UNDP and national partners work together on improving the system of social service delivery

October 9, 2018

Ashgabat, 2-4 October 2018

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Turkmenistan within the framework of the project “Empowering Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to participate in policy making and social service delivery” has organized a three-day capacity building workshop on social services and public procurement for representatives of civil society organizations (CSOs) on 2-4 October. The following day, October 5, a roundtable of CSOs and Government representatives was held in the UN Building.

The initiative was aimed at discussing key concepts related to the system of social service delivery and the role of CSOs in it and sharing comparative practices of state social contracting for services to CSOs. The workshop was facilitated by an international expert, Mr. Luben Panov, who shared key aspects of system of social service delivery, international best practices and models of public procurement and social service delivery, as well as legislation on public procurement.

“Partnership with civil society organizations is an important guiding principle for UNDP, as they bring huge contribution to the development of society, in solving social problems of the population and implementing national programs in the country. Active state support for the development of civil society institutions is a very important factor in the development of a democratic society” stated Elena Panova, UN Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan at the joint roundtable with the Government and civil society.

The seminar brought together more than fifteen representatives from public organizations in Ashgabat and velayats, as well as 10 state institutions to discuss the merits, weaknesses and gaps in the existing social service system and recommendations on how to improve the system of social service delivery in Turkmenistan. At the conclusion, the representatives of local public organizations presented their experience in social services they deliver to population in the country.

The Project is co-funded by the government of Finland and the Embassy of Germany in Ashgabat.