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
