In Uzbekistan, a child is often seen not as an independent individual, but as an object of adult responsibility and control. What happens within a family is frequently considered a “private matter,” one into which neither society nor the state is expected to intervene. “It’s my child — I can hit them if I want, insult them if I want.”
Problem
Within such a system, violence becomes part of everyday life. It begins to exist everywhere: in kindergartens, in schools, and even at home. In 2024, a man who had systematically subjected his stepdaughter to sexual abuse nearly received a lenient sentence. For children, violence has turned into a heavy burden — invisible to both adults and the law.
Solution
The Weight of Pain project by the Agency for Social Protection is based on three real stories of child abuse, told through a short film. In these stories, adults saw the heavy burden children carry for the first time. Symbols of fear and pain — backpacks shaped like the buildings of their own homes, schools, and kindergartens — places where they were supposed to be loved. And in these stories, children’s voices were heard speaking out against violence for the first time. The short film was screened in the country’s largest cinemas and went beyond the screens into exhibitions, where journalists, bloggers, and adults confronted this issue directly for the first time. The symbol of the heavy load became a public sign — a reminder that children deserve care, not pain.
Results
The project triggered a powerful and emotional response. More than 150 media mentions were recorded, with a total reach of over 24 million people. This resonance helped amplify children’s voices at a UNICEF conference supporting the protection of their rights from violence. As a result of this impact, the Parliament of Uzbekistan approved the law “On the Protection of Children from All Forms of Violence,” and the film became mandatory viewing for all social workers working with children. But most importantly, the man who had long avoided real punishment for the sexual abuse of his stepdaughter was sentenced to 17 years in prison. This is the first case of such a severe sentence in the country.
