Turkmenistan to develop a second National Action Plan on Gender Equality
Turkmenistan starts to develop a second National Action Plan on Gender Equality for 2021-2025 (NAP). In 2015, the country adopted its first National Action Plan on Gender Equality that was developed with support of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
In 1996, Turkmenistan acceded to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), and, in 2009, it signed its Optional Protocol. Since then, the country has been actively working to improve gender policy instruments, including within the framework of the National Plan.
In 2019, UNFPA assisted in assessing of ongoing National Plan for its effectiveness, relevance and other parameters, as well as the level of relationship with the Sustainable Development Goals. On its basis, recommendations will be elaborated for the development of a new Plan for 2021 – 2025.
The Working Group of the Interministerial Commission on the implementation of the international obligations of Turkmenistan in the area of human rights comprises of representatives of 17 national ministries and organizations, including the Mejlis of Turkmenistan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Prosecutor General, the Ministries of Economy and Finance, Education, Health care and Medical Industry, Labor and Social Protection, Turkmen National Institute of Democracy and Human Rights, National Red Crescent Society of Turkmenistan, Women’s Union of Turkmenistan, Youth Organization, etc.
The development of the Plan would allow for the recommendations of the CEDAW Committee received in the framework of the dialogue with the country in 2018, as well as recommendations relating to gender equality under the 2018 Universal Periodic Review.
