Published on: 2026-10-21
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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Nargis Shekinskaya
October 21, 2026 Economic Development
When a teenager experiences violence, it is often difficult for them to seek help from an adult. The volunteer group “Safe Childhood” in Uzbekistan helps teenagers talk about problems with peers, recognize different forms of violence, and find the necessary support.
This initiative is one of many presented at the World Summit on Child Well-being. The forum in Samarkand brought together more than 600 participants from over 100 countries.
A child’s well-being depends on many things: their health status, access to education, protection from violence, family support, and access to necessary assistance. In his message to the summit participants, UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized: “When we invest in children, we invest in the future.”
The Secretary-General’s address at the opening was read by the UN Resident Coordinator in Uzbekistan, Sabina Mahl. The summit in Samarkand was organized by the Government of Uzbekistan in partnership with the Office of the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative on Violence against Children, UNICEF, WHO, and the World Bank. Participants in the forum include first ladies and heads of relevant ministries, scholars and experts, representatives of international organizations, civil society and business, as well as children and adolescents themselves.
In his address, Guterres warned that achievements in children’s welfare are at risk. Conflicts, economic shocks, health emergencies, poverty, and extreme climate events endanger children, especially when it comes to vulnerable groups.
He also noted that the volumes of humanitarian aid and development assistance are decreasing, while developing countries continue to bear a heavy debt burden. Therefore, the discussion at the summit is not about a single program or service, but about systems that need to work together.
The First Lady of Uzbekistan, Ziroat Merzieeva, noted that, according to experts, due to a sharp reduction in international humanitarian aid, in 2025, the mortality rate of children under five years old increased for the first time since the beginning of the century.
“This is a serious warning for all of us,” she emphasized. Mirziyeva also recalled that one billion children are growing up in countries most vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
“Uzbekistan is a country that has experienced the tragedy of the Aral Sea. Therefore, we know well how seriously environmental problems affect the health and future of children,” the First Lady stated.
UN News Service The Summit on Child Well-being is organized by the Government of Uzbekistan in partnership with the UN and the World Bank.
In Uzbekistan, where more than half of the population is under 30 years old, the well-being of children is one of the government’s priorities.
This agenda, actively supported by UN agencies, is also related to changes in social services and access to early education. According to the UN Resident Coordinator in the country, Sabine Mahl, preschool education coverage in Uzbekistan has increased from 27 percent in 2017 to 78 percent in 2026, more than 10,000 children with disabilities study in regular schools, and about 1.5 million families receive social assistance.
According to UNICEF, the proportion of children living in monetary poverty has significantly decreased – partly thanks to social support from the government.
In 2025, the country adopted a law protecting children from all forms of violence and an action strategy for 2026–2030.
Childhood Cancer: Fighting Inequality
As part of the summit in Samarkand, the II International Congress on Childhood Cancer “From Recovery to Well-being” is also being held, dedicated to issues of pediatric oncology and hematology.
According to statistics from the World Health Organization, in high-income countries more than 80 percent of children with cancer are cured, whereas in many low- and middle-income countries this figure is less than 30 percent.
In his message, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called the situation “unacceptable inequality linked to insufficient investments and weak social services.”
Approximately 400,000 children and adolescents worldwide are diagnosed with cancer each year; about 90 percent of them live in low- and middle-income countries. WHO aims to raise the global survival rate to 60 percent by 2030.
Children with cancer need not only treatment. The Mehrli Maktab school, which translates from Uzbek as “caring school,” operates at the Scientific and Practical Medical Center for Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, and Immunology in Tashkent. Children from two to 18 years old continue their studies here during long-term treatment: they study mathematics, information technology, electronics, music, and other subjects. Here they find friends and new interests, and after discharge many return to see their former classmates.
Students of this school were invited to the summit in Samarkand. The organizers of the forum paid special attention to the testimonies of children and adolescents. As Najat Maalla M’jid, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Violence against Children, emphasized: “Children have their own voice, ideas, knowledge, and the ability to influence what is happening.”
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