Samarkand, Oct 21 (Petra) – The “World Summit on Investing in
Children’s Well-being: a Path to Sustainable and Equitable
Development for Future Generations” opened on Wednesday in the Uzbek
city of Samarkand, drawing in over 600 participants from more than
100 countries.

The high-level gathering, bringing together UN officials, First
Ladies, government leaders, international organizations, and experts,
to advance policies and practical solutions to improve children’s
health and well-being.

The two-day summit, held at the Silk Road Samarkand touristic
complex, aims to mobilize global efforts to expand investment in
child well-being.

It seeks to place children’s needs at the forefront of government
policy and public spending, with the goals of reducing child poverty,
improving access to healthcare and education, strengthening social
protection systems, and supporting the most vulnerable families.

The meeting opened with welcoming remarks by Uzbek President Shavkat
Mirziyoyev, and was also addressed by the President of the 81st
session of the United Nations General Assembly, a number of first
ladies, as well as officials and representatives of governmental and
international institutions on issues concerning children.

The summit will tackle a range of interconnected topics, including
reducing child poverty, improving early childhood education,
facilitating access to healthcare, strengthening social safety nets,
providing protection for the most vulnerable children, supporting
families and developing services for children with disabilities.

The deliberations highlight the need for closer coordination among
government institutions responsible for health, education, and social
protection to ensure the integration of services and facilitate
access for the most vulnerable children and families.

The summit is held at the initiative of Uzbekistan, in collaboration
with the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General on
Violence against Children, UNICEF, the World Health Organization
(WHO), the World Bank, and other organizations dedicated to child
well-being and development.

It coincides with the 2nd International Conngress on Childhood
Cancer, reflecting a broader commitment to improving children’s
health and enhancing responses to the health challenges they face.

The summit’s program also features visits to local healthcare,
educational, and social service facilities to observe the programs
provided for mothers, children, families, and people with
disabilities.

The summit wraps up tomorrow with the adoption of the “Samarkand
Declaration on Investing in Child Well-being”, a framework for
strengthening child protection systems, expanding access to essential
services, increasing investment in child development, and fostering
international cooperation to safeguard the rights of future
generations.

//Petra//SS