On September 29-30 of this year, a regional discussion on the topic "Reintegration of children and their families returning from Syria and Iraq into society" was held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, in cooperation with the Ministry of Labor, Social Protection and Migration of the Kyrgyz Republic, UNICEF, and the European Union.

The main goal of the meeting was to develop mutual learning through the exchange of experiences and best practices between Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, as well as to strengthen dialogue and cooperation between governments and international partners. Representatives of the National Agency for Social Protection, UNICEF, the Center for Strengthening Communities and Developing Social Well-being, and the Center for Advanced Training of Social Workers also shared their experiences.

It is worth noting that during the discussion, great interest was expressed in the establishment of the National Agency for Social Protection by Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, and the development of social services today, the automation of case management practices, and the systematization of the activities and supervision of social workers in the neighborhood.

“The systematization of social work at the mahalla level in Uzbekistan is an exemplary experience,” said
Aaron GREENBERG, Child Protection Advisor, UNICEF Regional Bureau for Europe and Central Asia.

The discussion focused on psychosocial support for children returning from conflict zones and their families, strengthening the capacity of social services, identifying challenges and new priorities in the reintegration process, and defining areas of future cooperation with international partners.