uzbekistan seeks to further contribute to the development of cooperation with international and regional human rights mechanisms through active interaction with the Human Rights Council and its mechanism, processes and initiatives, as well as with members of the international community, United Nations agencies and civil society representatives. Uzbekistan seeks to further contribute to the development of cooperation with international and regional human rights mechanisms through active interaction with the Human Rights Council and its mechanism, processes and initiatives, as well as with members of the international community, United Nations agencies and civil society representatives. The Republic of Uzbekistan is convinced that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights has become an inspirational source for numerous covenants, conventions, protocols, declarations and programmes of action. The Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action has also established guidelines for the creation of a global culture of human rights and the achievement of the lofty ideals and goals of, and the observance of the norms and standards set by, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It is our fervent hope that the momentum, seen particularly in the past two decades, will be maintained in the struggle to consolidate existing rights and to promote new rights in the age of globalization. If elected, Uzbekistan might usefully work to broker mechanisms for enhanced connections and reporting between the Human Rights Council. Uzbekistan might also demonstrate leadership by encouraging Member States to increase opportunities for civil society organizations to make meaningful contributions to Human Rights Council processes. The Republic of Uzbekistan strongly supports the Universal periodic review process due to its universal and transparent nature, which allows each State to inform the international community of measures taken to improve the situation in the field of observance and protection of human rights and the progress achieved in this area. Uzbekistan successfully conducted its first Universal periodic review (UPR) in 2008, the second UPR in 2013, and its third UPR 2018. Uzbekistan has taken necessary initiatives with a view to implement those UPR recommendations as well as the observations made by the UN Treaty Bodies while considering Uzbekistan’s periodic reports. The Government has prepared National action plans for the implementation of all recommendations of the Human Rights Council, treaty bodies and other human rights instruments. The Republic of Uzbekistan has strengthened cooperation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the special procedures of the Human Rights Council. In this regard, in 2017, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Zeid al-Hussein visited Uzbekistan; in 2017, the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion o belief, Ahmed Shaheed, in 2019 Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers Diego García Sayán visited the country. Uzbekistan’s commitment to human rights is manifest by the number of international human rights instruments it has subscribed to so far. Uzbekistan is a State party to 70 international human rights related conventions/protocols, including 6 of the 9 core international Human Rights instruments and 4 optional protocols thereto. Uzbekistan has ratified 18 ILO conventions without reservations, including all of the 8 fundamental conventions. Uzbekistan has good record of meeting reporting obligations under international human rights treaties. Uzbekistan fulfils its obligations to submit periodic reports to various treaty bodies in a timely fashion. Uzbekistan submitted 38 national reports to the statutory and treaty bodies of the United Nations on the fulfilment of its international obligations in the field of human rights. Uzbekistan supports the strengthening of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights through the implementation of initiatives in order to ensure its effective and independent functioning. As part of the implementation in Uzbekistan of the World Programme for Human Rights Education and the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training, a human rights education system has been established/ In connection with the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Uzbekistan has made a voluntary contribution to the budget of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in the amount of $100,000. Uzbekistan is determined to protect, promote and support universal human rights and fundamental freedoms for all. This is manifest in the high-level political commitment and the policies and programmes of the Government on human rights, as well as a constant desire and commitment of Uzbekistan to work with the international community in order to strengthen multilateral cooperation and arrangements for the promotion and protection of human rights. Uzbekistan commits to strengthening national human rights policy, including a statement of commitment to good government, increased transparency, support for Uzbekistan’s independent human rights institutions, an affirmation of the important role played by Parliamentary institutions in human rights implementation and oversight and adoption of the National Human Rights Strategy. Uzbekistan considers the opportunity of its membership in the Human Rights Council as a means to achieve its goals and would deeply appreciate the confidence and support of Member States.