AKIPRESS.COM - President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has enacted a comprehensive decree to overhaul Uzbekistan’s national protection system for women and children, introducing significantly harsher penalties for offenders and new support mechanisms for victims, Kun.uz reported.

Developed through extensive public and expert consultation, the law establishes a zero-tolerance policy for sexual crimes against minors, including the introduction of life imprisonment as a potential sentence and a ban on transferring such convicts to open prison settlements. To ensure greater impartiality in legal proceedings, jurisdiction over sexual violence cases has been transferred from the Ministry of Internal Affairs to the Prosecutor General’s Office, and any dismissal of harassment claims must now be officially confirmed by a prosecutor.

The decree also focuses heavily on technological and social support, introducing a dedicated "SOS" mobile application for women with protection orders that alerts nearby officers to respond within ten minutes.

To combat the issue of early marriages, the government is implementing financial incentives for those who marry at age 21 or older, providing whistleblower rewards for reporting age-law violations, and exempting state fees for prenuptial agreements.

The new measures protect the educational rights of young mothers by allowing pregnant students or those with children under three to continue their studies through flexible arrangements.

President Mirziyoyev has instructed officials to ensure these sweeping reforms are clearly communicated and implemented across all regions of the country.