COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS REVIEWS INITIAL REPORT OF UZBEKISTAN

The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights has reviewed the initial report of Uzbekistan on how that country implements the provisions of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

Introducing the report was Akmal Saidov, Head of the National Centre for Human Rights of Uzbekistan, who said Uzbekistan has been a multi-ethnic Republic since ancient times and despite the many nationalities living in the country, there has not been a single incident of ethnic conflict. The country was home to over 120 ethnic groups and the transition period to independence had also been a peaceful one, with all the nationalities willing to live together.

Mr. Saidov said Uzbekistan was implementing all its international obligations, and continued its dialogue and cooperation with the international organizations with the view to promoting the economic, social and cultural rights of the population. It had so far submitted more than 15 reports to the various treaty bodies and other international organizations.

During the discussion, which was held over three meetings, Committee Experts raised questions pertaining to, among other things, the rights of women and traditional practices discriminating against them; reported discrimination against Russian-speaking Uzbeks; the high number of persons with disabilities; the role of non-governmental organizations; the disappearance of the Aral Sea and its impact on health; social security and labour standards, in particular concerning child labour; domestic violence; education and health; and the independence of trade unions.

The Committee will issue its concluding observations and recommendations on the initial report of Uzbekistan at the end of its three-week session on 25 November.

Other members of the Uzbek delegation included representatives of the Permanent Mission of Uzbekistan to the United Nations at Geneva.

When the Committee reconvenes at 3 p.m. this afternoon, it will begin its consideration of the initial report of Bosnia and Herzegovina (E/1990/5/Add.65).

Report of Uzbekistan

The initial report of Uzbekistan (E/1990/5/Add.63) notes that since it became an independent State and embarked on democratic transformations and reforms, Uzbekistan has achieved considerable success in the observance and protection of human rights and freedoms. A system of human rights legislation comprising more than 100 laws and regulations has been built up since independence. The nucleus of Uzbek human rights legislation is the Constitution and the international standards set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international legal instruments in this area. A system of national human rights institutions has been set up in Uzbekistan. It includes the Office of the Ombudsman, the National Human Rights Centre and the Institute for Monitoring Current Legislation, among others. Measures are being taken to combine efforts to develop democratic processes in Uzbekistan. In 1997, a national programme for raising public awareness of the law was adopted. A continuous system of human rights education has been established in the country.

The report notes that Uzbekistan has acceded to more than 60 international legal instruments that protect and guarantee economic, social and cultural rights. The fundamental economic, social and cultural rights are guaranteed by the Constitution. Uzbekistan is making major efforts to educate the population concerning the legal protection of women and to eradicate traditions and prejudices that have a negative impact and infringe on women’s rights. At the same time, Uzbekistan is promoting cultural and traditions values that encourage respect for women and protect their rights. The media devotes a great deal of attention to women’s issues. There are 20 new television programmes that provide information about women’s issues. The policy of the Government is based on the principle of equality, without distinction as to sex, among other things.

Introduction of Report

AKMAL SAIDOV, Head of the National Centre for Human Rights of Uzbekistan, said Uzbekistan has experienced religious and inter-ethnic tolerance throughout the centuries. Uzbekistan has been a multi-ethnic republic since ancient times. Despite the many nationalities living in the country, there had not been a single incident of ethnic conflict. The country was home to over 120 ethnic groups. The transition period to independence had also been a peaceful one, with all the nationalities willing to live together.

The Government welcomed the role of non-governmental organizations in the implementation of the provisions of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Mr. Saidov said. In the past, the Government had organized conferences for leading non-governmental organizations, as well as scientific bodies.

Mr. Saidov said the Supreme Assembly (parliament) had ratified over 60 international human rights treaties, including the International Covenant which it ratified in 1995.

During the period of transfer from a planned to market economy, the State had had difficulties in implementing the various treaties it had ratified, Mr. Saidov said. The transition to a market economy had also been a hard experience that required additional efforts on the part of the Government.

Since 1999, the Government was each year celebrating themes pertaining to the human rights of women, children and educational development, Mr. Saidov said. The protection of women’s rights had been emphasized during the observations of women’s year. Non-governmental organizations were actively participating in disseminating information on economic and social protection of women and children.

Mr. Saidov further said attention was paid to the protection of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working on the promotion and protection of economic, social and cultural rights. The number of NGOs operating in the country had now reached 5,000. The number of cultural centres run by these organizations had also increased. The Government had established social and economic partnerships in order to advance the implementation of the provisions of the International Covenant.

With the collaboration of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Government had published and widely disseminated educational manuals on human rights, Mr. Saidov said. The provisions of the International Covenant had also been embodied in the country’s legal system.

Uzbekistan was implementing all its international obligations, and continued its dialogue and cooperation with the international organizations with the view to promoting the economic, social and cultural rights of the population. Mr. Saidov said. It had so far submitted more than 15 reports to the various treaty bodies and other international organizations.

In conclusion, Mr. Saidov said difficulties in fully implementing international treaties still persisted. Among the causes of the difficulties were the transitional period from a planned to market economy, the effort to restore regional stability, insufficiency in resources, and the fight against drug trafficking during the Taliban regime and under the current Government in Afghanistan.

Questions by Committee Experts

An Expert wanted to know more about the role of the National Centre for Human Rights and asked why it was part of the executive instead of being an independent institution. With regards to persons with disabilities, the Government had encouraged enterprises to employ them by applying a quota system; however, they were educated in special schools, separate from others, and that was a form of segregation. The report did not indicate the existence of a law on refugees. How many refugees were living in Uzbekistan? The country seemed to have inherited and continued to use the practice of “propiska” – fixed residence without the right to move to other areas of the country. What efforts were being made to resolve the problems related to propiska?

Another Expert said the maintenance of the “propiska” system was a source for corruption because of the fact that people had to resort to bribery in order to resettle in other areas of the country. The practice of propiska also curtailed the right to freedom of movement. On the issue of the National Centre for Human Rights, he wanted to know more about the manner by which the members were elected and if branches were set up in regions other than Tashkent, the capital. It was reported that the Ombudsman had received about 20,000 complaints since it was established. What were the main subjects of complaints submitted to that Office? The process of NGO registration was too long, taking up to seven years. What was the reason for such bureaucracy? The law guaranteed material security for judges, but no adequate housing was available for judges. Who appointed and dismissed judges? The Expert also wanted to receive information on reported acts of discrimination against Uzbek citizens of Russian origin from holding higher State posts. School children were obliged to pick cotton during the harvest period; what was the minimum age of those children?

An Expert said the judiciary in Uzbekistan should be absolutely independent and the delegation should take note of that principle. The report did not mention whether NGOs had participated in its preparation. The Committee had not received any reaction from the NGOs concerning the report. Did the State party disseminate the Covenant throughout the country? Did judges know about the treaty? The Expert wanted to know if Uzbekistan had ratified ILO Convention No. 138 on the minimum age of admission to labour.

One Expert asked if the State party had taken measures to reduce acts of discrimination against women. The delegation had admitted that the discrimination was due to tradition. The role of women should not be minimized to cotton picking and domestic activities. He wanted to receive more information on the role of women and the efforts made to promote their rights.

Also speaking on discrimination against women was another Expert who said that the patriarchal social system of the country in which men dominated the society was playing a detrimental role against females. Although law prohibited polygamy, it still existed in practice. Women had been hindered from free access to the labour market, except to lower-income posts. As victims of violence, they had little access to courts. What was the position of the Government on those issues?

Another Expert said women were discriminated against in the labour market and that they received lower salaries. There was a drop in the number of female students and teachers in higher education. What had the Government done to redress the situation? What was the number of women holding higher posts of the Government and in the parliament?

The change of social development and government reform did not go hand in hand, another Expert said. There were still regional disparities and among people in terms of economic and social benefits. Was the government intending to reformulate its reform policies? What was the role of the Women’s Committee? What was it doing to improve the life of Uzbek women? Violence against women and children attracted little attention in the media; what other tools could the State party use to increase awareness with regard to women?

An Expert said the State party had made a drastic shift from a planned to market economy; had that shift improved the economic, social and cultural rights of the people? What concrete examples could the delegation provide on cases dealt with by the Ombudsman concerning economic, social and cultural rights?

One Expert said although Uzbekistan had 100 per cent literacy, the legal knowledge of the population was low. The people should be able to know about the various legal instruments that protected their rights and to be able to defend themselves. The delegation had said that there were 5,000 NGOs operating in the country; however the lack of input from Uzbek NGOs to the Committee was worrying.

Response by Delegation

A number of non-governmental organizations had participated in the preparation of the report, the delegation said. Many of them also actively participated when the State party prepared its report for the Human Rights Committee in New York, during which alternative reports had been submitted by non-governmental organizations. The fact that NGOs did not present alternative reports to this Committee did not mean that they had not participated in the preparation of the report.

The Ombudsman and courts could refer to the provisions of the International Covenant in their consideration of cases they received, the delegation said. The Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court referred to the International Covenant in their decisions. Since the treaty prevailed over domestic legislation, courts were able to make rulings within the context of the International Covenant.

A National Plan of Action for Human Rights had been drafted and had been implemented from 1998 to 1999 in conformity with the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, the delegation said. The Plan was prepared in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

A National Human Rights Commission had been established in accordance with the Paris Principles on national human rights, the delegation said. The Uzbek Parliamentary Ombudsman was established 10 years ago, and it was working in collaboration with many Ombudsman institutions in other countries. In the past, the Ombudsman was a member of the parliament; however, since the law on the Ombudsman was adopted in 2004, the Ombudsman was appointed by parliament. Individuals could lodge complaints directly with the Ombudsman.

The National Centre for Human Rights was established by a presidential decree in 1996 and was coordinating the activities of the executive with regards to the State party’s international obligations. It also coordinated the activities of all governmental and non-governmtal organizations involved in human rights protection. The Centre also prepared the various national reports to be submitted to treaty bodies and other international organizations. It also disseminated human rights education, as well as the monitoring of the teaching of human rights by law enforcing agents and students. In collaboration with NGOs, the Centre distributed knowledge about human rights through publications. The Centre initiated draft bills on human rights and NGO partnership to be approved by the parliament.

On the independence of the judiciary, the delegation said the judges were nominated by the Senate and appointed by the President. Uzbekistan was not an exception in that the President appointed judges. The President and parliament were empowered by the people to do so. According to the Uzbek Constitution, the President was the guarantor of the rights and freedoms of the people. The law did not speak of the dismissal of judges, however, they were appointed to a five-year term.

The Women’s Committee was a semi-governmental body enjoying all privileges in its efforts to promote and protect the rights of women, the delegation said. The members included women from city councils and the office of the Prime Minister. Some bills on gender equality emanated from the Committee.

Within the period from 2000 to 2004, the Ombudsman received 24,904 complaints from the population, the delegation said. In comparison, from 1995 to 1999, the Ombudsman received only 9,889 complaints. The complaints mainly focused on infringement of citizens' right and interests, including infringement of economic and social rights in labour and housing. The Ombudsman received 352 complaints dealing with matters of assistance in getting credit for development of enterprises, as well as 293 complaints on educational matters. The Ombudsman, through its representation in other regions, also monitored prisons and established annual reports.

The new parliamentary law stipulated that 30 per cent of political parties should be filled by female candidates, the delegation said. In the parliament itself, women were active in both chambers.

There was no law on refugees, the delegation said, adding that the Government was closely working with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on the repatriation of Tajik and Afghan refugees. A bill on migration was now pending in parliament.

The transitional period to market economy had been a difficult one, the delegating said. There had been even regression compared to the Soviet era. However, during the last five years, the economy had been redressed and progress had been achieved.

The delegation said it did not agree with allegations that Russian-speaking Uzbek citizens were discriminated against. There was a Russian-Speaking Deputy Prime Minster and other Russian-speakers were holding significant posts.

A few of the NGOs in Uzbekistan were operating without being registered, the delegation said. Some NGOs were complaining that they were not initiating legal bills, which was contrary to the principles set by the State.

Questions by Experts

An Expert wanted to know how independent trade unions were vis-à-vis the executive power of the State. He also asked for information on the practice of divorce, which he said the State organ did not deal with. The Government was against polygamy but what concrete measures were being taken against that phenomenon. The Expert also raised the problem of kidnapping of girls for marriage.

Another Expert said the problem of persons with disabilities had not been resolved; the State had been encouraging this situation by providing enterprises with subsidies if they employed more persons with disabilities. What further measures were being taken by the State?

One Expert asked what protection was provided to pregnant women?

Response by Delegation

With regard to child labour, the delegation said 60 per cent of Uzbekistan’s population was living in rural areas. The collective farms that existed during the Soviet era had been transferred to the private section. However, there were cooperative farms organized by families, where students helped their parents during their vacations.

On the level of benefits to unemployment, the delegation said the law stipulated that the payment should not be lower than the minimum wage. The pension payment reflected the number of years worked by the individual.

The level of women’s participation had increased during the last few years, the delegation said. About 5,000 women had independent work in the private sector. The Government had provided training to women undertaking entrepreneurship. A credit network had also been set to help women to establish their own enterprises. One of the priorities of Government policy was to ensure the legal and social protection of mothers and children and to reform all aspects of public life with a view to creating conditions conducive to improving family welfare, women’s social and economic status and children’s well-being.

As of today, 1,093,000 Uzbeks of Russian origin were living in the country, the delegation said. The number of cultural centres for this group had been expanded. The teaching medium of many schools was Russian. There were also a number of monasteries of Russian origin in the country.

After independence, Uzbekistan had ratified 11 ILO conventions and it was expected to approve the conventions related to the right to freedom of assembly, minimum age of admission to work and the convention on the worst forms of child labour.

Concerning the issue of integrating persons with disabilities, the delegation said the Government had been guaranteeing benefits and free medicines, including free public transportation. Persons with disabilities were provided with social services and targeted healthcare in different sanatoria. According to statistics, there were 700,000 persons with disabilities out of the population of 26 million. There were 12 centres that provided assistance in a form of rehabilitation to this category of people. The number of firms fabricating prosthesis and wheelchairs had been increased. The labour law of 1998 provided ample guarantees for the employment and benefits to persons with disabilities.

A National Plan of Action had been adopted to promote the rights of women, the delegation said. The Government was also taking measures against stereotypes against women. Women should not be limited only in the house, but should participate in the affairs of the society. The main trust of the Government’s focus was to prevent any form of violence against women. At the Government level, a body coordinated the efforts and activities aimed at the protection and promotion of women’s rights. The number of prosecutions against the perpetrators of violence against women had increased, with many of them had been sent to prison. However, the problem had not yet been fully eradicated.

The system of Mahalla communities was expanding in the country, the delegation said. There were more than 10,000 Mahallas in the country with 40 per cent of women participating in the activities. The communities were creating jobs for the members of their respective communities, and played as guarantors to social and economic rights within their communities. With regard to divorce, the Mahalla protected the interests of women and children and not those of men.

Permanent registration - “propiska” - affected citizens of Uzbekistan and the Commonwealth of Independent States, the delegation said. The question of residence permit was decided at the local level.

In a follow-up question, an Expert asked how the Mahalla system functioned in the big cities like Tashkent, to which the delegation said the Mahalla was an association comprising of 150 to 1,500 families. It operated in both cities and rural areas. It was wrong to consider the communities as State organ, as alluded by some Western writers. The Mahalla entered neither in the private affairs of individuals nor did it violate the their frights enshrined in the International Covenant.

Questions Raised by Committee Experts

An Expert wanted to know about the problem of drinking water in big cities and in the countryside. He asked if the Government envisaged designing a new policy to ameliorate the water supply situation. With regard to demolishing of houses, he said that the accommodation and compensation for evicted persons due to their houses being demolished was very low. As regards access to health, the Expert asked about the number of medical doctors providing healthcare. In the desert areas of Uzbekistan, the life expectancy of the citizens was low because of diseases related to polluted drinking water.

Another Expert asked the delegation to further elucidate on the issue of access to land by women. An Expert added that that the traditional role of women was detrimental to their rights. The issue of domestic violence, kidnapping of girls, forced marriages and other crimes should be dealt with. The crime of domestic violence should be punished severely. The Mahallas reinforced the traditional role of women and thus advocated for the perpetuation of the patriarchal societal system.

One Expert wished to receive information on the development of eco-tourism since it was introduced in 2001. On the issue of prisons, he asked if prisons were overcrowded, which would lead to the spread of disease, and the measures taken to improve the conditions.

Another Expert expressed concern on the lack of drinking water and the measures taken by the Government particularly in relation to the Committee’s General Comment No. 15 on the right to drinking water.

An Expert wanted to receive information on the situation of poverty, in reference with the categories of people and region. The UNDP country report had indicated that in 2005, 27 per cent of Uzbeks lived in poverty, of which one-third were subjected to extreme poverty. What measures were being taken to reduce the level of poverty in the country?

Another Expert asked if the health situation had deteriorated since the Soviet era because of the abdication of trained medical doctors. Were there serious problems of drug addiction? What was the situation of HIV/AIDS in the country?

With regard to victims of domestic violence, an Expert asked the fate of battered woman and the author of the violence in the absence of a law on domestic violence. How did the Government apprehend the perpetrators of trafficking in human beings? As regards Mahallas, there was confusion on how they were operating. There had been a huge increase of drug trafficking using Uzbekistan as a transit country. What actions had been taken to halt the trafficking and consequently preventing the country from becoming a destination?

Response by Delegation

The delegation said 30 children’s institutions were taking care of destitute and needy children. In those centres medical health was provided.

With regard to poverty in Uzbekistan, the delegation said the Government had given great importance to the elimination of poverty in line with the Millennium Development Goals. A study had been carried out to increase economic growth and to reduce poverty. A second study dealt with strengthening household capacities in income generating economic activities.

Measures had been taken by the Government to prevent maternal mortality, the delegation said. The Government was working in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund and other international organizations in order to tackle the problem and to improve the reproductive healthcare system. The Government believed that maternal mortality could be improved if appropriate medical instruments were made available to maternity wardens.

The Government had taken measures to restrict the spread of HIV/AIDS in the country, the delegation said. In 2002, 981 persons were infected with HIV, while in 2004 the number had grown to 2,016. A new strategy had been designed to fight HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, including through the ongoing financial support of the Global Fund to Fight against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

On the issue of narcotics, Uzbekistan had been suffering from the illegal trade of narcotics, the delegation said. During the war in Afghanistan, there had been intensive activities of drug trafficking transiting through countries in the region. The Government had taken drastic measures to combat the drug trafficking in collaboration with countries in the region and other partners.

In 2004, the product of pure narcotics in Afghanistan had been 360 tons and the product had now grown to 400 tons, the delegation said. In 2005 alone, the revenue obtained from the sale of the drug was estimated to be $ 3 billion. Since the fall of the Taliban, the number of people involved in growing opium had increased.

There were serious environmental problems in Uzbekistan, the delegation. The Aral Sea region was polluted and the Government believed that the international community should share the problem. Some international organizations were involved in finding solutions to the problem. People living around the Aral Sea were suffering from lack of clean drinking water.

The issue of kidnapping of girls for marriage was a practice by the nomadic people and it was not a general phenomenon. With regard to women’s accession to land, there was no Islamic influence on this issue. In Uzbekistan land was owned by the State and there was no discrimination in the distribution of land. The Government had taken into consideration the Committee's General Comment No. 15 on the right to drinking water and was following up on this issue.

There was no membership in the Mahallas, the delegation said. Women filled around 40 per cent of posts in the Mahallas. The role of Mahallas in reconciliation of couples should not be ignored. Islam in Uzbekistan was either politicised or classical. The Government was in favour of a classical development of Islam and did not support the politicised aspect of Islam. The Mahallas were in favour of peace and harmony.

Today, in Uzbekistan, there were 38,000 prisoners and their number had been reduced because of the liberalization of the system since 1991, the delegation said. The penitential system had been made transparent and ready for any monitoring by international organizations. There were no crowded prisons in the country. Prisoners with contagious diseases were kept in separate cells and received medical treatment.

There were no districts without any healthcare centres in the country, the delegation said. The Government had implemented a programme to strengthen medical facilities and to expand them to all areas. Recently, it had also started gradually introducing a health insurance system, which had not existed in the past when the State covered all health expenses.

No special law had been established in the legislative system of the country with regard to domestic violence, the delegation said; however, 14 articles of the criminal code provided punishment against perpetrators of bodily harm. Courts handed down their verdicts against those who inflicted bodily harm against women.

With regard to trafficking in women, the Government had taken measures to prevent the illegal migration of girls who were lured by promises of attractive salaries as dancers, baby-sitters and other occupations. Education and awareness-raising programmes had been carried out by the State, stressing the harm of trafficking, which was carried out in the form of illegal migration. Courts handed down different punishments against those who committed acts of trafficking and sexual exploitation. In 2002, 125 persons were punished for their involvement in the crime of illegal migration. The mass media and travel agents were working closely with the State to identify the illegal migration of women. The Government was also taking further steps, in collaboration with non-governmental organizations and neighbouring countries, to tackle the phenomenon of trafficking in human beings.

The Aral Sea, which was the fourth biggest inland sea in the world , was now mostly desert, the delegation said. Four-fifth of its volume had shrunk while its vegetation and the fish had also been reduced. People living around the sea had been affected by tuberculosis, cancer and heart diseases. New forms of diseases and genetic distortions were also common among the inhabitants, while infant mortality was increasing. The Government had been implementing a strategy to improve the environmental situation there, in collaboration with Asian countries. In 1995, the State had signed the Vienna Convention on Ozone Layers, including other conventions on biodiversity. Further efforts were also made to improve the quality of drinking water in the region. The Government had also taken measures to improve the situation around the basin to encourage eco-tourism.

The delegation said for more than a generation, water had been diverted from the rivers feeding the Aral Sea to irrigate millions of acres of land for cotton and rice production in Central Asia. That had caused a loss of more than 60 per cent of the lake’s water. The Sea had shrunk from 65,000 square kilometres to less than half that size, exposing large areas of the lakebed. The air pollution had caused nutritional and respiratory ailments, and crop yields had diminished by the added salinity.

Collective agreements were concluded by tripartite parties, which included the trade union, the employers and the State, the delegation said. Ninety-six per cent of workers were covered by collective agreements. Among the 130,000 enterprises in Uzbekistan, 13,000 were State enterprises. Workers in both the private and the State-owned enterprises benefited from the collective agreements bargained by their respective trade unions. In recent years, 61,000 collective agreements were reached involving 14 million workers.

When the health system of the country was reformed, the number of health centres had been increased from 1,800 to 2,200, the delegation said. The privatisation of some centres was also to give the people the choice for medical treatment. Medical distribution was still free of charge.

Questions by Committee Experts

An Expert wanted to receive information on the general educational system, asking about the number of years of compulsory education, if education was free, the languages used as an educational media, access to higher education and whether it was free of charge, the criteria on receiving scholarships for high education, statistical data on female students and the area of studies, among other things.

Another Expert asked about the rising number of dropouts, particularly affecting girls. Many students were absent not only for economic reasons or for health reasons, and were unable to complete the twelve-year compulsory education. Was it true that teachers in the social and political faculties were not free to lecture their students? It was reported that the authorities outside the universities should approve the contents of the lectures.

One Expert said there had been problems in selling foreign magazines in the country and vendors were unable to expose them in their kiosks. Foreign publications were stopped at the borders because of lack of permission to import them into the country. He asked if that measure amounted to censorship.

An Expert also raised the issue of restriction of foreign publications and the lack of licences to import them. In addition, there had been incidents of intimidation by the Government directed against foreign media correspondents. Foreign journalists should obtain licences to work in the country. The fact that the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) had closed its office in Tashkent was an indication that there was no freedom of the press. What measures did the Government take to guarantee freedom of the press for foreign journalists?

Another Expert asked how boarding schools were run, about progress made in advanced learning for teachers, the development of Internet services, and the use of the Internet to disseminate the national reports and the concluding observations by the respective Committees.

Response by Delegation

From 1997 onwards, a comprehensive educational reform had been carried out to strengthen elementary, secondary and higher education, the delegation said. The teaching in the Uzbek language did not distort the quality of education. Primary and secondary education was free of charge, while higher education was partly free. Everyone received stipends while pursing higher education. Presidential scholarships were also provided to the most talented students. In cities, Russian and Uzbek were the main media of instruction, while in other regions the language spoken in the region was used as teaching medium. The Government did not monitor the lectures provided in the universities.

At the secondary level, more females than males abandoned their studies earlier, the delegation said. There was no trend to feminize studies, however, the ratio of boys and girls depended on the choice of studies by individual students. Girls normally pursued their studies in medical faculties and their number was less in technical fields.

The Government was strict on the dissemination of pornographic and other anti-social literature, the delegation said. There was legislation put in place to restrict the spread of such publications. Compared to the situation in 1999, at present the number of periodicals published by private enterprises had increased fivefold.

When the BBC closed its office in Tashkent on 27 October, it was only for six months, the delegation said. The BBC had covered the terrorists’ massacre of May 13 in Andijan, which did not reflect the reality. Although the Government did not agree with the report of the BBC, it did not order the closure of the office.

Law guaranteed freedom of religion and many Islamic or Christian missionaries were operating in the country, the delegation said. In the past, religious groups had been required to have a certain number of members to be registered with the State. At present, any religious group had the right to be registered to receive recognition by the State.

The number of Internet users had increased in cities and rural areas, and the tendency was increasing, the delegation said. The national reports to treaty bodies and their concluding observations were disseminated through the Internet.

For use of the information media; not an official record

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