On 18-19 February, 2025, at the UN building in Ashgabat, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Office together with the Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD) conducted a workshop with representatives of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan. The workshop focused on the implementation of a comprehensive gender approach to further improve legislation to protect women from domestic violence.
The event was attended by members of the parliamentary committees on legislation, human rights, international relations, and social policy, Mr. Farrukh Usmonov, AFPPD Interim Executive Director, and UNFPA representatives. Also, Ms. Gabriela Alvarez Minte, UNFPA Regional Gender Adviser and Mr. Fabio Piana, Deputy Regional Representative of the Office for Central Asia Office of the OHCHR connected online.
During the seminar, UNFPA expert Ms. Morgane Landel presented information on the prevalence and consequences of domestic violence, international experience in the area of legislation to protect women’s rights, and the need to incorporate relevant norms into Turkmenistan’s national legislation. The AFPPD representative shared information about the forum’s work, particularly its advocacy for legislation and promotion of policies that benefit member-state societies.
Also on 20 February, a consultation meeting was organized with representatives of the Working Group of the Inter-ministerial Commission on Ensuring the Implementation of Turkmenistan’s International Obligations in the Field of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law. The participants, including representatives of various ministries and departments, discussed best foreign experience in ensuring women’s rights and protecting them from gender-based violence.
These events were organized as part of technical support for the implementation of the Roadmap for the Recommendations of the National Survey on the Health and Status of Women in the Family in Turkmenistan for 2022-2025, as well as the Concluding Recommendations of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) from March 2024. UNFPA expressed its readiness to continue cooperation with the government and parliament of Turkmenistan in this important area.
UNFPA is an international agency dedicated to population and development issues. We work in over 190 countries and territories, empowering individuals to lead healthy and fulfilling lives. Our work focuses on reproductive health and rights, gender equality, youth, and population dynamics. https://turkmenistan.unfpa.org
AFPPD is a parliamentary network of 30 National Committees in the Asia-Pacific region, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The Forum serves as a platform to discuss and recommend legislation and policies on population and development, including gender equality and violence against women. https://afppd.net/
