15 May 2024 - Today, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), the “Yuksalish” Movement, and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Regional Office for Central Asia (OHCHR ROCA) hold a Concluding Event “From EQUAL to Empowered: Advancing Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in Uzbekistan”. The event is organised within the framework of “Enhancing the Quality of Uzbekistan's Application of International Law (EQUAL)” project, funded by the European Union.  

This marks the finalization of a project initiated in 2021. Its primary goal was to advance equal protection of Economic, Social, and Cultural (ESC) rights in Uzbekistan through support for civil society. The EQUAL project tried to achieve its objectives through two key aims:

• ​Empowering Uzbek civil society actors with the necessary knowledge and expertise to use international legal frameworks and mechanisms concerning ESC rights, especially for vulnerable groups facing discrimination;
• ​Promoting more effective implementation of international law and utilisation of international mechanisms regarding ESC rights, in collaboration with civil society, with a particular focus on marginalised groups.

This event was an opportunity to demonstrate project outcomes, valuable lessons learned, and first-hand perspectives from partners and beneficiaries. Attendees had the opportunity to engage in thematic discussions led by both international and national experts, focusing on the crucial topic of implementing international human rights standards within Uzbekistan's national justice system. From highlighting successes to addressing challenges, these discussions opened the space for further exploration of human rights advocacy and implementation.

The event was organised within the framework of the Project “Enhancing the Quality of Uzbekistan's Application of international Law (EQUAL)” funded by the European Union through the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR), and implemented by the International Commission of Jurists and Yuksalish Movement.