2962e réunion, 101e session, Comité des droits de l'enfant (CRC)
Organes conventionnels
Date: 18 September 2026
Language: English
Transcript: https://transcripts.un.org/fr/crc/2962?lang=en
Transcripts available through this tool are created by using automatic speech recognition and are not official records nor official documents of the United Nations. Official records and official documents are available on the Official Document System of the United Nations.

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CRC · Chair [14:18]:

Good afternoon. I declare open the 2962nd meeting of the 101st session of the Committee on the Rights of the Child. This is the second meeting dedicated to the continuation of the review of the combined sixth and seventh periodic reports under the Convention on the Rights of the Child of Tajikistan. I will come back to the delegation. Hope you prepared yourself well for the constructive dialogue. We will have time until 1715. Then I will open follow up questions. Then 17. No, sorry. 1615 and then 1630. I will open. I will give the floor back to you so you can continue with the answers. 45, we will give the floor to the coordinator of country task force. After that, there will be five minutes, up to 10 minutes speech from your side, and then I will close. So thank you very much. And without further ado, please, Your Excellency, Mr.

Minister.


Tajikistan · Minister, Head of delegation [15:37]:

Thank you very much, distinguished chair, distinguished members of the committee. I would like to bring responses to the question about the dissemination of information on the law. In the criminal code, there is an article on liability for compiling or preserving and moving across the border pornographic material. involving minors. There are also aggravating circumstances, for example, if a minor is involved, if it involves teachers or other persons responsible for the care of children, groups of people, or whether the internet was used, IT networks, whether it was done for the purposes of earning money, and there are other definitions of *********** including video, photographic material involving minors, and legislation stipulates punishment for such acts. As regards the question of training for judges and investigators. Within the framework of honing our legislation, we are developing a new version of the Criminal Code, which includes various mechanisms for preventing sexual crimes against children. We are considering additional measures to prevent crime, in the Supreme Court and in agencies where there are investigative units. We have special agencies for qualifications enhancement for staff of these categories. Moving on to the next question about registration after one year. We still are seeing this trend, unfortunately, but we are working very hard on this late registration. In 2025, the number of registrations of children aged one and over was significant in the eight months of 2026. We saw that the number, unfortunately, the speaker is not speaking very clearly on the numbers, which makes it very difficult to interpret. We've seen changes also in the number of registration of children. We have seen a reduction of 0.35% of such registrations since 2025. We saw a 50% reduction in early marriages, as I stated previously. We are conducting broad awareness raising in order to register every child in a timely fashion. There was a question about hard-to-reach rural areas. We have local councils that are responsible for registrations. And they are located also in these remote areas. We also mentioned that we have these mobile civil acts registration services. With the help from our partners, the Justice Ministry has four vehicles, small vans, equipped to act as mobile registration vehicles. They travel to remote areas to engage in awareness raising and at the same time they conduct the registration. That is, that people don't need to go to the main town, to the center, but directly in those remote areas, we conduct these registrations. There are some villages, for example, which I know of one village in the Ushant province It's called Uldara, 186 kilometers from the municipal center. So, small buses equipped for this purpose travel to those remote villages to conduct registration. And now I'd like to pass the floor to my colleagues.


Tajikistan [21:48]:

Distinguished Chair, distinguished members of the committee, good afternoon. I'd like to note that despite the mountains covering 93% of the territory, we've highly developed our medico-sanitary system. We've implemented 3,260 hospital centers of many of them in 2025. Over the last six years in the country, we repaired over 2,000 medical institutions. If up until 1981 in the country, we had just over 2,800. We now have 5,313. And I'd like to note that thanks to all of these efforts, we have driven down the morbidity of infants and young children. In 2017, our child morbidity was 13.3. It gradually came down each year. in 2022, it was 19.1, and by 2025, we brought it down to 10.8 cases of death per 1,000 births. For children up to 15, mortality was brought down to the level of 13.1, and by 2021, that was the question, it was brought down to 14.6 per 1,000. And as regards deaths amongst mothers, we saw 21 per 1,000 live births. In 2022, it was 23.2. And by 2025, we brought down the level to 19 cases per 1,000 live births. That was the number of births amongst mothers. And this is thanks to boosting the infrastructure, extra training, constant retraining for medical personnel. So we now have 16,340 beds all which serve just mothers and infants. We have eight maternity wards across the country, two city hospitals, provincial maternity wards, and six urban maternity wards for towns and cities. We also have medical services for pregnant women in rural areas. Access for medical women to medical services in rural areas is provided through rural health centres, health houses, local regional hospitals. Also, we have constant monitoring for pregnant women by doctors, nurses, including gynaecologists. We have consultations during pregnancy, a service for women with complex cases, consultants who can travel to visit pregnant mothers, as well as other specialists. We also have supplied all of the necessary medication to such health centres, and we disseminate information to women about the importance of safe births and visiting doctors. We also engage in retraining on family health and infections control for gynecologists. We will start soon to integrate the WHO guideline on medical and sanitary assistance for children and teenagers. As regards breastfeeding in Tajikistan, to facilitate this, we have the following measures for mothers. We recommend breastfeeding during the first hour after the birth of the child, or no later than 30 minutes after birth. Mothers are given consultations on how best to conduct breastfeeding, and it is recommended exclusively up to six months, according to research. in this field. This has increased from 30 to 40.1% in recent years. We have taken measures to meet the requirements for substitutes for breast milk. That is, the state is trying to create the conditions whereby women can continue to safely engage in breastfeeding up to the age of two years. We have a national communication program on the first thousand days of life, and this led up to 2024. The goal of this program was to reduce stunting, ensure better health of children and better care by parents of their infants. Thanks to this program, we are also seeing a trend for reduction of anemia amongst children. We practice early breastfeeding to combat anemia, as well as vitamin A for children up to the age of five years. Medical personnel also provide consulting for parents on breastfeeding and care for their children, nutrition for infants, because correct nutrition in the first years of life is of great importance for the health, development and growth of children. As regards psychological health, to improve the psychological health of children, we take the following measures: developing psychiatric assistance for children and teenagers in all levels of health centers across the country. Training is given to doctors to identify depression, anxiety, and other complaints. Consultations are provided to children and their patients. in special departments, in hospitals, in schools also, we conduct awareness raising and the provision of information about mental health with particular emphasis on children in difficult life circumstances and children with disabilities. We're developing a program for early identification and intervention to quickly diagnose and provide assistance to children for their normal emotional, social and other development. We have also adopted a comprehensive document for the protection of psychiatric health, including preventing suicide among teenagers. We have allocated sufficient funding for this. The funding of public centres for improving psychiatric health has been consistently increased since 2021, from 1,750,000 som to 3,340,755 som. We have doubled the funding. We are also working through teenage consultation offices that engage in preventing suicides amongst teenagers. We are also developing a draft document on improving systems for supporting psychiatric health amongst children and teenagers up to 2030. One of the key areas of this is the prevention of suicide amongst children and teenagers. In the Republic, we also have children's psychiatrists and psychologists who work in hospitals and other health centers. They provide consultation for children and help where there are behavioral or psychiatric difficulties. As regards what measures are taken to prevent suicide in Tajikistan, we prevent suicides themselves and self-harm using the following measures. We conduct psychiatric and medical assistance to children going through periods of stress. We have early identification systems and awareness raising in schools on mental health. We explain to teachers how to identify concerning behaviour amongst teenagers. We're also working to expand access to services for social reintegration of children in conflict with the law. Psychologists are deployed six months before the release of children in penitentiary systems. We conduct such consultations. We also have psychological assistance, referrals to health systems. We help parents in this way. And so we have a center for services to assist victims of human trafficking. One of the main goals is comprehensive services and assistance, including psychological rehabilitation and medical assistance provided to such victims. As regards for support for children who have become the victims of crimes and human trafficking, victims of violence and rape also, Mothers and children who have been subjected to violence are given a range of comprehensive services, including medical and other forms of support. In order to ensure that children can enjoy their rights, we provide accommodation for victims and their families, and we take all the necessary measures to ensure that victims receive services from social rehabilitation centers. As regards vulnerable children, on the basis of contracts between the Agency for Social Protection of the Population and civil society organizations for who have won state contracts to provide that service, we have created 57 different centres on eight different models. Day centres with social centres, social centres for people with disabilities, for poor, underprivileged, children, for women, palliative care centres, centres for children with speech complaints for those with HIV and other minority groups. Over 3,000 people have received services. This concerns children with disabilities, the elderly and others who receive services, the victims of violence and labour migrants have received assistance. 120 people living with HIV and TB have received assistance. As regards the budget allocation, we're talking about more than 25 million som. Do children with disabilities have access to medication? In Djibouti, children with disabilities have access to rehabilitation services depending on their health status and individual requirements. Technical rehabilitation services and equipment can be provided, hearing devices, medication as required, physiotherapy. We are developing a comprehensive support for children through urban and regional support centers for early intervention for children with disabilities also. We're also expanding services to children on the autism spectrum. In Dushanbe, we created the first center. In 2021, we started to work with Edos equipment provided to diagnose autism in regional health centers. Comprehensive support is provided. We developed a guidelines also on providing assistance to children with autism, and we've established a list of complaints and issues that require assistance. Social services are critically important, and in the years of independence, we have strengthened social services with rapid development of recent years. Currently, we've created seven state institutions, housing and accommodation centres, institutions for children, for children with disabilities, 45 centres for social services provided in the home, centres for the elderly also, and those for citizens in difficult life situations. Depending on their age, we have an order issued by the government for providing sanitary services through the health ministry. Our children with disabilities receive entirely free medical care. For the prevention of disabilities, since 2016, we have had a law on mandatory information when the children are registered. This has become a norm of our state policy that information about disabilities must be reported, and this has helped us fight diseases and disabilities in future generations. We identify the possible future problems, the congenital problems that children can be born with. We help to identify genetic preconditions amongst parents to prevent them and also have created a genetic center which has branches in two different provinces. As already noted, we have a department for supporting families which responds rapidly based on the location of each child in the country. As regards rehabilitation services for children with disabilities, these are provided through specialist medical centres, as we already noted, and through early intervention centres. as regards a mechanism for children to submit complaints and communications for children with disabilities have a right to inform about the violation of their rights and to get protection from discrimination including children with disabilities and children living with HIV the legislation stipulates the principle of non-discrimination including on the fact of disability or the status of health of the child. Complaints can go through the patronage or guardianship institutions or through other channels. In considering complaints, the best interests of the child and the opinion of the child must be made It must be made possible for the child to express their opinion, and there must be access for the child to medical services. For children living with HIV, confidentiality is particularly important to prevent discrimination and equal access to education and healthcare. I'd also like to note that in 2023, 79 children were sent home from our centres and a number of children were also adopted. That went down to 58 subsequently and now is 64 children annually. We returned home 16 children in the last reporting year from these institutions. As regards hearing the opinion of children with disabilities, in national programmes. We have developed a practice of the direct participation by children in social and civilian initiatives. We take into account the opinions of children with disabilities through consultations, surveys, individual and group discussions and other accessible forms of communication. As a part of our awareness raising, we disseminate information about the rights of children with disabilities the accessibility of state services, the state support and the options for obtaining assistance, the practice of participation by children with disabilities. in the work of social service centres is also taken into account, and this is designed to allow children to express their opinion and participate in programmes that concern the interests of children in their daily lives. Each year, we have an example linked to the annual day of people with disabilities, 23rd of December, and the International Forum on Social Work. where children with disabilities present their creative works and demonstrate their talents and achievements. As regards hygiene, the question of providing sanitation and hygiene in schools and preschool institutions is implemented on the basis of the sanitation norms and hygiene norms from 2014. This covers everything under Decree 188. As I already noted, 97.1 percent of all of our medical institutions are furnished with clean drinking water. As we already noted, there are also wells and springs. This is processed water. Samples are taken, laboratory samples, and only then permission is granted for that drinking water source to be used. Thank you.

Distinguished Chair, distinguished members of the committee. I'd like to bring a response on the state budget, one of the key mechanisms for implementing state policy to ensure the rights and legal interests of children. In 2006, for funding all areas, we have allocated 29 billion somes, including for education, 13 billion. for social insurance and social protections, 8.5 billion, for culture and sports, 3.5. So the total is 43% of the total state budget. These funds are allocated to funding preschool institutions and general and secondary education, as well as institutions for day schools and for homes for large numbers of children with disabilities, allowances for children living with HIV, the work of the Ombudsman for Children and the implementation of state programs to protect the rights of the child. All of this provides access to education, to social and rehabilitation services as required by children. On the question on child labor, I'd like to note that as a result of a survey on child labor conducted in Tajikistan in 2023, we saw a positive trend of the scale of child labor falling compared to 2012. By 2023, 15.3% of children, 50.3% of children age from 5 to 17 were involved in economic activity. In 2013, this index was 23.4%.


Tajikistan · Minister, Head of delegation [44:32]:

Thus, over this period, the percentage of children working has gone down by 8.1%. Overall, 62% of working children were boys, 37% girls, and mainly they were working in agriculture, trade and business. According to the survey, 26% of children were categorized as minors working in employment. which was not appropriate to their age, or which was potentially a threat to their health, education or development. Overall, the data show a reduction in child employment compared to 2012. but there are still cases of children who are working, and this shows the need for further preventive measures to be taken and for workplace inspections in order to protect the rights of children to safety and education. There was a question on how the Statistics Agency gets data on children's rights. The agency obtained statistical data from administrative sources in key from the relevant ministries. And also from the census and from sample surveys of households. The. Relevant state bodies process that in line with their mandates and provide the data to the statistics agency for further analysis and distribution. In 2023, there was a diagnosis and assessment of the national child data system. In 2024, there were data on alternative care providers, and in 2025, we also extended it to other areas. I thank you.


Tajikistan [47:07]:

I want to reply to some questions that were asked by the distinguished members. There was a question or rather a proposal even, that whether early marriages, children should be studying instead, and that is indeed correct. But what I would say is this, under the education law, We have made amendments which mean that education is mandatory, 11 years of it. Girls have to be in school for 11 years, regardless of their marital status. They need to go to school. And It is a crime to prevent a girl going to school. On whether there's a separate criminalization of domestic violence, whether it's an autonomous offense, there's a working group under the president. This developed a new version of the criminal code, which is now in the adoption phase before the ministries. And there's a separate article on which provides criminal responsibility for domestic violence. It criminalizes it. On registration of women whose husbands are migrant workers abroad. We don't have any obstacles to registering the birth of a child there. If the mother of the child provides the relevant paperwork, then there is no obstacle to getting a birth certificate in those cases. Madam Chair, you asked a question about digitalization. And we currently have a draft law under development on education and upbringing. And that is what we're currently seeking to do to protect children from harmful information. So under these draft laws, there are categories of information which are prohibited for discrimination to for the dissemination to children of certain age groups. and this falls under the competency of the relevant ministries. So that's an issue not just in Tajikistan, of course, but everywhere in the world. There is harmful information online which can damage children, particularly those under 15. It can have a very adverse effect on them, on their development. And in the near future, we plan to adopt that legislation in order to address the situation. I would like to give the floor to my colleague to continue.


CRC · Chair [51:29]:

Was.


Tajikistan [51:30]:

Distinguished Chair, distinguished members, there was a question about violence against children and preventing its repetition. And here I would say that to strengthen the protection of children from violence, including sexual violence, in 2022, we included in the criminal code and the labor code amendments which increase the sanctions for sexual crimes against minors and prevent repeat offending. The Criminal Code has an amendment that provides for a new form of punishment, which is a lifetime ban on holding certain posts and carrying out certain activities. Those sanctions apply to persons who have carried out offences against the personal freedom, honour, integrity, sexual freedom and sexual integrity of minors, and prevents them from holding certain posts and carrying out certain activities connected with education, raising, development, medical services, leisure, rehabilitation, sport, culture and other forms of work that involve minors in state and non-state institutions and individually. And at the same time the guarantees of ongoing responsibility for more serious crimes against children remain, in particular as regards persons sentenced for crimes of rape, forced sexual activity, certain other sexual activities with persons under 16, and other immoral acts, they may not be freed under certain conditions, and they may not be given a suspended sentence because of statute of limitations. they are required to serve their sentence. They may not be freed from imprisonment on the basis of a time frame. Furthermore, there are strengthened sanctions for certain crimes under particular articles, including an increased sentence of imprisonment and a lifetime ban on holding certain posts and carrying out certain activities. For certain particularly severe crimes, there may indeed be lifetime imprisonment. I would like to add that, to prevent repeat victimisation of children and prevent offenders who are guilty of certain crimes from having access to children in certain activities, the Labour Code article 288 limits the ability of such persons to work in posts with minors where they have committed offenses against the sexual integrity of a minor and or other certain severe crimes as covered by the legislation. measures have been taken to strengthen the guarantees afforded to children of protection against sexual violence, with non-prescriptibility and prevention of repeat access by the offenders to work with children, as well as accessible mechanisms for protection of children. On the question of ways to inform children about their rights and guarantees, we can inform you that within the program Education and Human Rights to 2026, there have been information campaigns among state officials, law and order officials, teachers, young people, and representatives of the media. In 2023 to 2025, there were a number of training sessions for over 408 people. And in this year, there have been six training sessions covering over 100 people. Furthermore, in 2025 in Tajikistan, we announced the year of legal enlightenment, and within that year we adopted a national plan of action focused mainly on holding information events for the public. This work sought to raise legal literacy and awareness among target groups regarding human rights and national and legal methods for protection and strengthening the human rights culture. On children's environmental rights, The effectiveness of environmental knowledge among the younger generation is an important aspect of education. And one of the goals in state policy is raising environmental awareness among teens and children. Over the years of independence, we've had two state programs to increase environmental education of Tajikistan's children. The state's comprehensive program, Environmental Education and Awareness, was one of those. To implement the program and raise environmental awareness, in 2025, the Environment Committee provided over a thousand red books, red lists of rare species to educational institutions. And one of the main areas of activity is education and information work to improve environmental knowledge among the public. We had showed We demonstrated 80 programmes and over 400 TV programmes were broadcast. There were also hundreds of articles published on environmental issues for young people, and 130 events were held with discussions for different groups among the public, including organisations, businesses, and to educational institutions as well as kindergartens. Thank you.

Thank you, Chair, distinguished members. On the question of stopping the problems encountered by children without parental care. There are only, there are individual cases of children found in socially dangerous situations and they have to be identified. We search for their parents, we take the necessary measures to protect the children and we also carry out search operations for disappeared children among the public. We have efforts that are made to prevent neglect of children, and where children are found at mass events without adequate supervision, action is taken. They are given a warning and we take action to prevent them getting drawn into unlawful activity, and their parents are informed that this is not the appropriate way for them to carry out their responsibility of supervising their children in order to protect the child's interests and ensure their safety and appropriate conditions for their upbringing. On the question of child and teen suicides, From 2022 to 2025 and the first half of this year, in our country, we had 317 suicides among minors. For each of those, the suicide of a minor was recorded by the Interior Ministry and the prosecutor's office investigated. The examination of the context showed that over 70% of them had psychiatric disorders and depression and were being treated by mental health centers. The other 30% generally came from unfavorable circumstances or were encountering interpersonal or romantic problems, or were influenced by information from the internet, including harmful sites. To prevent suicide among minors, ministries working with the education structures and law and order, as well as the social services, and the children's protection services have been carrying out a series of preventive measures for early identification of children at risk who are living in difficult situations and for timely psychological and social assistance to them. as well as work with parents in order that they may better ensure that their children's needs are met. As regards vulnerable categories, particularly migrant children. In 2018-20, the Ministry of Labour, working with UNICEF and the EU, carried out a project to protect children from families affected by migration. That sought to strengthen the mechanisms to uphold children's rights and provide access to social, medical, legal and psychosocial services. There was a particular focus on vulnerable categories of the population, including children who are not permanently under the supervision of their parents. The project covered 26 cities and regions. Over 10,000 children received assistance, and over a thousand families received support in getting access to social, educational, and medical services. As a result of these initiatives, it became possible for families to achieve better results from migration and In Kulyab industrial region, there was a project carried out with key structures of the United Nations participating and a strengthening of the economic situation of women as There were 57 centres of social assistance involved. Two of those provide assistance to labour migrants and vulnerable families. In 2025, these social centres provided to 71 vulnerable families of labour migrants, reintegration assistance, and there was additional support provided in the home Other regions have also carried out initiatives helping vulnerable migrant families and their children. The vulnerable categories of the public have free medical care and social support. In 2025, 104 families were helped this way, migrant families. and over three years, 498 families received such assistance. On the programme to prevent child neglect and whether it has been adopted, we are taking consistent steps to ensure that the rights and interests of children who do not have their parents taking care of them and orphans is being implemented in order to ensure that they may fully integrate into society. In order further to improve state policy in this area, we have adopted strategic programs And among these, the National Strategy for Social Protection of the Public to 2030. This provides for long-term measures to improve the social protection system, including support to poorer families and vulnerable families, and to children who are at risk of losing parental support. The national deinstitutionalisation programme provides for children who cannot go back to their birth families to be sent to a foster family for foster care. The state programme for development of the rights of children is the main area of activity of state bodies in improving the mechanisms to protect the rights and lawful interests of children, ensure their safety, prosperity and comprehensive development, including children who are not being cared for by their parents. An important role in children's rights is played by the act on protection of children's rights, which underpins the main guarantees of the lawful interests of children, including the right to education, upbringing, medical care, social protection and appropriate living conditions. We should emphasise that the interior ministry in keeping with the recommendations, has developed a draft national programme to prevent offences against minors and against the rights and lawful interests of children to 2030, which seeks to prevent offences among children and also to prevent neglect among children. ensuring that they are fully supported and, where necessary, successfully reintegrated into their families and society through the efforts of the relevant ministries. The draft is currently at the stage of interagency approval. As regards statistical reporting on the situation of abandoned children, Under the law on the system to prevent offences among minors of 2020, the interior ministry bodies carry out preventive reporting and registration among minors who are in unfavourable circumstances, including those who are living on the street or carrying out unlawful activities and practising vagrancy and begging. As regards individual prevention work, measures are taken to examine the circumstances that led to a child being abandoned and to minors carrying out unlawful activities. and under item 7.2 of article 10, the interior ministry can register children at risk of offending and carry out preventive work with them. Currently, that preventive register has 526 minors on it. There are 255 who are there for abandonment and for socially inappropriate activities, there are 174. There are 187 who are at risk and the state bodies are taking measures to strengthen inter-agency action in order that, uh, young people in difficult situations may rapidly be identified and helped, ensuring that they can be provided with the necessary support. I thank you.

We were asked about the rights of child migrants, child asylum seekers and child refugees. Under article 24 of the child law, the relevant bodies take the necessary measures to ensure that the rights of child refugees are protected when they are in Tajikistan. Therefore, the state bodies work with the legal representatives and parents, and in children separated from their families, children are sent to appropriate child care institutions or foster families. Furthermore, under Article 21, The child within the family has rights enshrined in the constitution, the family code and the relevant legislation. Under article 31 of the refugee law, there is the principle of reuniting families. An asylum seeker or someone recognised as a refugee who is under 18 and has come to Tajikistan without being accompanied has a special status. Therefore, the child care authorities take action. If the child does not have documents, then the relatives are questioned and the personal data of the children are recorded. on the basis of a statement by the relatives.

If persons enter the country who wish to be recognized as refugees and are under 18 and are not accompanied by their legal representatives or guardians, they are questioned by the Interior Ministry and a survey sheet is filled out. Before a decision is taken on the legal status of these persons, measures are taken to hand these individuals over to the guardianship agencies of the Republic under our laws and other legislation bylaws of the country. A person seeking refugee status and submitting a petition on such status under 18 and arriving in the country without their legal representatives, taking into account the opinion of the guardianship institutions, can also be issued with a certificate. If a person who is seeking refugee status is detained, they are guaranteed all of the same rights as citizens of the Republic. What social training do our staff go through to work with children? The Interior Ministry agencies' staff for working with minors go through professional training, initial training, qualifications enhancement and retraining. As a part of this training, a particular emphasis is focused on prevention of crimes amongst minors, compliance with the rights and interests of children, handling minors and legislation with respect to minors. Training and retraining for staff is conducted on the basis of academies of the Interior Ministry, with assistance from UNICEF, the Interior Ministry and the Public Fund Legal Initiative. Up until 2026, we conducted a total of 35 training seminars for 240 law enforcement staff in the Republic. Now, how in the Republic do we prevent secondary trauma? The victims of sexual violence who are children are rendered comprehensive legal, organizational, medical, psychological, and social support aimed at protecting the rights and legitimate interests of the child and preventing secondary trauma and pressure. In line with the law and the protection of the rights of the child, every child has the right to protection from violence or the threat of violence, and parents, guardians and other legal representatives established by the law must take all necessary measures to protect children. Where they identify facts of sexual violence against minors, measures are taken to ensure they are safe and protected from subsequent negative impacts from the proposed perpetrator. If such cases are identified, the appropriate commissions must be informed of this by the interior ministry. The commission is responsible for taking the appropriate measures to protect the minor in order to prevent repeat secondary trauma. during verification or questioning or other measures conducted by the State, particular emphasis is focused on the age and psychological status of the child. Careful, gentle treatment is required, excluding any kind of intimidation, threat, pressure or other actions aimed at changing their behavior or testimony. If necessary, medical and psychological support is provided to children, as well as assistance from the Agency for the Protection of the Rights of the Child. There was also a question about the structure of the interior ministry. We have an agency for identifying and preventing violence against minors and children. This agency is represented across the country in all towns and regions. Its own structures function. A total of 336 staff work under that agency. Thank you.

Distinguished Chair, distinguished members of the committee, I would like to note that on the question of the number of preschool institutions for providing preschool education for children under a government decree of the 13th of September 2022, we approved a program for developing private preschool institutions and general education institutions up to 2027 and a plan for its implementation. The government also decreed on the 3rd of March 2026 a program for preschool education up till 2030. Under the implementation of state programs, measures are undertaken to support preschool and early development centers for children. This includes the construction of 800 preschool institutions in towns and villages where there are more than 100 families. This increases the number of such institutions and schools going from 678 to 831 in 2026. The number of children covered is 134,000 children compared to 97,000 children in 2020. We also have 3,158 early development centers currently active, which covers 183,710 children. Some years ago, it was just over 1,700 such centers. This includes kindergartens and early development centers. In 2017, 146,000 children were covered, which was just 14% currently. Preschool education, including kindergartens and early development centers, covers 317,973 children. That represents 3.8% of preschool children. And so compared to 2017, the number of children covered has increased by over 177,000, and the index of coverage has increased by 16%. On the questions of education for children in general and secondary schools. In 2015-2016, of 50 urban schools at the second G11, 2,350 children were covered. The teaching is in Tajik, Russian, and English. The children themselves choose which language. There's equal access to education and education provided in general comprehensive schools, which is free. As regards discrimination against such individuals, we haven't identified any such cases, and we have not registered any cases of discrimination. As regards psychological support for children in schools, on this issue, I would like to note that in the Republic of Tajikistan, in all schools, we provide psychologists. These are full-time, and they provide consultation assistance, assessment, to help children to adapt, prevent conflicts, and create a positive educational environment. Currently, 1,309 schools have such psychologists. Their work is deployed in compliance with the work of psychological services provided by the state and special programs of the state. To enhance the qualifications of psychologists, we have an institute for retraining and training for psychologists, and they provide refresher and training courses. The training is provided in 25 higher education institutions across the country. The development of psychological support for children is one of the areas of subsequent future improvement to ensure that the rights of the child are guaranteed. Turning to questions of reorganizing closed institutions, I'd like to note that we are continuing a phased process of overhauling the closed institutions for children, referring children to family care. There is short-term daycare provided to ease the burdens of family, to rehabilitate for social reintegration, and temporary accommodation only in exceptional cases. In 2025, in these temporary institutions, we had 105 children in 2023, that render was 189 children in 2024, 185 children. And 290 children use the day services, with 293 children in these temporary centers, 181 children in regular centers. We have 43 social service centers providing in-home assistance. These render assistance under the services purchased by the government. This includes rehabilitation, consulting, and the prevention of separation of children from their families. As regards the importance of education for girls, I'd like to note that the law on education of the 1st of March 2024 established the continuation of mandatory education after year nine, with secondary or vocational education. Since 2024, 100% of girls continue education up until year 11. On this issue, we are conducting consultations in rural areas with parents and school-going children and take measures to prevent girls dropping out from school. quotas are used to support young people in remote towns and areas. According to our statistical data for recent years, a number of 1,600 places were allocated for girls. We publish the number of places provided free for girls in schools to ensure full transparency. Information material on the role of education for girls is disseminated through the schools. Regional meetings with the mass media, children's publications, and official internet resources are also conducted.

Thank you for your attention.


CRC · Chair [1:29:04]:

Thank you very much.

Follow up questions for the second round. I see Madame Hind Ayoubi-Drissi has the first, then Mr. Philippe Jaffre, then Ms. Anna Kevich. I don't see any other hands. So please, hand.


CRC · Country Task Force Coordinator · Hind Ayoubi-Drissi [1:29:29]:

Yes. Merci, Madame la Presidente.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair, and thank you to the Tajikistan delegation for all of your responses. I have a few follow-up questions. There was a lot of human rights information on the magistrature and other actors. What about children? What about the dissemination of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in schools? Also, the two optional protocols are there. mechanisms for assessing the level of knowledge amongst children about the Convention and human rights. Is that a subject which is integrated into school curricula, not just training for professionals, but in the school curricula themselves? You've given us information on children who are left behind. where both parents go abroad to work. I know that most cases of migration of one or two parents take place in rural areas, where you have a larger proportion of such cases. You said that you have two assistance centres, and so I have the following question: how is that assistance rendered if both parents are abroad and if the grandparents, for example, cannot take care of the child. I've seen many cases of institutionalization with an impact on mental health, schooling and so forth. And so if you could give us information, for example, that is more detailed about the type of care and assistance, accompaniment provided to such children, I'd be grateful for that. Thank you.


CRC · Chair [1:31:29]:

Thank you very much. Ms. Marybelle.


CRC · Committee member · Marybelle [1:31:37]:

I had some pending questions regarding juvenile justice. There have been reforms of the criminal code mentioned. That's very important, as is the program to reform juvenile justice 2023 to 27. and I also want to point to the training of professionals working in that context. However, I have some doubts regarding why reforms of juvenile justice for juvenile delinquency remain within the criminal code. Has there not been discussion in your country Or could we know at least why it has not been seen as necessary to have a specific law to address adolescent offending, in line with the requirements of the convention and in line with the replies that we have had on a number of occasions? We would point out that protection of children in difficult situations, such as living in the street or with behavioural problems, is associated almost inevitably with those who are effectively accused of offences, as if everything could be approached in the same way. Do you believe that that is the correct approach, or have you found ways to distinguish the situation of children who need protection from the situation of children who, in addition to needing protection, because they all need it, also require a special approach because they have committed or are accused of a crime? On the additional protocol, and what we have been told. Boys from 15 to 18 can be given military training, and they're given training in use of weapons. Now, what are the supervision mechanisms in the establishments? What measures are adopted to ensure that this military training, which involves handling weapons, does not directly or indirectly mean that boys are being prepared for a possible participation in conflict before the age of 18? What independent complaints and protection mechanisms are available for those students? We are told that over 300 children were repatriated from conflict zones, including some unaccompanied children who had been in Iraq. We have already mentioned that, but my concern is that the programmes that are providing information are supported by the Red Cross and UNICEF. to be done to ensure that these programmes can be sustainable, regardless of international cooperation? And finally, in connection with a concern in our previous report regarding insufficient knowledge of the protocol on children armed conflict, what measures have you adopted to systematically incorporate the content of this optional protocol to general education and particularly in military schools? Thank you.


CRC · Chair [1:35:18]:

Thank you very much. The next speaker, Mr. Philip Joffe, please.


CRC · Committee member · Philip Joffe [1:35:25]:

So, hello to the delegation and thank you for your responses so far. I want to come back to the issue of mental health of children. As one of you already pointed out, most countries around the world are encountering a mental health issue with adolescents and children. The issue is how serious is the mental health issue in your country and what is the commensurate amount of responses that you are giving to the issue. So everything I've read about your country is that there seems to be an underestimation of the issues that children and young people are reporting in terms of formal mental health problems. And there seems to be a insufficient response, although I did hear some encouraging news about psychologists in schools. So let me be quite specific. I understand that there are some programs to train psychologists, but How many clinical psychologists do you have that are licensed, and what is the licensing procedure for psychologists in training in clinical psychology able to provide psychotherapy and continuing professional development? In terms of the suicide rates, also, could you please share how each suicide is treated in terms of what we call psychological autopsies, investigating the reasons behind these suicides and trying to figure out from each one what direction a more global response should take for the overall issue of suicide prevention. And if I may just add quickly, Chair, I think one of the issues in your country, but I'm curious about how you will respond to this, is that there seems to be a particular issue around stigma concerning suicide attempts and suicides that have been effective. And if you could share with us how you're training professionals and addressing the issue on a public health level, that would be very helpful. Thank you.


CRC · Chair [1:38:02]:

Thank you very much. The next speaker is Madame Zaina Boutaleb-Moussa, please.


CRC · Committee member · Zaina Boutaleb-Moussa [1:38:13]:

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I do believe I have three or four follow-up questions. I'm very grateful for the delegation's response, which is significant. We got answers to many of our questions, even questions I had not yet posed. But I have a question left. This concerns HIV/AIDS, that is, healthcare. We're seeing an increase in the rate of infection despite treatment. So what measures are taken to prevent new infections amongst children? The same concerns mother to child transmission. We have seen 4.0% rate. In rural areas, since a new protocol was introduced, we saw a change. As regards the budget for HIV/AIDS, we want to understand how some children in the report, which we received as information, are excluded from these budgetary allocations. How can the Government justify a slight reduction in the allocations, despite a daily increase in the needs. For water and sanitation, you have responded. We are grateful for that, and we are satisfied. But nevertheless, we would like to know what measures guarantee access to water programs for menstrual hygiene, notably in rural schools. These are important issues, access to sanitation facilities and menstrual hygiene products. How can adolescents living far from their native villages, this concerns sexual and reproductive health, how can they today have confidential access to sexual and reproductive health services safe abortions, pregnancy terminations. This is one of the major issues of the committee. So my last question is about nutrition. We haven't found the most recent data for 2024, 2025. And overnutrition and obesity also are areas where we need to have data. Thank you.


CRC · Chair [1:41:01]:

Thank you very much, Madame Zainabou. Ms. Marija Najdenkivicius.


CRC · Committee member · Marija Najdenkivicius [1:41:10]:

Thank you, Chair. First of all, I want to thank the delegation for the detailed information provided and clarifications. And I have some questions about the alternative care and prevention of separation. last about children repatriated from Syria and other conflict zones and intersectoral cooperation. I will start with alternative care. In provided replace in 2026, you indicated that still in Tajikistan, you have around a little bit more than 7,000 children in residential education institutions. Who are those children and what are the main reason for their placements? And related to that, what family-based and community services are actually available nationwide to prevent separation, and how many children and families are supported through those services? How many foster families, and here please don't refer only to guardianship, APEKA. are available and operational and how many children are placed in foster care and is foster care care available nationwide is there a formal best interest assessment and determination procedure for separation separation placement review and reunification will with clear criteria and the child's views documented about the children repatriated from Syria and other conflict settings. First of all, we commend the State Party for its efforts to repatriate those children. what long-term reintegration support is provided to them? And are social workers specifically trained and supervised to address their complex needs? And on the intersectoral cooperation, we have already some information, but I want to understand how does the intersectoral cooperation work in practice for an individual child, and which authority is ultimately responsible for coordinating the cases and follow-up? Thank you very much.


CRC · Chair [1:43:31]:

Thank you very much. I don't see any other requests, so we will have 15 minutes break now. You can prepare yourself for follow-up questions, and in 15 minutes, we will continue our dialogue. Thank you. So we can continue with your answers, please.


Tajikistan [2:02:25]:

On the question of system reform, under the criminal code, We are taking measures to develop mechanisms to respond to situations of children in conflict with the law, including mediation. Currently, there is a draft programme on children in conflict with the law to 2030 and a plan of action to implement it. They are under consideration, and that would create mechanisms to provide alternative measures, social and educational rehabilitation and other measures that are not punitive, as well as mediation, training of specialists, interagency coordination, monitoring and a broadening of appropriate practices. and there is also a draft law that provides the basis for criminal justice, including for minors in certain cases, provided for by legislation. These new laws will broaden the application of alternative measures that are not connected with custodial sentences, as well as reducing custodial sentences for minors. Those are a last resort, given the best interests of the child. With that, I will hand over to my colleague to continue. Thank you.

Distinguished members and chair, on rehabilitation, and socialization of children who have returned from Syria and Iraq from conflict zones. Tajikistan is implementing comprehensive measures for rehabilitation and adaptation and social integration of children who have come back from conflict zones, including from Syria and Iraq. Since 2019, under the humanitarian operations for the return of citizens from the conflict zones, over 4,000 citizens have returned, mostly women and children. And in 2019, 84 children were returned. In 2022, 140 women and children. 2023, 104 women and children. in 2025 until April this year, 47 women and children. Given the complicated conditions in which many of them lived after returning, we provide medical care and assessment of individual needs, social, physical and psychiatric health assessments, level of education, and psychological adaptation, to ensure a systemic approach to rehabilitation and social integration. There is a government decree of September 2025, which provides a programme for rehabilitation and adaptation to normal life, and employment and education for these women and children returned from the conflict zones. That is up to 2027. The implementation of the programme is carried out through interagency cooperation through the interagency working group involving state bodies, international organizations and other partners. For practical implementation of these measures, we have a plan of action at the national and local levels. with specific measures in the medical and psychological spheres, as well as education, social adaptation and integration of children into the family and society. There is a focus on the right of children to education, given individual needs. Measures are taken to include them in the educational process. including overcoming any gaps in their education and adaptation. Under state interaction with international organizations and civil society organizations, work is underway to identify the needs of families and provide the necessary psychological and social support and prevention of violations of rights. As a these measures, children are able to restore their family and community links, continue their education, and adapt to life in the community. Tajikistan is continuing to apply mechanisms for adaptation and reintegration of child returnees in light of their best interests, their needs, and the need to protect their rights and avoid discrimination. I should also point out that in Tajikistan, measures are being taken to protect the rights of children of labour migrants, including unaccompanied migrants and child migrants, and reunification with their families. The passport service where an application comes from a foreign country for a minor citizen of Tajikistan who is unaccompanied, provides rapid provision to the parents of where the child is and facilitates return to Tajikistan and reunification with the family. From 2014, to 2024, we returned 54 minor children in this way, and all, in all cases, the consulates provided the necessary documents for their return. Furthermore, under interstate cooperation, At the initiative of the competent bodies in Tajikistan, there have been discussions of changes to the Russian legislation to provide for the children of labour migrants to be registered there while their parents are working in order to strengthen their legal protection. I thank you.

Distinguished members, there was a question about provision of care to children where their parents have gone abroad for work. And here I can say that in our country, when both parents have gone abroad for employment, the children, as a rule, are cared for by grandparents, and if they cannot, then they transfer the guardianship to close relatives, uncles, aunts and other relatives. In line with the family values of our country, it is close relatives who take on the care of the child. It is unusual for them not to do that. If that cannot happen, the child may temporarily be placed in a residential institution, but such a placement is temporary. If it is possible to transfer the child to, if it is not possible to transfer the child to relatives, then there'll be a legal ruling on whether the child should be adopted. On another question. namely human rights as a subject in the general education system. In classes 8 and 9, the basis of the state and law is a subject, and in class 11, human rights is a subject. Manuals are provided, and all educational materials The teachers are trained to provide this teaching, and the students learn about the main concepts in human rights, their rights and responsibilities, the principles of the rule of law, and mechanisms to protect human rights and freedoms. Within the school programmes, there are separate topics devoted to the United Nations conventions, including on the rights of the child, the main rights and responsibilities of the child, the best interests of the child and how to prevent violations of a child's rights. Children also learn about the procedure to apply for protection of their rights and lawful interests, the need to respect the rights of others and responsibility for violating them. This makes it possible to improve legal literacy among school children and create a culture of, a human rights culture, knowledge of the rights of the child and the sense of responsibility for upholding one's own rights and those of others.

On issues of integrating norms on the child into legislation on the expression of their opinion, in 2024, in the law on the protection of the rights of the child and the family law, as well as legislation on communications, amendments were made, as well as additions. The child is capable of expressing their opinion and has the right to personally refer their case to the custodianship or guardianship agencies, the right of a child to express their opinion is not limited by age. Standard instructions on receiving communications from children in schools require the ability of the child to express their opinion, to freely express their position, The individual peculiarities of a child and their age, the training that's provided are to be taken into account. In planning and implementation of monitoring, as well as the assessment of policies on the rights of the child, representatives of civil society participate and children themselves also participate. This gives a foundation for the creation of focus groups for consultations, confidential discussions on issues affecting children. Thank you.


CRC · Chair [2:14:57]:

We are now going to move on to the next item on the agenda.


Tajikistan [2:15:05]:

Thank you very much, distinguished chair. We'd like to go back to the previous question about the program of targeted social allowances to poorer families as well as families with children with disabilities under 16 and two or more such children. The coverage is to be 15% of the total number of households in 2026. The budget was 299,600,000 som, including for payment of allowances to poorer families, with a total of 180,000,000 som for additional payments for 626,000 children under 18 from poorer families, 97 million somes, approximately. And also for over 9,000 families with children with disabilities, 1,450,000 somes. In our country, some medications for children of vulnerable and poorer families can be provided at a discount or free. This is done through state programs and individual programs for treating diseases that are a threat to the society. In the Republic, for the prevention of non-infectious diseases, we promote physical activity, healthy nutrition, a healthy lifestyle, and driving down risk factors in the country. We have national programs for forming a healthy lifestyle for 2020 to 2026, for defeating obesity amongst children, and to boost literacy about health amongst children and their parents, we are conducting information campaigns on balanced nutrition. Parents are consulted on breastfeeding and correct feeding of their children. On these medical surveys conducted in 2017, 2018, we saw figures on stunting and obesity as follows. Obesity and excessive weight up till age of five was 6% in 2016, 3% in 2017. In 2020, 3% saw a small increase to 5%. Malnutrition, 10% in 2016, 6% in 2017, and at the same level in 2023. Stunting in 2019, 26%. Subsequently, 18% thanks to our program and prevention. In 2023, it fell to 14%. In Tajikistan, we've also adopted a new order for organizing meals in general comprehensive schools. for ministries, education, healthcare, social protection, education and science, finances and trade, in 2021, signed a new order which stipulates that in canteens of schools, it is banned that food that is fast food or drinks that are carbonated with colorants. Such soft drinks cannot be sold within 500 meters of a school. In 2022, we adopted a new program for developing school nutrition up to 2027 under the Coordination Council for Schools, which brings together all of the relevant ministries. On the question of the sale of unhealthy food in and near schools, the Coordination Council meets regularly in the city of Dushanbe and in a number of provinces. The councils and municipal agencies have removed kiosks selling unhealthy food next to schools because they could lead to obesity in children. As regards deinstitutionalising institutions for children, children's homes and introducing day centres, we have created a centre for the support of families and children with temporary care for mothers and children and other family support measures. The main goal of transforming these children's homes into centres for day care for children is to respect the legitimate interests and needs of small children in difficult life situations and to ensure that they get the appropriate care in appropriate families. Social assistance for children with disabilities is also provided here. 22 children's centers, day centers are created, logopedical centers, as well as services for providing care to children from poorer families. Medical and sanitation assistance to children. Comprehensive support for children is also one of the areas where we've made a lot of progress. We respond to the needs of individual children, and this plays a major role in supporting children with disabilities where they live and keeping them together with their families, and also renders a positive impact on the quality of life of children. As of today, in city health centers, we have created 13 units for comprehensive support for families and children. I'd like to note that 96% of children live in families. 267 children are on state support and rehabilitation in children's homes. As regards prevention of HIV mother to child transmission, measures are stipulated for preventing the spread of HIV and other viruses up to 2030. There's early testing for pregnant mothers and antiretroviral therapy for the prevention of transmission. and children have access to free ARV therapy where they're living with HIV, early detection of HIV in children, the development of laboratory capacities for early diagnosis of HIV infections in infants, artificial feeding instead of breastfeeding with substitutes for breast milk, paid for by the state budget, integrated medical care. Subsequent development for medical services for those with HIV, notably for children. Next, protection from stigmatization and discrimination. This program stipulates protection of the rights of people living with HIV from discrimination and stigmatization. This program stipulates continued state funding for programs for children living with HIV who are under 18. The goal up to 2030 is achieving the eradication of HIV transmission from mother to child, including a level of.

Transmission of less than 2%.

Next, questions of healthy lifestyle, sexual and reproductive health, prevention of HIV, as well as outreach in senior classes in school. In secondary education, it is mandatory to have programs that disseminate information amongst young people. healthy lifestyle and prevention of HIV are included in training for teachers. We fully take into account in this teacher training the current situation around the HIV infection rates. However, the level of information amongst children and youth remains insufficient. For children with HIV, Under our legislation, the authorized state agency is the Ministry for Education and Science and the Ministry for Social Protection. They support children in hospitals or conduct monitoring in children's homes. We have special programs for schools in line with state education standards, which allow children to continue to receive education regardless of their health status and their need for medical observation. This standard is aimed at ensuring the continuation of education and equal access to education whilst limiting violations of the rights of the child due to them having an HIV infection. mother to child transmission of HIV. In 2023, we identified just 24 cases. 2.2% of the total number of HIV infections identified in the country in 2023. In 2024, we identified 25 cases of MTCT, which makes up 2.5% of the total number of HIV cases. So a very low number of new cases. In 2025, we identified 32 cases of MTCT. 3.3% of the total number of HIV cases found in the country. That's 97 new cases in 2025. In the six months of 2026 in Tajikistan, we identified just four cases of mother-to-child transmission, which is just 1% of the total number of HIV cases identified in the country in the first six months of 2026. I'd also like to note that of a number of pregnant women and children covered by the MTC prevention program, the level of HIV transmission in 2023 was 1.3%, that's three children out of 240 born, zero the following year, and in 2025, 0.4%, that is just one child out of 243 children born to HIV-carrying mothers. As regards the additional questions posed on mental health, we have a system of consultation offices which conduct consultations on suicide-related behaviour. We are developing a document on improving the measures for the mental health of children and teenagers for the period 2026 to 2030. One of the key areas is the prevention of suicides among children and teenagers. To improve the mental health of children, we are also taking the following measures: developing psychological and psychiatric assistance to children and teenagers within the mental health infrastructure, identifying stress, anxiety, depression and other complaints among children. Children and parents are given consultations on mental health support by doctors within the national system for providing support to families and children in schools. We're conducting awareness raising on issues of mental health. Particular attention is focused on children who are in difficult life circumstances and children with disabilities. We're developing a program for early detection of development problems and early intervention with support for children and their parents. It is critical to identify early mental health issues and to render assistance to children, creating the conditions for their normal emotional and social development. I think that I answered all of the questions posed. As regards the previous questions on whether there were children with disabilities who were covered by children's sanatoria, Under the Ministry of Protection of the Children, we have an agency which is responsible for a sanatorium, Karatok, and also in Ushuri, another sanatorium for children. Sanatoria have covered a large percentage of children with medical problems, notably tuberculosis. In Ushuri, Over 300 children were provided with sanatorium care due to their illnesses.


CRC · Chair [2:30:11]:

Thank you.


Tajikistan [2:30:12]:

As regards cruel and harmful treatment with children during their detention in under custody by the police, I'd like to respond that the legislation stipulates special procedural guarantees for minors when they are detained, held within the interior ministry facilities and during investigations under Article 117 of the Criminal Code, Procedural Code, children under 14 cannot be held in custody in this way. We also have a special procedure for criminal proceedings with respect to minors, taking into account the level of psychological and other development and protection of their rights and legal interests. There's mandatory participation of the defendant's lawyer in all proceedings, mandatory participation by a psychologist and a teacher where minor suspects are questioned or minors under 16, there's mandatory participation of the legal representative. Where there are cases involving minors, from the very first questioning, the legal representative may be present. As regards limiting the length of questioning, Suspects who are minors cannot be questioned for more than two hours without a break or more than four hours per day. As regards detention in custody, detention of minors is only possible in exceptional cases of serious crimes. There are also norms for the prevention of intimidation, torture, psychological pressure, and other forms of cruel treatment of children during questioning. The Criminal Procedural Code stipulates the rights of victims for reparations. Chapter 47, for example, governs reparations for harm rendered due to the illegitimate actions of agencies in pre-trial proceedings over the past 10 years. As regards the number of cases of cruel or harmful treatment or illegitimate detention of minors, we registered no such cases. As regards the adoption of a national programme for the rehabilitation of children who are in conflict with the law, we note that the question of preventing crimes amongst minors, the protection of the rights of children who are in conflict with the justice system and their rehabilitation and social adaptation, reintegration into society, is one of the priority areas of the work of state policies in the area of the protection of the rights and interests of the child. The corresponding measures on this issue are reinforced in state programs and interagency mechanisms currently effective. So there is a separate program. This includes a program for the protection of the rights of the child in Tajikistan for 2026 to 2030. which stipulates concrete measures directly related to rehabilitation and adoption of these recommendations. Paragraph 23, for example, stipulates the adoption of measures for children who are released from penitentiary institutions, including the creation of conditions for social adaptation of children after their release. restoring their social connections, continuing their education and preparation for independent life, as well as assistance for them returning to their families and society. Article, paragraph 23, stipulates the organization of measures for psychosocial rehabilitation of minors in closed and semi-closed institutions. 33 and 34 of the program cover interconnected stages of reintegration of children who are in conflict with the law. This reduction of the level of repeat offenses amongst children, given the decree of 2025, stipulates new measures for the social rehabilitation of minors who have served their terms in penitentiary systems, for the prevention of crimes amongst children, On the 30th of July 2022, a decree was adopted introducing a national program for preventing crimes amongst young people up to 2024. In 2021, for the first time in the Republic, we conducted the first scientific and education competition on the topic of the rights of the child and justice with respect to children for children in penitentiary systems. Also, measures are also taken to improve the justice system with respect to children within the program for reform of the justice system with respect to children for 2023 and to 2027 and a plan of action. for 2030-2035 for the implementation of this program. We have approved a governmental decree of June 2023, and we are consistently implementing this program to improve guarantees for the rights and interests of children in conflict with the law and to develop alternative measures of influencing children. As regards the reform of the juvenile justice system and to prevent children being recruited into informal criminal justice, the Justice Ministry is developing a new programme for improving the lot of children within the legal system. And this new program includes amendments to legislation bringing alternative measures, alternative that is to formal criminal proceedings and trials, taking into account the age of the child, their individual circumstances and their best interest. Interagency coordination by state agencies in this area. also facilitates a comprehensive approach to rehabilitation and social reintegration for children in conflict with the law. In this work, we have deployed the justice, education, interior, healthcare, social protection agencies, and other state structures within the limits of their mandates. With respect to criminalization and violence with respect to children, we note that in line with Criminal Code provisions, minor victims are vulnerable groups and therefore under special protection. The Criminal Code establishes that crimes against minors are recognized as aggravating with more serious punishment and prison terms, preventing criminalization for children's. But we do not believe a separate corpus delicti is required because we believe that the 17 articles of the criminal code on children cover the major areas and are sufficient for protecting the rights of children. As regards the question of adopting by-laws to ensure compliance with the law on human trafficking and rendering assistance to victims. We know that as of today, we have adopted and signed more than 20 international documents and treaties in the area of fighting human trafficking. The country is also a participant of 18 additional important documents and treaties adopted under the framework of the Commonwealth of Independent States. We've also developed the drafts of 14 programme and legislative documents aimed at preventing human trafficking, interdicting such criminal activity and protecting the rights of victims. In order to implement the law on countering human trafficking and render assistance to the victims of human trafficking, the government of the country is adopting mid-term measures to counter human trafficking. As of today, we've adopted and are implementing our sixth national plan to combat human trafficking in Tajikistan for 2025 to 2027. I wish to note that alongside improving legislation and strengthening the corresponding systems, the country has also achieved a number of practical results. From 2023, we have identified 146 women and 30 children who are victims of human trafficking. All of them have been referred to state and non-governmental agencies and have received medical, legal, psychological and social assistance, which went as far as paying for them to go back home. and the issuance of small subsidies for them to even open their own companies and small enterprise. Under our program for 2024-2025, organs of local self-government have rendered material assistance to 305 victims in the sum of between 1,500 and 5,000 som, the total sum of material assistance allocated was 755,000 som. As regards the issue of providing jobs to reduce labor migration from the country, economic migration, I'd like to note that professional vocational training and support for citizens is one of the priorities of the labour, migration and employment agencies. In 2025 and in the first half of 2026, the labour, migration and employment agencies saw more than 235,000 citizens offer petitions most of them were registered as job seekers. The others were given the status of unemployed. The migration services over that period have seen 113,000 citizens who were found jobs, permanent employment.

In order to improve their possibilities of becoming employed and Also, training information about the labor market. There were over 1,000 labor fairs held with participation by organizations and businesses, which made more than 14,000 announcements of vacancies. At the same time, measures are being taken to support unemployed citizens in developing Entrepreneurial activity. There is financial support to set up a small business. This was provided over 3000. People who had been unemployed. Over. 11,000 people were involved in this effort. The. Government is focusing on the social and economic integration of people returning from labor migration. The Labor Ministry and other government ministries are working on this in order to provide employment for thousands of citizens. There were also, there was also professional training provided for returnees, and over 1,700 people received professional consultations. Furthermore, in 2025 and the first half of 2026, 141,000 people were covered by short-term courses for skills improvement and received validation of their skills in training institutions under the Employment Ministry and other educational institutions in our country. On cooperation between state bodies and civil society organizations to support children and families of labor migrants. Since September last year, the Ministry of Labor, Migration and Employment and the Gender and Development NGO have had a memorandum of cooperation under which they carry out events to raise awareness among migrants of safe migration, HIV, TB in certain areas. The Migration Service of the Labor Ministry is also working with the Zerkalo organization to exchange information on violations of on a hotline and on trafficking. And under the migration service and with support of the International Organization for Migration and the Development Association, there was a public council set up to provide regular dialogue with civil society. in order to support migrants and their families. The Zerkala Association launched a hotline with a special telephone number. And the FAO in Khakassian Oblast, women's associations studied agricultural habits, and over 500 women were members of migrant families. In addition, there were 500 young farmer schools established to provide skills training and employment to young people. The state structures in our country are working to make it clear to migrants what their rights and responsibilities are and how they can obtain legal protection. In 2025, the Labor Ministry held over 3,000 information meetings covering 500,000 people. Representatives of the Labor Ministry in Russia in 2025 organized 45 meetings with law enforcement and international organizations and 95 meetings with migrants as well as online sessions the committee on the right on on women and the family held over 100 meetings and 32 seminars, as well as hundreds of meetings, and provided thousands of issues of information material on trafficking. The council under the interior ministry has provided national ongoing information sessions to prevent unlawful migration. It is working directly with the public, providing information sessions, distributing materials, and providing legal and advisory assistance to the public. Thank you.

Thank you, Chair, members of the committee. Some additional information. There was a question. on whether teenagers have access to sexual and reproductive health information, particularly girls. In our country, the legal guarantees of the access by minors to sexual and reproductive health services is provided for by law. Article 88 of the Health Code provides the right of minors and young people to provide sexual and reproductive health services. For minors, health services and sexual and reproductive health consultations are provided in a confidential setting. This is provided for by law, and they are provided with services as provided for under the health ministry. in special youth medical centres. This provides for diagnosis, medical assistance and information and access to contraception in a confidential setting through a special anonymous system. On abortion, This is under article 94 of the Health Code, and under the legislation, the legal representatives are father and mother or adoptive parents. As regards preventing early pregnancy, the following is done. We provide information in schools on sexual and reproductive health. Young people receive information on contraception and preventing disease. The work is done with families on preventing early marriage and protecting girls' health. Measures are taken to prevent early marriage and protect children, girls. have the possibility to continue their education, which is a major factor in preventing early pregnancy. There are information campaigns against early pregnancy, with an accent on the harm that it does to the health of women. Thank you.

Thank you, chair. Distinguished members, briefly, I would like to reply to two questions. First, the right to refugee status of children and others. In 2022, the Administrative Offences Code was modified, and according to the new provisions, there can be no sanctions or expulsion for refugees or asylum seekers. Formerly, if they violated the immigration proceedings, there could be administrative expulsion, but that is no longer the case. In the Administrative Offences Code, there is a change increasing the time frame for a foreign citizen to appeal a court decision on his expulsion that used to be just days and it is now seven days, which means that migrants and refugees have a real opportunity to obtain qualified legal assistance and defend their rights in court. Another subject. Each case of suicide or a suicide attempt is examined carefully under the criminal and criminal proceedings legislation. A suicide attempt is not considered a crime, but the law requires that law enforcement verifies each such case to see whether it was an attempt to induce someone to suicide or cause their suicide. I should emphasise that in investigating suicides and suicide attempts, the relevant officials and the relevant ministries carry out post-mortem expertise to see what the psychiatric state of the deceased was and what factors could have influenced his decision. On the basis of that, I can say that each case of suicide or attempted suicide is studied thoroughly and Decisions are taken by the responsible bodies, I think. On street children. Within the preventive work of the interior ministry, there are guardianship and foster systems, a committee to protect children, education bodies, social protection bodies and organs to uphold the rights of children. Information on children without parental care or living in a street situation can come from the public, from educational institutions, from doctors and social organisations. There is a focus on finding out why a child ended up on the street, to remove factors that could lead to a child being in that situation or being rejected from the family again, efforts are made to ensure the child's future safety. Thank you.

Thank you, distinguished Chair and members. One of the important results of state policy is a reduction in the level of policy and an improvement of prosperity. The national poverty level has gone down from 25% in 2021 to 19% in 2020, and extreme poverty has gone down to 6%. To ensure objective assessment of living standards, Tajikistan, with the World Bank, improved the methodology to assess poverty within the household budget. The new methodology is in line with international standards in measuring poverty and takes into account particular socioeconomic circumstances in the country, making it possible in the future to determine not only the overall poverty level but to analyse extreme poverty and the difference between urban and rural poverty, to assess regional differences. The assessment of poverty is based on national indicators of household prosperity, which provides a fuller picture of the living standards. of our people. Improvement of the methodology and the quality of the surveys provides a good basis for regular monitoring of poverty, assessment of the effectiveness of social policy and development of targeted measures for further efforts to improve prosperity. There was a question about the number of children with disabilities in institutions and in alternative care. We have 2,400, of whom 1,600 are girls, are boys, I'm sorry. Thank you.


CRC · Chair [2:59:20]:

Thank you very much for all the answers you have provided. Now I would like to give the floor to the country task force, Madame Hinda Yobe-Drissi for five minutes.


CRC · Country Task Force Coordinator · Hind Ayoubi-Drissi [2:59:36]:

Thank you, Madame Chairperson. I thank the delegation. We're reaching the end of this quite complex day with a large workload, but which has been very constructive. I thank the State Party for all of its efforts in laws, in strategies, in careful consideration of improving coverage for education, including for vulnerable children, registering births and many other things. There has been work on many fronts. Of course, there is always scope to improve and strengthen the system, and I trust the state party to continue investing in its human capital in Tajikistan's children, rising to the remaining challenges, as is the case for many countries, such as data collection, greater participation by children, and justice for children. consideration of other fields, including digital protection, greater consideration of the rural parts of the country, where 93% of the country is mountain. We are aware of all of this, but we are very pleased to see the efforts that Tajikistan is making for its children. I congratulate you on that and wish you every success, looking forward to an even higher level of protection of children in Tajikistan. And we look forward to seeing you again before this Committee with even more progress, but there will still always be challenges. Thank you very much.


CRC · Chair [3:01:34]:

Thank you very much. Over to you, Your Excellency, Mr. Minister.


Tajikistan · Minister, Head of delegation [3:01:47]:

Madam Chairperson, distinguished members, At the outset, on behalf of the Government and our delegation, I wish to express thanks to the Committee on the Rights of the Child for considering the combined sixth and seventh periodic report of the Republic of Tajikistan on the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, as well as for the constructive dialogue and assessment of positive changes and consideration of the problems facing our state. It should be noted that this dialogue does not reflect all the indicators and achievements of our country in the development of an effective system for the protection of children's rights, the protection of children from violence and the threat of violence, as well as taking into account The opinion of the child, this is something that this dialogue will contribute to in future in the further implementation of Tajikistan's obligations in the field of human rights. The recommendations will be carefully analyzed and discussed with the participation of representatives of state structures and civil society. As Ms. Idrissi just mentioned, a state must improve indicators, it must improve living standards for its population and that is something reflected in our Constitution. The state must create appropriate living conditions and the facilitate the free development of each person, including children. And I would like to assure you that not to improve the protection of the rights of the child, the government of the country will continue to conduct a constructive dialogue with the Committee on the Rights of the Child, as well as with other UN statutory and treaty bodies, improve legislation, consistently implement the provisions of international legal acts recognized by Tajikistan in domestic legislation, as well as implements the recommendations of the United Nations treaty bodies, including the Committee on the Rights of the Child. We will continue to pay considerable attention to improving national institutions for the protection and promotion of the rights of the child, which is of fundamental importance for the consistent implementation of the state's international obligations, assessing the progress achieved and objectively identifying the remaining tasks and challenges. We all know that Children and young people are our future. And today it is crucial to take every possible measure so that plans and strategies, programs are amended to take into account time and the realities of our time to achieve the goals that would facilitate a better future with better conditions. So, I can assure you that we are working very intensively on that. And I would like to thank you, Madam Chair, for your significant contribution to the formation of an objective and friendly atmosphere during the discussion of the combined sixth and seventh periodic report of our country. I would also like to thank all the members of the Committee on the Rights of the Child. It's been very useful to have your recommendations. I am not exaggerating at all. We will examine carefully each recommendation separately. And we have the practice of establishing a plan for the implementation of your recommendations. And what is no less important, we will take into account the opinions of civil society. We work very closely with the NGOs and we will present our plan to the NGOs, and taking into account their opinions and their proposals, we will then adopt it within the government and implement it. I would also like to thank all the members and all persons who contributed to the organization of this event at a high level. We would especially like to express our gratitude to the interpreters at the event, who gave us the opportunity to discuss the necessary issues without hindrance, in a timely fashion and in a qualified manner. I thank the committee once again for the constructive dialogue, and I assure you that our country will continue to take practical and systematic measures to implement the recommendations of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child. Thank you for your attention.


CRC · Chair [3:06:45]:

Thank you very much once again, Mr. Minister, head of delegation, and distinguished members of the delegation, the ambassador. It was really a pleasure to have this constructive dialogue today for two sessions. We have learned a lot from you, what you are doing on the field for the children in Tajikistan, and we have learned a lot of directions and improvements you have brought to our attention, and we are very grateful for this, of course. But of course, as you have mentioned, you are already aware that you have to do much more. And I'm glad that we see the delegation so motivated to improve and to reach much more reforms and improvements for children. Of course, The implementation of the Convention, I highlighted all the time, is not a matter of one day or one year. It is the constant progress. And we are happy when we see more, more and more progress. And I can also, from my side, assure you that the recommendations, what we will elaborate based on today's constructive dialogue, will be suited to the context of your country. to the possibilities of your country. And we will be very glad next time when the delegation comes that we see that the recommendations, all recommendations are implemented and you have done much more beyond what we have recommended. Wish you all the best. You have 48 hours for the answers you could not provide today because of the time. and you can send it to us in written form. But also please convey our warmest regards to all children of Tajikistan, and we wish you all the best and have a safe trip back home. Thank you very much.