Samarkand Declaration calls for greater investment in children’s well-beingSamarkand Declaration: World Summit agrees to increase investment in child well-being

Participants at the World Summit on Investing in Children’s Well-being, held in Samarkand on October 21–22, adopted a declaration calling for increased funding for children’s health, education and social protection, as well as stronger measures to protect them from violence and exploitation. The summit brought together around 600 representatives from more than 100 countries, including first ladies, ministers responsible for social protection, health, education and finance, international organizations, civil society, academia and the private sector. Children and young people also took part in the discussions. According to Podrobno.

uz , the summit was organized at Uzbekistan’s initiative in cooperation with the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children, UNICEF, the World Health Organization, the World Bank and Uzbekistan’s National Agency for Social Protection. Shahnoza Mirziyoyeva, first deputy director of the National Agency for Social Protection, emphasized the importance of investing in younger generations. “Investing resources, attention and technology in the younger generation is the best investment a country can make,” she said. What does the Samarkand Declaration provide for? The declaration reaffirms the participants’ commitment to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the principle of prioritizing children’s best interests. It notes that children account for around one-third of the world’s population and that investment in their well-being can improve healthcare and education, increase labor productivity, strengthen social cohesion and contribute to peace. One of the main priorities is strengthening social protection systems, including expanding benefits and other forms of assistance for children and families,…