How the Potential of Women Leaders Is Changing the Modern Architecture of International Relations
Ashgabat, March 10 | ORIENT. The Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan has become a platform for professional discussion, bringing together several generations of diplomats. The interactive dialogue "The role of women diplomats in society and their achievements" was held in unison with the second regional training for young civil servants in Central Asia, becoming its semantic and valuable complement.
This format made it possible to translate the theoretical foundations of regional cooperation into a living experience. In an exclusive comment for ORIENT, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Myakhri Byashimova stressed that for the country such meetings are not only a platform for presenting successes, but also a tool for deep introspection.
Together with the UN, the diplomatic department gathered those who are currently working on the global agenda: from ambassadors of different countries to heads of UN structures and future cadres of Turkmen diplomacy — students of IIR and IUHD.
Diplomacy without retouching
The main difference between the meeting was the departure from dry reports. As Myakhri Byashimova noted in an interview with ORIENT, Turkmenistan enters such platforms not only with a list of achievements, but also with a willingness to introspect.
"Turkmenistan has considerable experience in the field of gender equality, but we are aware that there are some gaps that need to be addressed. We know these points and are ready to discuss how to overcome them. The dialogue allows us to speak out and hear each other," the Deputy minister stressed.
Such openness is the key to implementing international commitments, including the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and the recommendations of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CIDA). By the way, the next big clock check on these issues is already on March 25, when the parliamentary Women's Dialogue will take place.
Voices of the world: from Palestine to Pakistan
The dialogue was attended by women whose work today is directly related to the resolution of the most complex global crises. Ambassador of Palestine Rana Abu Hijleh, Ambassador of Pakistan Faryal Leghari, UNDP Permanent Representative Narine Sahakyan and the "face" of Turkmen cultural diplomacy Chinar Rustemova have created a unique polyphonic portrait of a modern woman in politics.
In an interview with ORIENT, Myakhri Byashimova expressed regret that the invited heads of the diplomatic missions of the European Union and the United States, Beata Peksa and Elizabeth Rood, could not participate in the discussion. According to the Deputy minister, their high status and vast experience could make the conversation even more voluminous.
Counting on young minds
The presence of female students in the hall is not just a crowd, but a specific target.
"We invited our young girls to hear first—hand how initiatives in the field of gender equality are being implemented in the world," Byashimova said.
For young diplomats, this interactive course became the best textbook: here they saw how the principle of neutrality "Dialogue is a guarantee of peace" works in practice, turning from a political slogan into a tool for protecting rights and expanding opportunities.
Holding such Dialogues today is an effective mechanism for global change. Such a platform allows Turkmenistan not only to implement international standards, but also to offer its own successful practices for scaling in other regions.
The dialogue format gives women direct leverage over decision-making processes in security, economic and sustainable development issues. And the strengthening of humanitarian ties directly correlates with the growth of women's entrepreneurship and more active participation of women in solving socio-economic problems of states.
Bottom line: the increasing role of women in the peacekeeping and humanitarian agenda is becoming the key to a more stable and balanced world order.
To the topic
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