Samarkand summit urges joined-up support for children

A global summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, has called for governments to invest more in children’s healthcare, education and protection—and to coordinate services that often operate separately. Representatives from more than 100 countries adopted the Samarkand Declaration on Thursday, at the end of a two-day gathering.

The declaration calls for stronger social protection systems, nationally set targets and regular reporting on the quality and effectiveness of services. The push comes as 412 million children live in extreme poverty and two-thirds of the child-related U.N. Sustainable Development Goal indicators monitored by UNICEF are off track.

Summit participants argued that access to a school or clinic alone does not guarantee children receive good education or effective care. The declaration’s emphasis on coordination reflects a wider challenge: children and families may need medical, psychological and social support at the same time.

Why services need to work together

UNICEF Regional Director Édouard Beigbeder said investment should complement services rather than be made “sector by sector.” He also urged investment in social workers and healthcare professionals, not only infrastructure. Uzbekistan’s First Lady Ziroat Mirziyoyeva called for medical, social and psychological support to be integrated so parents do not have to seek help at separate institutions.

The summit also focused on children facing violence at home, in conflict zones and online. Rebecca Smith, global head of child protection at Save the Children International, said survivors should be able to seek help without stigma. Their needs can involve medical treatment, psychological care, social assistance and legal protection.

Uzbekistan presented the Imkon rehabilitation center in Samarkand as one example of joined-up services. It combines preschool education with medical, psychological and educational support for children with disabilities. The center can accommodate 150 children and offer outpatient rehabilitation to as many as 100 children ages 3 to 18 each month.

Cancer care shows the stakes

A parallel congress in Samarkand examined gaps in childhood cancer diagnosis, specialist treatment and access to medicines. The World Health Organization estimates that around 400,000 children and adolescents develop cancer worldwide each year. More than 80% of children with cancer are cured in high-income countries, compared with fewer than 30% in many low- and middle-income countries.

Carlos Rodriguez-Galindo, executive vice president of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, identified delayed or missed diagnoses as a major obstacle. The WHO has set a target of at least 60% survival for children with cancer by 2030. The summit declaration calls for regular reporting on services, but the account of the gathering does not specify how countries will measure progress toward its broader targets.

This report draws on information from euronews.