On June 26, 2018, the National Human Rights Centre of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Ministry of Higher and Secondary Specialized Education of the Republic of Uzbekistan in collaboration with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and OHCHR Regional Office for Central Asia (ROCA) organized a webinar with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, for students of more than 20 higher educational institutions of Uzbekistan.

On September 1, 2014, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein was appointed as the sixth High Commissioner, who heads the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the first representative of Asia and the Muslim-Arab world in that post.

It should be noted that during the speech of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights at the 38th session of the UN Human Rights Council, positive reforms in the sphere of human rights protection were noted positively in Uzbekistan.

This webinar was the first online meeting on the Internet in real time between Geneva and Tashkent.

The main feature of webinars is interactivity that is the ability to discuss, send, and receive information in real time.

The main goal of this webinar was to inform students about universal and regional mechanisms for the protection of human rights, the current problems in the field of human rights around the world and the ways of their solution, the inculcation of knowledge, skills and the formation of positions on human rights, the education of a culture of human rights, cooperation of the Republic of Uzbekistan with international organizations in the field of human rights.

Today, 70 years after the proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the international community recognizes human rights and fundamental freedoms and promotes their observance through norms and mechanisms of international human rights law. One of these rights - the right to education - is the starting point, which opens the way to the enjoyment of all human rights. It includes education in the field of human rights, the right to study these rights, as well as methods and means of protecting and promoting human rights in our communities. Within the education system, human rights education promotes a holistic approach based on human rights that includes both the principle of "human rights through education" (ensuring that all components of education and relevant processes, including curricula, materials, methods and training, led to knowledge of human rights), and the principle of "human rights in the education process", which provides for the observance of human rights with respect to all members of the community.

In connection with the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the strengthening of the attention of the state, society and citizens to the values and principles of the Declaration, as well as to further improve the system of organizational and legal and other measures aimed at ensuring reliable protection of human rights, increasing the effectiveness of mechanisms and procedures for the implementation of international standards of human rights and freedoms in the legislation and practice of government agencies, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On the Program of events dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights”.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights became the first international legal instrument to which the Republic of Uzbekistan joined after independence. Having chosen the way of building a democratic, lawful state and a strong civil society, Uzbekistan defined human rights and interests as the most important priority of social development and state building, the mainstay of its internal and foreign policy.

The Republic of Uzbekistan in September 2015, along with other UN member states, has joined the Global Agenda until 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Specially created Coordination Council carried out work on adaptation of global SDGs, based on the conditions of Uzbekistan, and developed national goals and objectives of sustainable development.

At the same time, the national goals of sustainable development are fully in line with the adopted Strategy of Action for the five priority development directions of the Republic of Uzbekistan in 2017-2021 and are a target for ongoing measures to improve state and public construction, protect human rights, liberalize the economy, ensure environmental sustainability and improve quality and the standard of living of the country's population.

Currently, the state development programs are being enhanced on the basis of sectoral, regional and targeted projects, approved in the light of relevant long-term development concepts, which should also be oriented towards the achievement of national SDGs.

Uzbekistan also voluntarily contributed $100,000 to the budget of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Today, when the world is changing rapidly, new challenges and threats to stability and sustainable development are arising as never before. Attention is paid to education, to spiritual and moral principles, instilling in young people the desire for the most modern knowledge, the need for self-improvement.

Uzbekistan actively participates in the UN World Program in the field of human rights education. All state bodies, civil society institutions, mass media, educational institutions are involved in the process of dissemination among the population of universal ideals and values, principles of respect and observance of human rights.

Indeed, 7 percent of the state budget of the country in relation to GDP goes to education. To further deepen our work in this area, the parliament adopted a new law "On State Youth Policy."

That is why at the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly in New York, Uzbekistan launched initiatives on the development of the Convention on the Rights of Youth and the adoption of a special resolution entitled “Education and Tolerance”.

During the event, the High Commissioner shared his experience and expertise in the field of human rights. On the part of students, the High Commissioner was asked a number of questions in the field of human rights and received exhaustive answers.

This webinar was the first online meeting on the Internet in real time between Geneva and Tashkent.