UNDP and partners discuss mechanisms for promoting the rights of minorities and vulnerable groups

November 28, 2019

Ashgabat, 27 November 2019: The United Nations Development Program (UNDP), together with the Institute of State, Law and Democracy of Turkmenistan and the Interdepartmental Commission for the Implementation of Turkmenistan's International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law Obligations, organized a two-day seminar on promoting the rights and opportunities of minorities and vulnerable groups.

This seminar was attended by 20 members of the commission and UNDP international expert George Tugushi. The workshop aims to implement the recommendations of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and other UN human rights treaty bodies to develop national mechanisms for protecting and promoting minority rights in Turkmenistan.

“The terms and definitions of minorities and vulnerable groups vary in each country. Therefore, it is necessary to identify whom we include into the groups and only after that develop national mechanisms for protecting and promoting their rights. Many people think that minorities are necessarily religious or ethnic groups, however, there are many different groups of people that the Government can identify and include in this category of the population,” said Mr. Tugushi.

During the workshop, participants discussed existing national legislation, models of anti-discrimination mechanisms for working with ethnic minorities based on the experience of foreign countries, and the mandates of independent bodies to consult with representatives of ethnic minorities and vulnerable groups.

Attention was also paid to the training of civil servants and the required cadres on the issues of equality and protection of the rights of ethnic minorities.