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Uzbekistan - Concluding observations of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women - Concluding Observations [2010] UNCEDAWCO 1; CEDAW/C/UZB/CO/4 (26 January 2010)

Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination

against Women

Forty-fifth session

18 January-5 February 2010

Concluding observations of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women

Uzbekistan

1. The Committee considered the fourth report of Uzbekistan (CEDAW/C/ UZB/4) at its 907th and 908th meetings, on 20 January 2010 (see CEDAW/C/ SR.907 and 908). The Committee’s list of issues and questions is contained in CEDAW/C/UZB/Q/4, and the responses of Uzbekistan are contained in CEDAW/C/ UZB/Q/4/Add.1.

Introduction

2. The Committee expresses its appreciation to the State party for its fourth periodic report, which follows the Committee’s guidelines for the preparation of reports and includes references to the previous concluding observations and the Committee’s general recommendations. The Committee expresses its appreciation to the State party for its oral presentation, the written replies to the list of issues and questions raised by the Committee’s pre-session working group and the further clarifications to the questions posed orally by the Committee.

3. The Committee commends the State party for its delegation, headed by the Chairperson of the National Human Rights Centre of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and expresses its appreciation for the constructive dialogue that took place between the delegation and the members of the Committee. The Committee also notes with appreciation that the delegation included a representative of the Women’s Committee of Uzbekistan, as previously recommended by the Committee.

Positive aspects

4. The Committee welcomes the adoption of a national plan of action to implement the recommendations made by the Committee in its previous concluding observations, as well as the information provided by the delegation of the State party that a new plan would be adopted to comply with the present concluding observations.

5. The Committee commends the State party for the adoption, in April 2008, of the law on combating human trafficking, the establishment of the national interdepartmental commission on the prevention of human trafficking, with territorial interdepartmental commissions in all tumans (districts) of Uzbekistan, and the adoption of a national action plan for 2008-2010 to improve the effectiveness of efforts to combat human trafficking.

6. The Committee welcomes the fact that, in the period since the consideration of the previous report, the State party has ratified or acceded to the following international instruments:

(a) The Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Aiming at the Abolition of the Death Penalty, on 23 December 2008;

(b) The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, on 23 December 2008;

(c) The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, on 23 December 2008;

(d) The Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, on 12 August 2008;

(e) International Labour Organization Conventions No. 138, on the minimum age for admission to employment, and No. 182, on the prohibition and immediate action for the elimination of the worst forms of child labour, in April 2008.

Principal areas of concern and recommendations

7. The Committee recalls the obligation of the State party to systematically and continuously implement all the provisions of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and views the concerns and recommendations identified in the present concluding observations as requiring the priority attention of the State party between now and the submission of the next periodic report. Consequently, the Committee urges the State party to focus on those areas in its implementation activities and to report on action taken and results achieved in its next periodic report. The Committee calls upon the State party to submit the present concluding observations to all relevant ministries, to the Oliy Majlis and to the judiciary, so as to ensure their full implementation.

Oliy Majlis (Parliament)

8. While reaffirming that the Government has the primary responsibility and is particularly accountable for the full implementation of the obligations of the State party under the Convention, the Committee stresses that the Convention is binding on all branches of Government and invites the State party to encourage its Parliament, in line with its procedures, where appropriate, to take the necessary steps with regard to the implementation of the present concluding observations and the next reporting process of the Government under the Convention.

Draft law on equal rights and equal opportunities

9. The Committee notes that the new, revised version of the draft law on equal rights and equal opportunities for women and men contains a definition of discrimination that encompasses both direct and indirect discrimination and discrimination in public and private spheres, in accordance with article 1 of the Convention. The Committee is concerned, however, that this draft law has not yet been adopted.

10. The Committee urges the State party to accelerate the process of adoption of the law on equal rights and equal opportunities for women and men within a clear time frame. It also encourages the State party to raise awareness among Government officials, the judiciary and the public with respect to the nature of indirect discrimination and the concept of substantive equality.

Visibility of the Convention

11. While taking note of the translation of the Convention and the previous concluding observations into the Uzbek language and the organization of awareness-raising campaigns with regard to the implementation of the Convention, the Committee remains concerned that there is inadequate knowledge in society in general, including among all branches of the Government and the judiciary, of the rights of women under the Convention, its concept of substantive gender equality and the Committee’s general recommendations. It is further concerned that women themselves, especially those in rural and remote areas, are not aware of their rights under the Convention and thus lack the capacity to claim them.

12. The Committee requests the State party to take all appropriate measures to ensure that the provisions of the Convention are sufficiently known and applied by all branches of Government and the judiciary as a framework for all laws, court decisions and policies on gender equality and the advancement of women. The Committee calls upon the State party to ensure that the Convention, the Committee’s general recommendations and related domestic legislation are made an integral part of education and training for members of the legal profession, law enforcement officers and the judiciary. It further requests the State party to ensure that information on the Convention is provided to women, including in rural and remote areas, through the use of all appropriate measures, such as the media.

Temporary special measures

13. While noting certain measures taken by the State party, the Committee is concerned at the very limited information provided about temporary special measures in other areas where women are underrepresented or disadvantaged, and that such measures are not systematically applied as a necessary strategy to accelerate the achievement of de facto or substantive equality between women and men in all areas of the Convention.

14. The Committee encourages the State party to familiarize all relevant officials with the concept of temporary special measures as described in article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention and interpreted in the Committee’s general recommendation No. 25. The Committee recommends that the State party apply temporary special measures in various forms in areas where women are underrepresented or disadvantaged and allocate additional resources where needed to accelerate the advancement of women. The Committee also recommends that the State party include in its legislation specific provisions on the adoption and application of temporary special measures that encourage the use of such measures in both the public and private sectors.

National machinery for the advancement of women

15. While welcoming the continued coordination and other activities of the Women’s Committee of Uzbekistan, a non-governmental organization that has been designated as the national machinery for the advancement of women, the Committee remains concerned that the institutional status of the Women’s Committee may not be sufficient for it to exert its influence within the Government structure, in particular in respect of policymaking and implementation. The Committee is also concerned at inadequate budget allocations from the State party to the Women’s Committee and that such inadequacies could prevent the Women’s Committee from effectively carrying out its mandate. Furthermore, the Committee regrets the lack of a comprehensive national plan of action for the advancement of women.

16. The Committee recalls the State party’s responsibility under the Convention to ensure fully Government accountability for gender equality and women’s enjoyment of all human rights. In this respect, the Committee refers to the guidance provided in its general recommendation No. 6 and in the Beijing Platform for Action on national machinery for the advancement of women, in particular regarding the necessary conditions for the effective functioning of such machinery. The Committee also reiterates its recommendation that the State party expeditiously strengthen the Women’s Committee by providing it with the necessary human, financial and technical resources to ensure coordinated implementation of gender mainstreaming policies and commitments with regard to the State party’s obligations under the Convention. The Committee further recommends that the State party develop, adopt and implement a comprehensive national plan of action for the advancement of women.

Non-governmental organizations

17. While noting the State party’s adoption, in January 2007, of the law on guarantees with regard to the activities of non-governmental non-commercial organizations, the Committee is very concerned at information about burdensome requirements and difficulties in registering as a non-governmental organization, as well as restrictions imposed on the activities of non-governmental and civil society organizations. The Committee is further concerned at reports of intimidation, harassment and imprisonment of members of women’s and human rights nongovernmental organizations and other civil society groups, as well as women human rights defenders, and the closing down of several national and international organizations.

18. The Committee urges the State party to take proactive and sustained steps to create and ensure an enabling environment in which civil society and women’s organizations focused on gender equality, women’s human rights and empowerment can be established and conduct programmes and activities. In this respect, it requests the State party to revise and simplify the registration requirements for and lift restrictions imposed on the activities of nongovernmental and civil society organizations, especially those focused on gender equality. The Committee requests the State party to take all necessary measures to ensure that independent monitors of women’s rights and human rights are protected from unjust imprisonment, intimidation or violence as a result of their human rights activities.

Stereotypes and cultural practices

19. The Committee reiterates its deep concern at the persistence of practices and traditions, as well as patriarchal attitudes and deep-rooted stereotypes, regarding the roles, responsibilities and identities of women and men in all spheres of life. The Committee is also concerned that such customs and practices perpetuate discrimination against women and girls, that such customs and practices are reflected in the disadvantageous and unequal status of women and girls in many areas, including in education, public life, decision-making and the persistence of violence against women, and that, thus far, the State party has not taken sustained and systematic action to modify or eliminate stereotypes and negative traditional values and practices. The Committee notes with concern that such attitudes are particularly prevalent in the media, which often depicts women and men in a stereotyped manner.

20. The Committee urges the State party to put in place without delay a comprehensive strategy, including the establishment of clear goals and timetables, to modify or eliminate traditional practices and stereotypes that discriminate against women, in conformity with articles 2 (f) and 5 (a) of the Convention. Such measures should include efforts to raise awareness of this subject, targeting women and men at all levels of society, in collaboration with civil society. The Committee calls upon the State party to use innovative and effective measures to strengthen understanding of the equality of women and men and to work with the media to enhance a positive, non-stereotypical and non-discriminatory portrayal of women. It also calls upon the State party to strengthen its strategies to combat sexualization of the public sphere, take proactive measures to ensure that media production and coverage are nondiscriminatory, increase awareness of these issues among media proprietors and other relevant actors in the industry.

Violence against women

21. While noting some measures taken by the State party to prevent and combat violence against women, the Committee is concerned at the lack of data and information on the incidence of various forms of violence against women and girls, including domestic violence, disaggregated by age and urban and rural areas, as well as studies and/or surveys on the extent of violence and its root causes. The Committee also remains concerned about the absence of a specific law protecting women and the lack of prosecution and punishment of perpetrators of domestic violence. The Committee is further concerned that such violence would appear to be socially legitimized and accompanied by a culture of silence and impunity, with cases being referred to as “family conflicts”; that cases of violence are thus underreported; and that those that are reported are settled out of court or reconciled, including through the mahalla committees.

22. The Committee urges the State party to give priority attention to combating violence against women and girls and to adopting comprehensive measures to address such violence, in accordance with its general recommendation No. 19. Such measures should include the:

(a) Expeditious adoption of a framework law on all forms of violence against women that also covers domestic violence and that introduces definitions in respect of all forms of domestic violence, including psychological and sexual violence;

(b) Amendment of existing penal provisions, as necessary;

(c) Development of a comprehensive national action plan to combat violence against women.

23. The Committee recommends that the State party put in place effective legal remedies and protection measures; develop systematic data collection, in a participatory process between the Government and civil society; and undertake studies and/or surveys on the extent of violence against women and its root causes. The Committee also requests the State party to raise public awareness, through the media and educational programmes, of the fact that all forms of violence against women are forms of discrimination under the Convention and, therefore, are violations of the human rights of women. The Committee calls upon the State party to remove any impediments faced by women victims in gaining access to justice and to immediate means of redress and protection, and recommends the implementation of training for law enforcement personnel, health-service providers, forensic doctors, judges, lawyers, mahalla committees, journalists and school staff in order to ensure that they are sensitized to all forms of violence against women and can provide adequate gender-sensitive support to victims.

Women in detention

24. The Committee is seriously concerned at reports of cases of violence against women, including sexual violence, in places of detention, and it regrets the lack of information about prosecutions of perpetrators of such violence. The Committee is also concerned about the conditions of detention for female detainees, including the lack of hygiene and proper nutrition.

25. The Committee requests the State party to ensure the protection of women in places of detention and the establishment of effective complaints procedures, as well as mechanisms for monitoring and oversight. It calls upon the State party to collect information on incidents of violence against women in detention, including sexual violence, and to provide the Committee with its findings and a description of measures taken to prevent, investigate, prosecute and punish those responsible. The Committee further calls on the State party to improve the conditions of detention for female detainees.

Trafficking

26. While welcoming the measures included in paragraph 5 above, the Committee remains concerned at the persistence of trafficking, including cross-border trafficking, and sexual exploitation of women and girls in the country, and at the fact that the country has become both a country of origin and destination, as well as a transit point, for trafficking in persons. It is further concerned at the inadequate rehabilitation procedures available to victims of trafficking who have returned from abroad and at the failure of the State party to address the root causes of trafficking, which impedes the efforts of the State party to address the trafficking problem in a serious way. The Committee also regrets the lack of information provided on the existence and implementation of regional and bilateral memorandums of understanding and/or agreements with other countries on trafficking and the inadequate information provided on the prosecution and punishment of traffickers.

27. The Committee requests the State party to take proactive and sustained measures, including through the effective implementation of the 2008 law on combating human trafficking and the national action plan on trafficking for 2008-2010, to ensure the prevention of trafficking; the timely prosecution and punishment of traffickers, both those who are directly or indirectly involved in trafficking and those who are negligent in dealing with or preventing cases of trafficking; and the provision of protection from traffickers/agents and support to victims. The Committee also recommends that information and training on the anti-trafficking legislation be provided to the judiciary, law enforcement officials, border police, public officials and social workers in all parts of the country. The Committee further calls upon the State party to increase its international, regional and bilateral cooperation with countries of origin, transit and destination by exchanging information in order to prevent trafficking, and it requests the State party to provide information about the existence and implementation of regional and bilateral memorandums of understanding and/or agreements on trafficking in its next periodic report. The Committee also recommends that the State party conduct comparative studies on trafficking and address the root causes of trafficking in order to eliminate the vulnerability of girls and women to sexual exploitation and traffickers, and undertake efforts for the recovery and social integration of the victims. The Committee further requests the State party to take the necessary steps to ensure that trafficked women and girls have access to quality medical care, counselling, financial support, adequate housing and opportunities for further training, as well as access to free legal services. The Committee calls upon the State party to ensure systematic monitoring and periodic evaluation in this respect, including the collection and analysis of data.

Participation in political and public life

28. While noting that the State party’s amendment to the election law in 2004 requiring that at least 30 per cent of candidates for Parliament nominated by political parties be female has resulted in a further increase in the representation of women in Parliament, from 17.5 to 22 per cent, and the election in 2008 of the first female Speaker of the lower house of Parliament (the legislative chamber of the Oliy Majlis), the Committee remains concerned about the continuing underrepresentation of women in public, political and professional life and in decision-making positions and senior management in general and the lack of information on proactive and sustained measures taken since the consideration of the previous report to promote and accelerate an increase in such representation.

29. The Committee recommends that the State party pursue sustained policies aimed at the promotion of the full and equal participation of women in decision-making in all areas of political, professional and public life. It encourages the State party to fully utilize the Committee’s general recommendation No. 23 and to adopt, wherever necessary, temporary special measures, in accordance with article 4, paragraph 1, of the Convention and the Committee’s general recommendation No. 25, in order to accelerate the full and equal participation of women in public and political life, in particular at high levels of decision-making. It also recommends the implementation of activities to raise awareness about the importance for society as a whole of the participation of women in decision-making and the development of targeted training and mentoring programmes for women candidates and women elected to public office and training programmes on leadership and negotiation skills for current and future women leaders. The Committee recommends that the State party carefully monitor the effectiveness of measures taken and results achieved and inform the Committee thereof in its next report.

Education

30. The Committee notes with satisfaction the very high literacy rate in the country (99.34 per cent) and that public education is free and compulsory until the completion of secondary education. The Committee also notes the efforts of the State party to improve the quality of education, including through the elaboration of the national personnel training programme. The Committee is concerned, however, at the hidden unofficial costs of education; the lack of reliable information, disaggregated by gender, on dropout, repetition and absenteeism rates in primary and secondary school; and the educational consequences of girls and boys working during the cotton harvest season. The Committee is further concerned at the gender segregation in students’ choice of field of education, including in the context of vocational training.

31. The Committee calls on the State party to further enhance its compliance with article 10 of the Convention, to ensure the equal access of girls and women to all levels of education and to take steps to overcome traditional attitudes that, in some rural areas, may constitute obstacles to the education of girls and women. The Committee recommends that the State party ensure that primary education is free and accessible to all children and that it take necessary measures to eliminate all hidden costs of school attendance. The Committee also calls on the State party to overcome expeditiously the de facto segregation in the educational system, to actively encourage the diversification of educational and professional choices for women and men and to offer incentives for young women to enter traditionally male-dominated fields of study. The Committee requests that the State party guarantee that the cotton harvest season does not compromise the rights of both girls and boys to education. The Committee also requests the State party to provide, in its next report, information on the measures taken in the field of education and on their gender impact.

Employment

32. The Committee is concerned at the high rate of unemployment among women as compared with men and the persistence of a significant gender wage gap, with women earning less than 40 per cent of the income earned by men. It also regrets the lack of information and relevant statistics about vertical and horizontal segregation of the labour force, including employment sectors and types of employment. The Committee is further concerned at the lack of information about the application of the principle of “equal pay for work of equal value” and about the situation of the increasing number of female home-based workers and whether they enjoy protection under the labour laws. While noting the existence of the Labour Code, the Committee is also concerned at the absence of a definition of direct and indirect discrimination in employment and at the lack of a prohibition against sexual harassment in the workplace.

33. The Committee requests the State party to ensure equal opportunities for women in the labour market, in accordance with article 11 of the Convention. It urges the State party to pay specific attention, and to adopt a comprehensive approach, to tackling the high unemployment rate of women. It also calls on the State party to take concrete and proactive measures to modify the sex-segregation of the formal labour market, monitor and close the gender wage gap and apply the principle of equal remuneration and equal opportunities at work. The Committee calls on the State party to provide, in its next report, the following: detailed information, including data disaggregated by sex; analysis of the situation of women in the field of employment, in both the formal and informal sectors, and trends over time; information about measures taken and their impact on realizing equal opportunities for women in the employment sectors; and detailed information about the situation of female home-based workers, including whether they enjoy protection under the labour laws. The State party is further encouraged to introduce a definition of direct and indirect discrimination in employment and to enact specific legal provisions to prohibit sexual harassment in the workplace.

Health

34. While welcoming the approval by the Cabinet of Ministers of the strategic programme against the spread of HIV/AIDS for 2007-2011, as well as the information outlined in the report and the replies to the list of issues on programmes, projects and practical measures to improve women’s access to health care, the Committee is concerned that the incidence of HIV/AIDS is on the increase in the State party. The Committee is also concerned at the lack of sex-disaggregated infant mortality rates, both at the national level and for urban and rural areas, and the lack of data, disaggregated by sex and age, on the number of women and men using contraceptives.

35. The Committee urges the State party to pay increased attention to women’s health throughout the life cycle, including by allocating the necessary resources for the implementation of various projects and programmes. The Committee also urges the State party to provide, in its next report, sex-disaggregated data on infant mortality rates, both at the national level and for urban and rural areas. The Committee also requests the State party to provide data, disaggregated by sex and age, on the number of persons using contraceptives, and it recommends the strengthening and expansion of efforts to increase knowledge of and access to affordable contraceptive methods throughout the country so that women and men can make informed choices about the number and spacing of children. It further recommends that sex education be widely promoted and targeted at adolescent girls and boys, with special attention to the prevention of early pregnancy and the control of sexually transmitted infections.

Rural women

36. The Committee reiterates its concern at the very limited information and statistical data provided on the situation of women in rural and remote areas, particularly with regard to the issues of health, education, labour and employment, income, housing, transportation and participation in socio-political life. The Committee is also concerned that recent reforms in the agricultural sector, particularly measures to enlarge farming businesses, reportedly led to a decrease in the number of women who head farms, from 8 per cent at the beginning of 2008 to 5.5 per cent by August 2008. The Committee further reiterates its concern at the low percentage of women who own land and have access to microcredit.

37. Further to its previous concluding observations, the Committee requests the State party to include in its next report the achievements of constructive governmental interventions and comprehensive data on the situation of rural women in all areas covered by the Convention, including the causes of the low percentage of women, as compared with men, who own land and have full access to credit facilities, and on efforts taken by the State party to increase this percentage. Furthermore, the State party should ensure that development projects, including in the agricultural sector, are implemented only after conducting gender-impact assessments involving rural women, and it should conduct awareness-raising campaigns on gender equality, with the focus, among key State officials responsible for reforming the agricultural sector, on the gender aspects of rural development.

Refugee and asylum-seeking women

38. The Committee is concerned that the national legal framework does not provide for the protection of refugees and asylum-seekers, including women, and by the situation of the internally displaced and stateless persons. The Committee is further concerned at information that refugees who do not have valid passports or visas are not reporting violations of their rights, including gender-based violence, to the authorities, owing to fear of deportation, and that the situation of refugee women is further complicated by patriarchal practices. The Committee is also concerned at the reported inability of refugee women to divorce legally in Uzbekistan.

39. The Committee calls on the State party to elaborate a legislative framework for the protection of refugees and asylum-seekers in accordance with international standards and to ensure human and financial resources for its implementation. The Committee calls on the State party to pursue its cooperation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and to protect persons who have sought refuge in Uzbekistan. In this respect, the Committee calls on the State party to take concrete measures to protect refugee women recognized under the mandate of UNHCR from gender-based violence and to ensure that refugee women can divorce legally. The Committee welcomes the statement made by the delegation of the State party that the issue of accession to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol is currently under examination, and encourages the State party to accede to these instruments without delay. The Committee also encourages the State party to consider ratifying or acceding to the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.

Vulnerable groups of women

40. The Committee notes the very limited information and statistics available on vulnerable groups of women, including elderly women, women with disabilities and women discriminated against on the basis of their sexuality. The Committee is concerned that those women often suffer from multiple forms of discrimination, especially with regard to access to education, employment and health care, protection from violence and access to justice.

41. The Committee requests the State party to provide, in its next report, a comprehensive picture of the de facto situation of vulnerable groups of women in all areas covered by the Convention and information on specific programmes and achievements.

Family relations

42. While noting the information provided by the delegation of the State party that a social survey has been conducted on the question of the marriage age and that the State party is considering introducing the same marriage age for girls and boys, the Committee remains concerned that article 15 of the Family Code currently contains different marriage ages for girls (17 years) and boys (18 years), with the possibility of a dispensation of one year for girls only (16 years). The Committee is also concerned that the practices of polygamy, early marriage, arranged marriage and the kidnapping of young girls to force them to marry continue, particularly in rural areas. The Committee notes the explanation provided by the delegation in respect of polygamy but reiterates its concern that the formulation of article 126 of the Criminal Code prohibiting polygamy in the form of cohabitation with two or more women on the basis of a common household is unclear and may lead to misinterpretation.

43. The Committee calls upon the State party to implement measures aimed at eliminating polygamy in all cases, as called for in the Committee’s general recommendation No. 21. The Committee also urges the State party to take all necessary measures to combat the practices of early marriage, arranged marriage and forced marriage of kidnapped women.

Mahalla committees

44. While noting the Mahalla system of self-governance, the Committee is concerned at the apparent lack of transparency and possibility of appeal of their decisions on family benefits. It is further concerned at the apparent practice that requires an appeal to the Mahalla prior to initiating divorce proceedings in court.

45. The Committee calls upon the State party to establish an effective system of appeal in respect of all decisions taken by the Mahalla. It further calls upon the State party to ensure that no Mahalla intervention is required as a precondition for access to courts in cases of marital dispute.

Marital property

46. While noting the State party’s community marital property regime, the Committee is concerned that in practice women are often unable to exercise their rights to equal share in marital property, due to the transfer of such property to the families of the husband or other third parties.

47. The Committee calls upon the State party to take all necessary measures to ensure that women are indeed able to enjoy their right to equal share in marital property.

Data collection and analysis

48. The Committee is concerned that the report did not provide sufficient statistical data on the situation of women in all areas covered by the Convention. The Committee is also concerned about the lack of information on the impact of measures taken, obstacles encountered and results achieved in various areas of the Convention.

49. The Committee calls upon the State party to strengthen its system of data collection, including the use of measurable indicators to assess trends in the situation of women and progress made towards the de facto equality of women, and to allocate sufficient budgetary resources for that purpose. The Committee invites the State party, as necessary, to seek international assistance for the development of such data collection and analysis efforts. The Committee also requests the State party to include in its next report statistical data and analysis, disaggregated by sex, rural and urban areas and State and regional levels, indicating the impact of policy and programmatic measures, the obstacles encountered and the results achieved.

Optional Protocol and amendment to article 20, paragraph 1

50. While noting that these issues are under consideration by the State party, the Committee calls upon the State party to sign and ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention and also invites the State party to accept the amendment to article 20, paragraph 1, of the Convention, concerning the meeting time of the Committee.

Preparation of next report

51. The Committee requests the State party to ensure the wide participation of all ministries and public bodies in the preparation of its next report, as well as to consult with non-governmental organizations during that phase.

Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action

52. The Committee urges the State party, in the implementation of its obligations under the Convention, to fully utilize the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which reinforce the provisions of the Convention, and requests the State party to include information thereon in its next periodic report.

Millennium Development Goals

53. The Committee emphasizes that full and effective implementation of the Convention is indispensable for achieving the Millennium Development Goals. It calls for the integration of a gender perspective and an explicit reflection of the provisions of the Convention in all efforts aimed at the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and requests the State party to include information thereon in its next periodic report.

Dissemination

54. The Committee requests the wide dissemination in Uzbekistan of the present concluding observations in order to make the people, including Government officials, politicians, parliamentarians and women’s and human rights organizations, aware of the steps that have been taken to ensure the

de jure and de facto equality of women, as well as the further steps that are required in that regard. The Committee recommends that the concluding observations be translated into the Uzbek language and that their dissemination should include the local community level. The State party is encouraged to organize a series of meetings to discuss progress achieved in the implementation of the present observations. The Committee requests the State party to continue to disseminate widely, in particular to women’s and human rights organizations, the Committee’s general recommendations, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcome of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly on the theme “Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first century”.

Ratification of other treaties

55. The Committee notes that the adherence of the State party to the nine major international human rights instruments^[1] would enhance the enjoyment by women of their human rights and fundamental freedoms in all aspects of life. The Committee therefore encourages the Government of Uzbekistan to consider ratifying the treaties to which it is not yet a party, that is, the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Follow-up to concluding observations

56. The Committee requests the State party to provide, within two years, written information on the steps undertaken to implement the recommendations contained in paragraphs 10 and 22 above.

Technical assistance

57. The Committee recommends that the State party avail itself of technical assistance in the development and implementation of a comprehensive programme aimed at the implementation of the above recommendations and the Convention as a whole. The Committee also calls upon the State party to strengthen further its cooperation with specialized agencies and programmes of the United Nations system, including the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Development Fund for Women, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the United Nations Population Fund, the World Health Organization, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Statistics Division and the Division for the Advancement of Women in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the Secretariat.

Date of next report and reporting guidelines

58. The Committee requests the State party to respond to the concerns expressed in the present concluding observations in its next periodic report under article 18 of the Convention. The Committee invites the State party to submit its next report in February 2014.

59. The Committee invites the State party to follow the harmonized guidelines on reporting under the international human rights treaties, including guidelines on a common core document and treaty-specific documents, approved at the fifth intercommittee meeting of the human rights treaty bodies, in June 2006 (HRI/MC/2006/3 and Corr.1). The treaty-specific reporting guidelines adopted by the Committee at its fortieth session, in January 2008, must be applied in conjunction with the harmonized reporting guidelines on a common core document. Together, they constitute the harmonized guidelines on reporting under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. The treaty-specific document should be limited to 40 pages, while the updated common core document should not exceed 60-80 pages.

^[1] The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination; the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women; the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment; the Convention on the Rights of the Child; the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families; the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance; and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.