President underlined that principles of NGOs’ activities, strengthened by Constitution, created conditions for development of NGOs, working for interest of many layers of population. Currently, there are over 5,100 NGOs in Uzbekistan, operating in various spheres. He added that number of NGOs rose 2.5 times compared to 2000.

Islam Karimov noted that number of mahallas (neighborhoods) and self-management bodies in Uzbekistan made up over 10,000. Among them are Kamolot Public Youth Movement, Uzbekistan’s Women Committee, Sog’lom Avlod Uchun, and others.

Uzbek leader said that the civil institutes and NGOs currently are becoming important factor for protection of democratic values, rights and freedoms of people, create conditions for implementation of their potentials, raise their public and social-economic activity, etc.

The role of the NGOs in carrying out public control over activity of the state and administrative structure is strengthening. Currently, institute of public and civil control is becoming important element of ensuring effective communication of the society with the state, president said.

President of Uzbekistan said it is time to adopt law “On public control in the Republic of Uzbekistan”, which will be directed at creating effective legal mechanism over execution of legislation by the government bodies. The law should determine types, forms and subjects of public control, object of control, legal mechanisms of control, etc.

Uzbek President Islam Karimov also called to develop National human rights action programme, envisaging measures on carrying out public monitoring over adherence of laws by law enforcement and controlling bodies, ensuring human rights and freedoms, and others.

He said that it is vital to develop package of laws, which would create legal base for NGOs’ participation in solving important state programmes in healthcare, environment, employment, social support of vulnerable layers of population and other socially important problems.

Uzbek leader said that the time came to develop law “On ecological control”, directed at determining role and place of NGOs in environment protection.