Justice without re-traumatization: Uzbekistan trains specialists to work with child victims of violence

When children who have experienced violence enter the justice system, they need to feel safe, heard and protected. If a child feels comfortable giving testimony, understands what is happening, and is protected from secondary victimization depends greatly on the professionals they meet, including judges and prosecutors. Child-friendly justice means making justice processes more understandable, timely, accessible, age-appropriate and focused on the rights, safety and needs of every child. In line with Presidential Decree No. 256 of 24 December 2025, which approved the 2026–2030 Strategy on the Protection of Children from All Forms of Violence, strengthening the knowledge and skills of justice professionals is an important priority.

To support the specialization of professionals working on cases involving child victims and witnesses of violence, the Children’s Ombudsperson’s Office, the Supreme Court, the Prosecutor General’s Office and the Law Enforcement Academy jointly with the  OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan and UNICEF conducted trainings for criminal court judges and assistant prosecutors.

“For us, as officers of the Prosecutor’s Office of the Koshrabat District of Samarkand Region, this training is deeply significant since our region is pioneering the rollout of the advanced Barnahus model. With youth making up over half of Uzbekistan's population, our ultimate duty is to protect children both in the physical and digital worlds. Thanks to our participation in this training, we are learning not just technical investigation, but first and foremost, a compassionate, child-centered approach. International practices are guiding us on how to effectively solve crimes, including those committed online, while ensuring that children are fully protected from re-traumatization,” – said Shakhzod Sagdullayev, Assistant Prosecutor of the Koshrabat District of Samarkand Region.

The trainings covered key topics, including international standards on child rights and justice for children, child sexual abuse and exploitation, collection and assessment of evidence in such cases, the Barnahus model of inter-agency and multi-sectoral support for child victims, and the basics of child investigative interviewing, including the assessment of video and audio recordings and others and other topics.

“As part of the Strategy to Protect Children from All Forms of Violence for 2026-2030, Uzbekistan is introducing a new practices - the Barnahus model, which is initially being implemented as a pilot project in the Samarkand region. This seminar-training has become an important milestone in putting child-centered justice into practice. We gained deep insights into handling cases of sexual violence against minors, as well as the specifics of properly obtaining and evaluating children's testimonies. Guided by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, ratified by our country in 1992, Uzbekistan's judges maintain a firm stance on protecting children's rights,” - said Zarifa Akhmedova, Judge of the Samarkand City Criminal Court.

As a result, 18 criminal court judges and 25 assistant prosecutors from Samarkand region, Tashkent city and Tashkent region strengthened their understanding of child-friendly approaches in the investigation and consideration of cases involving children. These trainings will also support further work related to the first Barnahus Centre, which is expected to open in Samarkand region this year.