The Samarkand Declaration on Investing in Children’s Wellbeing has been adopted in Samarkand as part of the World Summit “Investing in Children’s Wellbeing: A Path Toward Sustainable and Just Development for Future Generations.” The document was approved on 22 October at the end of the two-day Summit, held on 21–22 October.
The Summit was organized by Uzbekistan together with the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Violence Against Children, UNICEF, the World Health Organization and the World Bank. It brought together First Ladies, ministers of social protection, health, education and finance, representatives of States, international organizations, civil society, academia and the private sector, as well as children and young people themselves.
In the Declaration, participants reaffirmed their commitment to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the principle of the best interests of the child. They noted that children make up one third of the world’s population, and that investing in them yields returns in health, education, productivity, social cohesion and peace.
States noted that, in line with their national contexts, priorities and capacities, they will work in the following areas:
- developing social protection systems and expanding benefits for children and families, including during crises;
- strengthening systems that protect children from violence, abuse and exploitation, including online;
- supporting early childhood development, inclusive education and health care, including efforts against childhood cancer;
- assisting parents and caregivers, so as to prevent unnecessary separation of children from their families;
- preparing young people for the economy of the future by developing green and digital skills and promoting decent work, including for young people with disabilities.
A separate section is devoted to financing. States highlighted the importance of steadily increasing public investment in children and making national budgets more transparent and child-sensitive. International financial institutions, development partners, philanthropies and the private sector were called upon to scale up financing, particularly in support of low- and middle-income countries and those affected by conflict, climate change and natural disasters.
Children and adolescents were recognized as rights holders and “agents of change.” Participants expressed readiness to ensure their safe and meaningful participation in decision-making, including in the implementation of the Declaration itself.
Implementation is envisaged through national policies and budgets, with nationally determined timelines and regular reporting. Participants also agreed to reconvene to assess progress. The co-hosting organizations were invited to support States in putting the Declaration into practice.
Participants expressed gratitude to the people and Government of Uzbekistan for hosting the Summit in Samarkand, calling it “a crossroads of civilizations.”
The outcomes of the Summit were summed up by Academy Award winner Adrien Brody. He also presented Shakhnoza Mirziyoyeva with a painting he made himself.