Ashgabat, 4-5 April 2019: The United Nations Development Program (UNDP), together with the Institute of State, Law and Democracy develop a roadmap for implementation of the final recommendations on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), the recommendations of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR).

A technical workshop on the preparation of the roadmap was organized with participation of representatives of the Working Group of the Interdepartmental Commission on implementation of Turkmenistan’s international obligations in the field of human rights and international humanitarian law, OHCHR, UNDP and other UN agencies. UNDP international expert, Mr. George Tugushi, the former Ombudsman of Georgia presented the best practices of other countries in implementing the recommendations of the UPR and gave a number of practical recommendations to the draft roadmap.

“We are pleased that UNDP, together with the Institute of State, Law and Democracy of Turkmenistan cooperate on implementation of the National Action Plan on Human rights for the period of 2016-2020 through implementation of the joint project funded by the Government of Turkmenistan. We are committed to further expand our cooperation with the Government to promote enhanced protection of human rights,” said Natia Natsvlishvili, UNDP Resident Representative a.i.

During the meeting, participants thoroughly reviewed and discussed the recommendations and commitments made by Turkmenistan, and carried out the analysis between implementation of recommendations on human rights and the achievement of the SDGs. Following the two-day workshop, a preliminary version of the roadmap was prepared, which will be sent to the Government of Turkmenistan for consideration.

“I would like to note the readiness and commitment of the Government to partnership on human rights, including the development of an integrated approach and concrete steps to implement the accepted recommendations of the UPR. Human rights play an important role in ensuring sustainable development. Achieving all 17 goals is impossible without achieving Goal 16, in building a peaceful and open society for sustainable development, ensuring access to justice for all and creating effective, accountable and participatory institutions at all levels, ”said Elena Panova, UN Resident Coordinator Turkmenistan.

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In May 2018, during the constructive dialogue of the UPR committee, Turkmenistan received 191 recommendations, of which 172 were adopted in such areas as improving legislation, strengthening the Ombudsman Institute, promoting gender equality and women's rights, preventing family violence and respecting children's rights, and protecting the rights of persons with disabilities, promoting social and economic development, strengthening the judiciary, fighting corruption and trafficking in persons, strengthening statistical capacity, and others.