Uzbekistan ranked 96th out of 194 countries in the international KidsRights Index 2026, dropping two places from the previous year. The country scored 0.679 points, reflecting a moderate level of children's rights implementation by international standards.
The index covers states that have ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Assessment is based on five key areas, where Uzbekistan placed: right to life – 95th, health – 15th, education – 101st, protection – 115th, and enabling environment – 124th.
Regional neighbors outperformed Uzbekistan, making it the worst performer in Central Asia. Kazakhstan ranked 24th, leading the region with high levels of child protection and education system development. Turkmenistan placed 75th, Kyrgyzstan 82nd, and Tajikistan 92nd.
For comparison, Luxembourg topped the index with 0.871 points, followed by Iceland, Monaco, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Greece, Belgium, Slovenia, Austria, and Thailand. Russia ranked 151st. The US is not included as it has not ratified the UN Convention.
Experts emphasize that Uzbekistan needs to strengthen its education policy and improve teaching quality, as education shapes long-term development prospects. Additionally, child protection institutions must be reinforced, violence and discrimination reduced, and a more favorable social environment created where children can participate in decision-making and feel safe.
The report authors note that in 2026, the global situation for children's rights continued to deteriorate. Compared to the previous year, only five countries improved their positions, while 31 dropped. The number of top-performing countries fell by nearly a third. Key global threats identified include armed conflicts, violence against children, and rising childhood obesity.
Recent reports also focus on children's mental health, including the impact of digital environments and social media, which is emerging as a new global challenge. Furthermore, factors related to environmental impact and climate change have been incorporated into the assessment in recent years.
Source: podrobno.uz