First Day- After the opening ceremony, the Asian Forum on Human Rights is divided into four plenary sessions and three thematic working groups on human rights issues.

The Asian Forum begun its first plenary session on the theme:  Universality of Human Rights: Legacy of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The objective of the first plenary session is to discuss the principles of universality, interdependence, interrelatedness of economic, social, cultural, civil, political rights, and review achievements and challenges in the implementation of human rights obligations. The speakers of the first plenary session were: Adam Abdelmoula, Director of the UN Human Rights Council and Treaty Mechanisims Division, OHCHR, Geneva, Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), H. Kjerulf Thorgeirsdottir, Vice-President of the European Commission for Democracy through law (Venice Commission). The first plenary session was moderated by Sadik Safaev, First Deputy Chairman of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan and Alfonso Barragues, Deputy Director of the UNFPA division, Geneva.

The first plenary session was held in a good and constructive spirit.

Second plenary session was also interesting and debateful as a first plenary session. The theme of the second plenary session: Human Rights as the basis for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The main aim of the second plenary session is  to provide a common understanding that the SDGs can be achieved effecticvely and efficiently in an inclusive, participatory and accountable manner only if states are guided by fundamental human rights principles of the UN human rights treaties and relevant human rights indicators. The speakers of the second plenary session were Mohammad Reza Majidi, Secretary General of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly, Botir Khojaev, Minister of Economy of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Aslan Abashidze, Vice-Chairperson of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Rajeev Malhotra, Professor and Executive Dirtector, Jindal School of Government and Public Policy, India. The second plenary session was moderated by Ryszard Komenda, OHCHR Regional Representative for Central Asia.

The  speakers exchanged the ideas about the importance of the SDGs and provided the fruitful discussion for the audience.

After two plenary sessions, thematic working groups have started its work.  The thematic working groups was divided into the three working groups. It was also controlled and monitored by the speakers and moderators. Each thematic working group had its significant importance in the protection and promotion of the human rights.

Thematic working group one have discussed the role of state bodies (parliaments, governments and courts) in ensuring respect, protection and fullfillment of human rights while achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The speakers of the thematic working group one were: Argentina Szabados, Regional Director of the IOM for the South- Eastern Europe, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Kozimjon Kamilov, Chairman of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Margareta Kiener Nellen, Chairperson of the General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Brigitte Fiering, Department Director, Human Rights and Development, the Danish Institute for Human Rights, Denmark. The thematic working group was moderated by  Helena Fraser, UN Resident Coordinator/ UNDP Resident Representative in Uzbekistan and Tanzila Narbaeva, Deputy Prime Minister- Chairman of the Women’s Committee of Uzbekistan.

The next thematic working group have debated about the role of National Human Rights Institutions in ensuring respect, protection and fullfillment of human rights while achieving the Sustainable Developement Goals. The speakers were: Rashid Hamed Al Balushi, Chairman of Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission of the Organization of Islamic Coorperation, Sima Samar, Chairperson of the Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions, Chairperson of Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission, Askar Shakirov,Commissioner for Human Rights of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Sa’ad Al-Abdullah, Chairman of the National Human Rights Committee of Qatar. This working group was moderated by Svetlana Artikova, Deputy Chairperson of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan and Jennifer Croft,  Deputy Head of the Human Rights Department, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights.

The last but not least, the thematic working group three was examined the role of civil society insitutions in ensuring respect, protection and fulfillment of human rights while achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.  The speakers were: Yahya Akman, the Ombudsman of the Republic of Turkey, Brigitte Dufour, Director of the NGO “International Partnership for Human Rights”, Akmal Burkhanov, Director of the Centre “Development Strategy”, Zauresh Battalova, Head of the Public  Foundation for Parliamentary Development. The moderators of this working group were Ruslan Davletov, Minister of Justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan and Steve Swerdlow, Head of the Regional Office, Human Rights Watch.

Afterwards, the thematic working groups moderators gathered in the main hall and exchanged the results of the working groups. This session was moderated by Mr. Ryszard Komenda.

Subsequently, third plenary session on the theme: Human Rights Education: Innovation and New Challenges has started. The speakers were: Kishore Singh, Former UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Edcuation, Zarif Alizoda, Commissioner for Human Rights of the Republic of Tajikistan, Rein Müllerson, Professor of Academy of Law in Tallinn University, Aleksandr Sungurov, Head of the Center “Strategy”, Professor of the Higher School of Economics of the National Research University. The moderator of this plenary session was  Anja Mihr, Professor of OSCE Academy in Bishkek.

The first day of the Asian Forum on Human Rights concluded with success!