Senator Pokiza Akhmedjanova reported that 122 cases of violence against children were recorded in educational institutions in Uzbekistan in 2025. These cases were distributed as follows: 38 incidents occurred in kindergartens, and the remaining 84 were in schools.
In this regard, a legislative change is being introduced in Uzbekistan that allows employers to dismiss employees of educational and upbringing institutions who have been held accountable for violence against a child. This innovation is enshrined in the law on strengthening the protection of children from all forms of violence, which was approved by the Senate on October 2.
According to the senator, amending Article 161 of the Labor Code is intended to strengthen the accountability of personnel in the education system and ensure additional safety guarantees for children. Akhmedjanova emphasized that now, if an employee of an educational or upbringing institution commits violence against a child, their employment contract will be terminated by the employer. This, according to her, is a legal guarantee to cleanse educational institutions of unacceptable individuals and create a safe environment for children.
The law also affects Article 47 of the Code of Administrative Liability. Under the new provisions, parents will be held responsible if they intentionally fail to meet a child's basic needs, despite having the necessary knowledge and capabilities, leading to deterioration of the child's health or developmental delay.
Furthermore, a new Article 198-10 has been added to the Code of Administrative Liability. This article establishes fines for both citizens and officials in case of non-compliance with or obstruction of decisions made by commissions dealing with children's issues. The senator noted that this measure will increase the effectiveness of these commissions' decisions at the local level.
A change was also made regarding the confidentiality of appeals from victims of violence and harassment. Now, upon the applicant's request, a written response does not necessarily need to be sent to their place of residence. Akhmedjanova believes this will help reduce the likelihood of repeat violence against women and children.
It should be noted that the senators approved a law that includes a number of other measures: life imprisonment for sexual crimes against children under 14, the possibility of video recording interrogations, and restrictions on working with children for persons found guilty of acts of violence. The law requires presidential signature to officially come into force.