Quality social services - for a perfect social protection system
The first meeting of the Steering Committee for the Joint Programme of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Turkmenistan and the United Nations “Improving the social protection system by introducing inclusive quality social services at the local level” was held in Ashgabat.
The programme objective is to develop a social protection system by creating a national model of inclusive social services, expanding the coverage of services for those groups of the population that need them most. The social protection system improvement is provided for in the agreed Cooperation Framework for 2021-2025, which is another illustration of the priority of this area for both the Government of Turkmenistan and the UN.
- Improving social services has been a very important area of cooperation between the UN and the Government of Turkmenistan over the past years. This is the first joint work of the UN that offers a holistic approach to transforming the model of providing social services, UN Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan Elena Panova said.
During the meeting, the participants reviewed the Terms of Reference for the Steering Committee and the working group, as well as approved the Work Plan for 2020.
International experts Joanna Rogers and Svetlana Ryzhikova, and the so-called main technical advisory group, which will provide a consolidated approach to the development of social work in Turkmenistan, were invited to coordinate the Joint Programme.
The implementation of the Joint Programme provides for the availability of trained personnel in the field of social work and services. To this end, the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Turkmenistan will employ 45 social workers through special selection, who will undergo special training in the basics of social work.
The international experts will develop a training program for social workers, adapted to the practice of Turkmenistan, as well as monitor their future activities.
It should be noted that the implementation of the Joint Programme will contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals related to social protection of the population.
Aina BERDIYEVA
