High mortality and malnutrition among children are key problems in Tajikistan, according to CABAR.asia.  The overwhelming majority of Tajik children are reportedly deprived of the opportunity to receive preschool education.  Also the problem of education for girls and the actual discrimination of children with special needs are relevant.

In the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the rights to life, access to healthy food, quality education and freedom from discrimination are fundamental rights that children receive from birth.  

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, all people under the age of 18 are considered children and have the rights described in the Convention.  Tajikistan ratified this document 28 years ago – in 1993.

Every child has the right to life.  Governments must do all they can to ensure that children survive and develop to their full potential (UN Convention on the Rights of the Child).

According to the World Bank, the neonatal mortality rate in Tajikistan in 2019 was 15 per 1000 children – the highest rate in Central Asia, excluding Turkmenistan and Afghanistan.

The mortality rate of children under 5 years old in Tajikistan in 2019 also was one of the highest in the region – 33.8 deaths per 1000 live births.  In neighboring countries, the situation was much better – Uzbekistan (17.4), Kyrgyzstan (18.3) and Kazakhstan (10.5). Turkmenistan (42 deaths) and Afghanistan (60.3) again were outsiders.

The Ministry of Health and Social Protection of the Population of Tajikistan, however, is optimistic about the child death situation.  In a report released at a news conference in Dushanbe, the Minister of Health Jamoliddin Abdullozoda said on February 12, 2021 that the infant mortality rate (within 1 year of life) in 2020 was 13.4 deaths per 1,000 live births, and among children under the age 5 years the rate was 16.5 per 1,000 children.

The second important problem for children in Tajikistan after child mortality is child nutrition.  Chronic nutritional deficiencies lead to anemia, iodine deficiency and stunted growth.  In 2020, the situation reportedly worsened further due to the pandemic and the decline in migrant remittances, which is the main source of income for many Tajik families.

According to a 2017 demographic survey, 18% of Tajik children under the age of 5 had stunted growth, more than 8% were underweight, and 6% were starving.  The highest prevalence of stunting (24%) is in the districts subordinate to the center -- 13 regions, which are mainly located on the east from Dushanbe.

Another reason is the lack of access to a basic safe and reliable drinking water supply, especially among the rural population.  According to USAID data from February 2021, more than 40% of the population of Tajikistan does not have access to clean drinking water, which is the cause of 16% of deaths among children under the age of 5 years.

Every child has the right to an education. Primary education should be free.  Secondary and higher education should be available to every child.  Most of the problems in the field of education in Tajikistan are associated with the complicacy of the early, preschool development of the child.  More than 84% of children aged 3 to 6 in Tajikistan do not receive preschool education.  This is over 726,000 children; most of them live in rural and remote areas.

According to UNICEF, this problem is caused by insufficient allocation of public resources, constant demographic growth, dependence on external funding, and lack of funds from parents.  

During the COVID-19 pandemic in Tajikistan, state budget income decreased and spending on the social and health sectors increased, which ultimately led to the budget deficit.  It was decided to cover this deficit by attracting external credits.

In Tajikistan, it is more difficult for girls to get a higher education, and often even a secondary one. They are forced to marry early and live in the custody of a spouse.  Girls’ desire to get education and work is not taken into account, because as a potential breadwinner in a family is a priori considered only a boy.  This trend is especially typical for rural areas.

Children with mental and physical disabilities are reportedly also discriminated against by society.  In Tajikistan, there are laws that recognize the rights of children with disabilities to access education, housing, vocational training, medical care and leisure activities on an equal basis with able-bodied people, but they are not implemented in practice.

Tajikistan lacks a widespread system that promotes positive attitudes towards people with disabilities, that allows them to receive inclusive education or rehabilitation services.