Penalties for violence against children expected to be tightened

In Uzbekistan, legislation on protecting children from various forms of violence may be further strengthened. To this end, a bill providing for amendments and additions to the Criminal Code, the Criminal Procedure Code, the Administrative Responsibility Code, and a number of legislative acts has been submitted to the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis.

The document is planned to be reviewed at the next meeting of the lower chamber on September 29.

What might the bill change?

The main goal of the new initiative is to strengthen liability measures for cases of violence against children and further improve the legal mechanisms for their protection.

The draft proposes amending several key codes simultaneously. This means the issue will not be limited solely to penalty measures, but will also encompass the processes of identifying and investigating violence, as well as protecting the rights of the child.

Child safety becomes a priority direction

In Uzbekistan, a separate legal framework for protecting children from violence has already been established.

On November 14, 2024, the Law "On the Protection of Children from All Forms of Violence" was adopted. It regulates relations in the field of protecting children from various forms of violence.

Additionally, in December 2025, the Strategy for Protecting Children from All Forms of Violence for 2026–2030 was approved.

The strategy outlines areas such as early detection of violence cases, strengthening prevention, and providing legal, psychological, and social assistance to affected children.

Attention to concealing violence will also be intensified

The action plan for the implementation of the strategy also sets out a number of legislative initiatives aimed at strengthening child protection mechanisms.

In particular, it is proposed to establish administrative liability for employees of certain organizations who identify cases of violence against children but fail to report them, to provide free state-funded legal assistance to victims, and to strengthen mechanisms for protecting the child's interests in procedural actions.

At the sameViolence, approaches aimed at minimizing the risk of re-traumatization when working with children who have suffered from or witnessed violence are also envisioned.

Now comes the turn of the bill's discussion

The bill is currently at the proposal stage. It is scheduled for review at the upcoming meeting of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis on September 29.

Consequently, the final content of the document and the norms within it may change during subsequent discussions.

However, the general direction of the initiative is clear: to strengthen the legal response to violence against children, protect the interests of the victimized child, and improve prevention mechanisms for such cases.

The main goal in the matter of child safety is not only to toughen penalties, but to strengthen mechanisms for preventing violence and reliably protecting the affected child.

Therefore, the discussion on September 29 is of significant importance not only in terms of legal norms, but also from the perspective of the next stage of the system aimed at ensuring children's safety and rights.