VIENNA, April 24. /Dunyo IA/. In the Austrian capital, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) held the 26^th  Conference of the Alliance against Trafficking in Persons, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

Sayyora Rashidova, the Authorized Person of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan for the Rights of the Child (Children’s Ombudsman), also participated in the event dedicated to countering the forced involvement of youth in criminal activities.

At the conference, which brought together representatives from the 57 OSCE participating States, international organizations, and civil society experts, an analysis was conducted of the activities of criminal networks that pose a threat to global security.

Experts criticized the situation in which vulnerable groups, especially children, are forcibly recruited into criminal networks and as a result, are treated as perpetrators rather than victims.

During the conference, Children’s Ombudsman, Sayyora Rakhmonova, presented a report on the measures being implemented in Uzbekistan to prevent the involvement of children in criminal activities.

In particular, it was noted that under the National Strategy for Combating Drug Crime and Illicit Drug Trafficking, the involvement of minors in drug-related offenses has been classified as a serious crime. Furthermore, penalties for sexual offenses against children have been significantly strengthened.

The event participants exchanged best practices regarding the application of the “non-punishment” principle for individuals involved in criminal activities against their will, their early identification and systematic social reintegration.

This conference, traditionally held for 10 years, serves as an important platform for developing innovative and effective mechanisms to counter new global threats, as well as for strengthening inter-state cooperation.