With 412 million children living in extreme poverty, a global summit in Uzbekistan has called for greater investment in children's healthcare, education and protection, alongside closer coordination between services that often operate separately. This was at the core of the Samarkand Declaration, adopted on Thursday at the end of a two-day gathering attended by representatives from more than 100 countries. The declaration calls for stronger social protection systems, nationally determined targets and regular reporting on the quality and effectiveness of services for children.
According to UNICEF, two-thirds of the child-related UN Sustainable Development Goal indicators it monitors are off track, raising concerns about progress towards the 2030 targets. Providing access to essential services does not necessarily guarantee children receive the care and support they need, summit participants said. "We should invest not sector by sector, but we should complement each other and this will give a better result for the children," UNICEF Regional Director Édouard Beigbeder told Euronews.
Beigbeder also highlighted the importance of investing in social workers and healthcare professionals, rather than focusing exclusively on infrastructure. Uzbekistan's First Lady Ziroat Mirziyoyeva, who received the WHO Director-General's Award 2026 for her contribution to childhood cancer care, also called for closer cooperation between services. "Let us integrate medical, social and psychological support so that parents do not have to go from one institution to another in search of assistance," she told the summit.
Turkey's First Lady Emine Erdoğan questioned whether conventional indicators adequately reflect children's experiences. "However, going to school does not always mean receiving a quality education, not being hungry does not mean being properly nourished, and not being subjected to violence does not mean being loved and valued," she said. Protecting children from violence means services need to work together, particularly when victims require medical treatment, psychological support, social assistance and legal protection.
Global Head of Child Protection at Save the Children International Rebecca Smith told Euronews that children face violence at home, in conflict zones and increasingly online. She stressed the importance of ensuring that survivors can seek support without facing stigma. Uzbekistan used the summit to show how different services can be brought together to support children and families.
A child is the present,” Shahnoza Mirziyoyeva, First Deputy Director of Uzbekistan's Social Protection Agency, told the summit. In an address to participants, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasised that children's wellbeing should be measured by their quality of life today, not their future economic contribution. According to figures presented by Mirziyoyev, preschool enrolment has increased from 27.7% to 78%, while the number of inclusive schools has risen fivefold over the past two years.
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