History of the Establishment and Development of Family-Based Childrens Homes in Uzbekistan

Historical sources indicate that caring for orphans and assisting children deprived of parental care have long been among the enduring values of the Uzbek people. Children who lost their parents or guardians have always been a matter of concern for society, and providing them with protection and care has been regarded as a moral and social duty.

As early as the 11th century, the renowned philosopher and poet Yusuf Khos Khojib emphasized the responsibility of state authorities to pay special attention to the needs of the poor, orphans, and vulnerable groups. He considered care for such individuals to be a manifestation of “true justice”[1]. Similar ideas can be found in the Hikmats of Hazrat Ahmad Yassawi [2], which underscore compassion, charity, and social responsibility as essential virtues.

Description of the study

A prominent example of institutionalized care for orphans can be seen in the activities of Alisher Navoi, who established a school for orphans at the Ikhlosiya madrasa, personally providing them with food, clothing, and educational materials. Khudoyorkhan, the Khan of Kokand, also demonstrated particular concern for orphaned children by gathering them in palaces, where they received education and vocational training. During this period, orphans and children deprived of parental care were not merely sheltered but were actively prepared for independent and productive lives.

During the early years of Soviet rule, particularly within the first decade, boarding schools and orphanages were established for orphans and neglected children. The first childrens homes were organized in 1918 by a decision of the Council of Peoples Commissars of Turkestan. Buildings and land confiscated from wealthy individuals were repurposed to meet the needs of these institutions. The newly established charitable homes were divided into two categories: institutions for preschool children aged 37 and for school-age children aged 718 [3].

On January 27, 1923, a decision was adopted in the Turkestan Republic to allocate land for orphanages and boarding schools. However, because the decision affected lands inhabited by local residents, it was revised on June 11, 1924. Under the revised decision, each student in rural areas was allocated one-tenth of a desyatina of land, while twice that amount was allocated on cotton-growing lands.

During the Second World War, more than 1.5 million people were evacuated to Uzbekistan, including approximately 250,000 children. Many Uzbek families took orphaned children into their homes. For example, the family of Hamid Samadov from Kattakurgan raised more than ten children, Fotima Qosimova raised ten children, and the Juraev and Ashurkhodjaev families raised eight children each. The Tashkent blacksmith Shoahmad Shomahmudov and his wife Bakhri Akramova took in fourteen children of different nationalities [4]. These examples vividly demonstrate the humanitarian spirit and solidarity of the Uzbek people during times of hardship.

In 1988, due to an increase in the number of orphans, the Soviet Union adopted a decision to establish family-type childrens homes [5]. Following independence, the Republic of Uzbekistan further strengthened the legal foundations for protecting children deprived of parental care. Article 64 of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan established that parents are obliged to care for and raise their children until adulthood, while the state and society must ensure the care, upbringing, and education of orphans and encourage charitable activities aimed at supporting children.

In order to protect the rights and interests of children deprived of parental care and to create conditions as close as possible to a family environment, the Cabinet of Ministers adopted Resolution No. 158 of July 31, 2007, approving the Regulation on Family-Based Childrens Homes , within the framework of the Presidential Decree “On the State Program Year of Social Protection” dated January 23, 2007 (PQ-573).

This regulation defined the legal status of familybased childrens homes, procedures for their establishment, rules for admitting children, and guarantees for foster parents [6].

Subsequently, under Presidential Resolution No. PQ5215 dated August 9, 2021, aimed at introducing a fundamentally renewed system of care for orphans and children deprived of parental care, military personnel and National Guard officers were assigned to family-based childrens homes and foster families. These officers, in cooperation with guardianship authorities, are required to conduct at least one monthly interview with children to assess educational, living, and upbringing conditions and to identify measures for addressing existing problems.

The updated Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan, adopted by referendum on April 30, 2023, further strengthened these guarantees. Article 77 establishes that parents and persons substituting them are obliged to care for children, ensuring their education, health, and comprehensive development, while the state and society bear responsibility for supporting these objectives.

One practical manifestation of this social policy is the continued development of familybased childrens homes. As of June 1, 2025, 141 family-based childrens homes were operating in the republic, providing care for 621 children [7].

Further reforms were implemented through Presidential Resolution No. PQ-345 of August 4, 2022, “On Additional Measures to Improve the Activities of Family-Based Childrens Homes,” and the Regulation approved by the Cabinet of Ministers on August 16, 2022 (Resolution No. 451). According to this Regulation, a family-based childrens home is defined as a structure without legal entity status, intended to raise children in a family environment.

The primary objectives of family-based childrens homes include ensuring childrens education, health improvement, intellectual, psychological, and physical development; promoting their socialization and protection; instilling universal human values; and developing labor, household, and economic skills to prepare them for independent living.

Since January 1, 2024, all orphanages, mercy homes, and family-based childrens homes have been transferred to the system of the National Agency for Social Protection of the Population, in accordance with the Presidential Decree on comprehensive measures to ensure high-quality social services and effective oversight [8].

Conclusion

Legislation regulating family-based childrens homes has been significantly improved in recent years. Age requirements for foster parents have been expanded, mandatory training certificates have been introduced, and the number of children placed in each family has been optimized to ensure better care and social adaptation.

Currently, the activities of family-based childrens homes are regulated by the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated December 27, 2024, No. 893, which establishes procedures for placing orphans and children deprived of parental care into foster families and organizing family-based childrens homes [9].